Peak Oxygen Uptake Provides a Better Predictor of Rowing Ergometer Mean Maximal Power Than Maximal Oxygen Extraction...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Endurance athletes require physiological testing in ecologically valid scenarios.
• Accurate prediction of rowing performance is crucial for training optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if maximal oxygen extraction (using NIRS) improves prediction of mean maximal power (MMP) in rowers compared to peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak) alone.
• To assess differences in muscle oxygen extraction across anatomical sites during incremental rowing.

Main Methods:

• Trained rowers (n=22) underwent a graded exercise test on a rowing ergometer.
• V̇O2peak and MMP were measured, alongside muscle oxygen extraction (Δ[HHb + Mb]) using NIRS at vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, and biceps brachii.
• Linear regression and mixed-effects models analyzed prediction of MMP and differences in muscle oxygen extraction.

Main Results:

• V̇O2peak strongly predicted MMP (R² = 0.74).
• Muscle oxygen extraction (Δ[HHb + Mb]) alone did not predict MMP (R² ≤ 0.05).
• Combining V̇O2peak with gastrocnemius medialis Δ[HHb + Mb] offered a modest improvement in MMP prediction (R² = 0.83).

Conclusions:

• Maximal oxygen extraction, measured by NIRS, is not a sufficient standalone predictor of rowing ergometer MMP in trained rowers.
• Practitioners should rely on V̇O2peak as the primary physiological measure for predicting MMP.
• Further research may explore combined physiological markers for enhanced predictive accuracy.