Rowing has become popular not only with aspiring oarsmen and women, but with the general population who see it as an effective form of fitness training.
The success of the Concept 2 rowing ergometer has meant that health club members can develop substantial rowing-specific fitness without ever taking to the water. Several events now exist purely to test the competitor's proficiency on an indoor rowing ergo.
Rowing is often labelled as one of the most physically strenuous of all sports, and it's not without credence...
In tests designed to mirror the demands of a 2000m race, caloric expenditure has been calculated as 36kcal per minute making it one of the most energy demanding activities ever studied. It's not surprising then that the aerobic power (VO2max) of elite oarsmen and women is substantial.
Aerobic energy metabolism is responsible for up to 75% of the energy required to row a 2000m race. The rest is derived from anaerobic metabolism, predominately through the lactic acid system with a small contribution from alactic pathways. Muscle fibre type composition in oarsmen and women resembles that of distance runners although they demonstrate significantly greater leg power than other athletes.
Tactically, rowers take a unique approach to race pacing. Up to the first 500m are completed with a vigorous sprint so athletes can look back on competitors. This places an immediate strain on the anaerobic energy pathways, which is followed by about 1000m of very high steady-state aerobic activity. The final 500m consists of an exhaustive, anaerobic sprint. Unsurprisingly, studies show Oarsmen and women have an exceptionally high tolerance to lactate accumulation.
Strength is also important to the rower. Peak power, power endurance and muscular endurance should be the ultimate goal of a rowing training program. Excessive hypertrophy can be detrimental to rowing while peak power, rather than maximal strength, is associated with good performance.
*Article from: http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/rowing-training.html
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