Physical performance indicators in traditional rowing championships.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Human Physiology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Traditional rowing, encompassing sliding and fixed seat modalities, lacks extensive scientific performance data.
• Understanding the physical characteristics of elite rowers is crucial for performance optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the physical profiles of high- and low-performance traditional rowers.
• To establish performance reference values for different rowing modalities.

Main Methods:

• 115 male rowers from the Spanish National Championships were categorized into high and low performance groups.
• Evaluated anthropometrics, body composition, and lower extremity strength/power via jump height tests.

Main Results:

• High-performance sliding seat rowers had longer lower extremities (97.5±3.5 cm).
• High-performance fixed seat rowers demonstrated higher countermovement jump values (36.8±5.0 cm).
• Key performance factors identified include leg length and fast strength index for sliding seat, and arm span, trunk length, and jump height for fixed seat rowers.

Conclusions:

• Distinct physical characteristics differentiate high-performance rowers in sliding and fixed seat modalities.
• These findings support talent detection and athlete selection for competitive traditional rowing teams.