Heart rate, blood lactate, and catecholamines during ergometer and on water rowing

The heart rate, blood lactate, and catecholamine responses to rowing on a Gjessing ergometer and in a single scull on the water were compared. Seventeen rowers performed a multistage step test on the ergometer as well as low and high intensity endurance rowing on the water. Seven oarsmen (six with determinations of free plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline) rowed on the ergometer with the same heart rate and duration as on the water. During ergometer endurance rowing, heart rate, lactate, and adrenaline were not significantly different from boat rowing, while plasma noradrenaline was higher. However, at similar lactate levels, heart rate during rowing on the water was approximately 10 beats.min-1 higher than during the ergometer multistage step test, due to the different duration of exercise. Heart rate values based on determination of lactate threshold can be taken as recommendations for low and high intensity endurance training on water. However, because of individual variations in the heart rate-lactate relationship between rowing on the ergometer and in the boat, field evaluation is recommended.