Abstract

Anaerobic threshold (AT, 4 mmol/l) was studied in 94 male and in 52 female junior rowers, aged 16 to 20, by subjecting them to a specific graded exercise on rowing ergometer Concept II. As reference groups served 37 senior rowers. Power at AT in younger juniors, older juniors, and seniors was 226+/-37, 258+/-22, and 316+/-33 W., respectively, in male rowers, and 153+/-22, 170+/-15, and 219+/-19 W in the female ones. The heart rate (HR) at AT was about 87 of HRmax in all groups. It was demonstrated that the applied exercise sufficiently characterized rowers of different athletic experience and could be employed to monitor the level of metabolic adaptation and to design the intensity of work loads basing on HR at AT. The computed fiducial limits for the AT-index can be applied in evaluating progress made by junior rowers in their training. Verf.-Referat