Oxygen consumption and metabolic strain in rowing ergometer exercise

Oxygen consumption ( \(\dot V_{O_2 } \) ) when rowing was determined on a mechanically braked rowing ergometer (RE) with an electronic measuring device. \(\dot V_{O_2 } \) was measured by an open spirometric system. The pneumotachograph valve was fixed to the sliding seat, thus reducing movement artefacts. A multi-stage test was performed, beginning with a work load of 150 W and increasing by 50 W every 2 minutes up to exhaustion. Serum lactate concentrations were determined in a 30 s break between the work stages. 61 examinations of oarsmen performing at maximum power of 5 W · kg⁻¹ or more were analysed. \(\dot V_{O_2 } \) and heart rate (HR) for each working stage were measured and the regression line of \(\dot V_{O_2 } \) on the work load (P) and an estimation error (s_xy) were calculated: \(\dot V_{O_2 } = 12.5 \cdot P + 415.2\) (ml · min⁻¹) (S_xy = ± 337 ml,r = 0.98) Good reproducibility was found in repeated examinations. Similar spiroergometry was carried out on a bicycle ergometer (BE) with 10 well trained rowers and 6 trained cyclists. \(\dot V_{O_2 } \) of rowing was about 600 ml · min⁻¹ higher than for bicycling in the submaximal stages for both groups. The \(\dot V_{O_{_2 max} } \) of RE exercise was 2.6% higher than for oarsmen on BE, and the cyclists reached a greater \(\dot V_{O_2 } \) on BE than the oarsmen. No differences were found between RE and BE exercise heart rate. The net work efficiency when rowing was 19% for both groups, experienced and inexperienced: when cycling it was 25% for cyclists and 23% for oarsmen.