Differential effects of strength determinants on different phases of olympic rowing performance in adolescent athletes

Background: In olympic rowing aerobic metabolism dominates, but the demands on strength and power have not yet been thoroughly investigated. To examine the neuromuscular and physiological requirements for the characteristic pacing strategy, the aim of this study was to identify strength qualities for different phases of rowing performance in adolescent athletes.
Methods: The cross-sectional analysis of fourteen rowing athletes included anthropometrics, maximal strength of bilateral leg press, trunk extension and flexion, mid-thigh pull (MTP) and handgrip strength, VO2max, and a 2000 m time trial, including peak forces at the start, middle and end phase. Rate of force developments (RFD) were raised within isometric leg press and MTP with intervals of 150, 350 and 150, 300 ms, respectively.
Results: The best fit model for the start phase included trunk extension and RFD 300 ms of MTP (R2=0.91, p<0.001), while for the middle section it were VO2max, leg press and sitting height (R2=0.84, p<0.001). For the end phase a best fit was observed for trunk flexion, RFD 350 ms of leg press, body height and sex (R2=0.97, p<0.001), whereas absolute VO2max, trunk flexion and sex explained variance over the entire 2000 m time trial (R2=0.98, p<0.001).
Conclusions: For the high acceleration at the start, force transmission through maximum back strength seems to be essential, while fast power production along the kinetic chain is also relevant. Additionally, the results indicate that maximal force complements the reliance on VO2max. Further research through intervention studies is needed to refine training recommendations.