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Don't rock the boat: how antiphase crew coordination affects rowing.
Anouk J de Brouwer1, Harjo J de Poel, Mathijs J Hofmijster
1MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.j.de.brouwer@vu.nl
Plos One
|February 6, 2013
Summary
Antiphase crew rowing, where rowers alternate movements, may improve performance by reducing power loss. This contrasts with synchronous rowing, showing optimal stability doesn't always mean optimal efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Science
- Human Movement
Background:
- Crew rowing traditionally emphasizes synchronous movements for optimal performance.
- A counterintuitive concept suggests out-of-phase (antiphase) rowing could offer benefits over in-phase (synchronous) rowing.
- Synchronous rowing incurs power loss (5-6%) due to velocity fluctuations within each cycle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the performance and efficiency of antiphase versus in-phase crew rowing.
- To investigate if antiphase coordination can reduce power loss and enhance average boat velocity.
- To examine the stability and variability of antiphase coordination in experienced rowers.
Main Methods:
- Nine pairs of rowers performed two-minute maximum effort trials in both in-phase and antiphase coordination.
- Trials were conducted on coupled free-floating ergometers simulating power loss to velocity fluctuations.
- Rower and ergometer kinetics and kinematics were measured throughout the experiment.
Main Results:
- Antiphase coordination was acquired by all pairs during warm-up, though one pair reverted to in-phase during maximal effort.
- While antiphase coordination showed increased variability, it did not negatively impact power production.
- Antiphase rowing significantly decreased power loss to velocity fluctuations, transferring more useful power to ergometer flywheels.
Conclusions:
- Antiphase crew rowing may enhance performance by improving power transfer efficiency, even without prior specific training.
- The findings challenge the notion that the most stable coordination (in-phase) is necessarily the most efficient or optimal for performance.
- This research suggests exploring alternative coordination strategies in team sports for potential performance gains.
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