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Training strategies for maximizing rowing performance (Bachelor thesis)

Τσιτσίρα, Ιωάννα/ Tsitsira, Ioanna

Delayed potentiation effect refers to specific training strategies which aim to increase performance hours or days before competition. In rowing, it is suggested that a training session—either low-intensity and long-duration or high-intensity and short-duration—may enhance performance the following day. However, the effect of such activation protocols on sprint rowing has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential delayed enhancement of 500m rowing performance following low- or high-intensity training performed 24 hours prior to testing. Seven rowers participated in the study (5 males and 2 females, age: 20.5±1.25 years, body mass: 77.4±12.3 kg, height: 1.81±0.125 m). All athletes followed a 6-week training period, which included 12 training sessions focused on long-duration workouts and sessions aimed at improving 500m performance. At the end of the 6 weeks, participants underwent body composition analysis using DEXA. Then, athletes completed a 500m time trial on a rowing ergometer in a randomized order: a control trial, followed by two activation sessions—one low-intensity and one high-intensity—performed 24 hours before the performance evaluation Statistical analysis was conducted using repeated-measures ANOVA. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) was used, and the significance level was set at p≤0.05. Results showed that neither the low- nor high-intensity activation session induced a statistically significant reduction in rowing time (-2.4±3.2% and -2.8±3.4%, respectively, p=0.240, η²=0.435). Similarly, no significant changes were found in average heart rate post-intervention (p=0.844, η²=0.065), and the power output remained unchanged (p=0.166, η²=0.513). Moderate to strong correlations were observed between lean body mass and rowing time (r = -0.738 to -0.636), as well as between lean mass and power output (r = 0.767 to 0.662). However, lean body mass was not significantly associated with the percentage change in performance. These findings suggest that an activation session, whether low- or high-intensity, performed 24 hours before a 500m rowing test does not significantly enhance performance. Lean body mass does not seem to explain the training-induced changes in 500m rowing time.