Stroke power consistency and 2000 m rowing performance in varsity rowers

We studied the relationship between stroke power consistency and 2000 m rowing time besides determining maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max) and leg extension power. The subjects (n=16, male varsity rowers) carried out an incremental test to volitional exhaustion on a rowing ergometer, and the VO ₂ at each stage was determined. The stroke power consistency was assessed by the coefficient of variation of power (CVP_high) at the highest workload at which each subject could maintain power. Besides the incremental test, 2000 m all-out rowing was performed on the ergometer and leg extension power was measured. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the 2000 m rowing time could be predicted by VO_2max, leg extension power and CVP_high in order of strength of standardized partial correlation coefficients as explanatory variables. The CVP _high correlated with the residual of the regression between 2000 m rowing time and VO_2max. The findings suggest that the stroke power consistency contributes to maintenance of the power during ergometer rowing.