An evaluation of instrumented tank rowing for objective assessment of rowing performance

The aim of this study was to evaluate instrumented tank rowing for its ability to measure objectively the individual performance components of power output and rowing skill in a sample of collegiate rowers. The measuring system utilized strain gauges and a potentiometer to measure force on the oar and its angular position at each sampling interval. Power outputs were calculated for 13 collegiate rowers tested individually during a 30-s bout of maximal work. Results from this 'tank test' were compared with power measurements from both Concept II (CII) and Stanford rowing ergometers and from a Wingate test, using similar 30-s bouts of maximal work. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found between the tank test and all other modes of testing except the Wingate test for average power. These differences can probably be attributed to the different methods of power measurement and to the different skill-dependence associated with the tests. For each subject, peak power and average power per stroke were measured from the rowing tests. The CII and Stanford test data for all subjects were correlated with their tank test data. Similar correlations were made between tank data and the peak and mean power from the Wingate test. The strongest correlation was in peak power measurements with the Wingate test (r = 0.92, P = 0.0001). Instrumented tank rowing provided objective information on individual power output unique from rowing and cycling ergometry. Of the various tests, the tank test appeared to provide better and more complete power data specific to rowing. This method also provided objective data for interpreting various aspects of rowing skill, including oar handling, technical efficiency, consistency, stroke frequency, stroke recovery ratio and stroke length. Instrumented tank rowing has substantial potential as a coaching tool or as a self-training device for improving rowing ability.