The Efficacy of Heart Rate Variability in Tracking Travel and Training Stress in Youth Female Rowers: A Preliminary Study.

Egan-Shuttler, JD, Edmonds, R, and Ives, SJ. The efficacy of heart rate variability in tracking travel and training stress in youth female rowers: A preliminary study. J Strength Cond Res 34(11): 3293-3300, 2020-Heart rate variability (HRV) is a reliable indicator of cardiac parasympathetic activity and has been used in athletic populations to measure training adaptations. To date, there is limited research showing whether HRV is practical in youth female athletes and rowers during short periods of overload training. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the practicality of HRV in documenting training responses during a period of overload training in youth female rowers. Time-domain (SD of N-N intervals, SDNN; root mean square of successive differences, RMSSD) and nonlinear (SD1) indices of HRV were recorded during baseline training, daily during the 6-day training camp, and 1 week after the camp in 5 athletes from an elite, high-school, rowing team. Training duration and rate of perceived exertion were recorded to document training load. Training load during the camp was 76% above the athlete's normal workload (2,258 ± 459 vs. 1,280 ± 356 arbitrary units (a.u.)). Using progressive statistics, cardiac vagal activity (RMSSD and SD1) was very likely reduced during each day of the camp when compared with baseline training, although returned to baseline within a week of the training camp. Interestingly, SDNN was reduced throughout the training camp and remained reduced up to a week after the training camp (78% likely; effect size = -0.32). These insights add value to HRV's use in youth sport and provides coaches with an easy, cost-effective means to monitor the physiological response to training, allowing fine-tuning of training, potentially enhancing performance.

Beyond Peak, a Simple Approach to Assess Rowing Power and the Impact of Training: A Technical Report.

Recently, rowing power has been shown to be a key determinant of rowing performance. However, rowing power testing can vary greatly, and is not standardized. Here we sought to evaluate rowing power over a 15 sec rowing test utilizing a stroke-by-stroke analysis before and after 4 weeks of training in youth rowers. METHODS: 18 adolescent male rowers were assigned to complete either 4 weeks of plyometric training (PLYO, n=9), or steady state cycling (Control, n=9), for 30 minutes before on water training three days/week. Each group was matched for training volume. Peak power (PP) was assessed via a 15 sec maximal rowing ergometer test. Using the Ergdata mobile app, PP, peak force (PF), average force (AF), drive speed (DS), and stroke at which PP was achieved (PPstroke) were measured and recorded for later offline analysis. RESULTS: Before training PP, PF, AF and DS did not differ between groups. After training, PP trended towards a significant difference between groups PLYO and CON (569±75 v. 629±51 Watts, control v. PLYO, p=0.08). Stroke-by-stroke analysis indicated more power was produced over the test following training (p<0.05), but no group differences existed. There was also a trend towards PLYO achieving PP earlier in the test (7.7±0.9 to 6.9±0.9 strokes, p=0.08). Finally, DS during the test was significantly increased for PLYO after training (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This novel method of evaluating rowing power was able to detect changes in rowing power indices, providing coaches with a cost effective method of evaluating responses to rowing training.

The Effect of Concurrent Plyometric Training Versus Submaximal Aerobic Cycling on Rowing Economy, Peak Power, and Performance in Male High School Rowers.

BACKGROUND: Plyometric training has been shown to increase muscle power, running economy, and performance in athletes. Despite its use by rowing coaches, it is unknown whether plyometrics might improve rowing economy or performance. The purpose was to determine if plyometric training, in conjunction with training on the water, would lead to improved rowing economy and performance. METHODS: Eighteen male high school rowers were assigned to perform 4 weeks of either plyometric training (PLYO, n = 9) or steady-state cycling below ventilatory threshold (endurance, E, n = 9), for 30 min prior to practice on the water (matched for training volume) 3 days per week. Rowing performance was assessed through a 500-m rowing time trial (TT) and peak rowing power (RP), while rowing economy (RE) was assessed by measuring the oxygen cost over four work rates (90, 120, 150, and 180 W). RESULTS: Rowing economy was improved in both PLYO and E (p < 0.05). The 500-m TT performance improved significantly for PLYO (from 99.8 ± 9 s to 94.6 ± 2 s, p < 0.05) but not for E (from 98.8 ± 6 s to 98.7 ± 5 s, p > 0.05). Finally, RP was moderately higher in the PLYO group post-training (E 569 ± 75 W, PLYO 629 ± 51 W, ES = 0.66) CONCLUSIONS: In a season when the athletes performed no rowing sprint training, 4 weeks of plyometric training improved the 500-m rowing performance and moderately improved peak power. This increase in performance may have been mediated by moderate improvements in rowing power, but not economy, and warrants further investigation.