title: The effect of including a series of isometric conditioning contractions to the rowing warm-up on 1,000-m rowing ergometer time trial performance.
abstract: Rowing requires strength, power, and strength-endurance for optimal performance. A rowing-based warm-up could be enhanced by exploiting the postactivation potentiation (PAP) phenomenon, acutely enhancing power output at the beginning of a race where it is needed most. Minimal research has investigated the effects of PAP on events of longer duration (i.e. 1,000-m rowing). The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of PAP on 1,000-m rowing ergometer performance through the use of 2 different warm-up procedures: (a) a rowing warm-up combined with a series of isometric conditioning contractions, known as the potentiated warm-up (PW), and (b) a rowing warm-up only (NW). The isometric conditioning contractions in the PW were performed by "pulling" an immovable handle on the rowing ergometer, consisting of 5 sets of 5 seconds (2 seconds at submaximal intensity, and 3 seconds at maximal intensity), with a 15-second recovery between sets. The 1,000-m rowing ergometer time trial was performed after each warm-up condition, whereby mean power output, mean stroke rate, and split time were assessed every 100 m. Ten Australian national level rowers served as the subjects and performed both conditions in a counterbalanced order on separate days. The PW reduced 1,000-m time by 0.8% (p > 0.05). The PW improved mean power output by 6.6% (p < 0.01) and mean stroke rate by 5.2% (p < 0.01) over the first 500 m; resulting in a reduction of 500-m time by 1.9% (p < 0.01), compared with the NW. It appears that the inclusion of isometric conditioning contractions to the rowing warm-up enhance short-term rowing ergometer performance (especially at the start of a race) to a greater extent than a rowing warm-up alone.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Ballarat, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. s.feros@ballarat.edu.au
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Feros
authors.forename: Warren B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Talpey
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology; D001315:Australia; D016552:Ergometry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D055070:Resistance Training; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult