Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare changes in aerobic condition, strength, and muscular endurance following 8 weeks of endurance rowing alone or in combination with weight-training. Twenty-two elite rowers were assigned to (1) rowing (n=10, 250–270 km _ week71) or (2) rowing (n=12, 190–210 km _ week71) plus four weight-training sessions each week. Pre and post mean and standardized effect-size (ES) differences in aerobic condition (watts at 4 mmol _ L71) and strength (isometric pull, N), prone bench-pull (6-repetition maximum, 6-RM), 5- and 30-repetition leg-press and 60-repetition seated-arm-pull (J, performed on a dynamometer) normalized by body mass and log-transformed were analysed, after adjusting for gender. The standardized differences between groups were trivial for aerobic condition (ES [+90% CI]=0.15;+0.28, P=0.37) and prone bench-pull (ES=0.27;+0.33, P=0.18), although a moderate positive benefit in favour of rowing only was observed for the seated-arm-pull (ES=0.42;+0.4, P=0.08). Only the weight-training group improved isometric pull (12.4+8.9%, P50.01), 5-repetition (4.0+5.7%, P50.01) and 30-repetition (2.4+5.4%, P50.01) leg-press. In conclusion, while gains in aerobic condition and upper-body strength were comparable to extensive endurance rowing, weight-training led to moderately greater lower-body muscular-endurance and strength gains. Verf.-Referat