Abstract
The heart rate, blood lactate, and catecholamine responses to rowing on a Gjessing
ergometer and in a single scull on the water were compared. Seventeen rowers performed
a multistage step test on the ergometer as well as low and high intensity endurance
rowing on the water. Seven oarsmen (six with determinations of free plasma adrenaline
and noradrenaline) rowed on the ergometer with the same heart rate and duration as
on the water. During ergometer endurance rowing, heart rate, lactate, and adrenaline
were not significantly different from boat rowing, while plasma noradrenaline was
higher. However, at similar lactate levels, heart rate during rowing on the water
was approximately 10 beats·min-1 higher than during the ergometer multistage step test, due to the different duration
of exercise. Heart rate values based on determination of lactate threshold can be
taken as recommendations for low and high intensity endurance training on water. However,
because of individual variations in the heart rate-lactate relationship between rowing
on the ergometer and in the boat, field evaluation is recommended.
Key words
Endurance training - aerobic-anaerobic threshold - training control
