Interference Effects of Different Resistance-Training Protocols on Rowing Ergometer Performance: A Study on...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Resistance training (RT) is crucial for athletic development.
• Understanding the interference effects of RT on specific sports performance, like rowing, is vital for training program design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how different resistance-training protocols, varying in fatigue levels and muscle groups, interfere with subsequent rowing ergometer performance.

Main Methods:

• Fourteen semiprofessional male rowers completed five conditions: control, upper-body high-fatigue, upper-body low-fatigue, lower-body high-fatigue, and lower-body low-fatigue RT.
• High-fatigue protocols involved training to failure, while low-fatigue involved sets of 6 repetitions at 12-repetition-maximum load.
• Rowing ergometer performance was assessed via an all-out 1000-m test immediately after each protocol.

Main Results:

• Low-fatigue RT (upper or lower body) did not significantly affect rowing performance (P ≥ .200).
• High-fatigue RT protocols (upper or lower body) significantly reduced rowing performance (P ≤ .001 for upper body, P ≤ .002 for lower body).
• Average heart rate during the rowing test was significantly lower in the control condition compared to all RT protocols (P ≤ .043).

Conclusions:

• The level of fatigue induced by resistance training is a more critical factor than the specific exercises performed.
• Coaches should design resistance training sessions to avoid high-fatigue protocols, especially those leading to muscular failure, prior to rowing practice to optimize performance.