title: Upper limb aerobic training improves aerobic fitness and all-out performance of America's Cup grinders.
abstract: This research on "America's Cup" grinders investigated the effects of a specific eight-week long-arm cranking ergometer (ACE) training on upper body (UB) aerobic fitness (ventilatory threshold - Tvent, respiratory compensation point- RCP, -oxygen uptake peak - VO₂peak) and high intensity working capacity. The training consisted of sessions carried out for 20-30 mins, three times per week, at an intensity between the UB-Tvent and UB-RCP, and replaced part of a typical lower limb aerobic training whilst maintaining the usual weekly schedule of callisthenics, resistance training and sailing. Seven sailors, including four grinders and three mastmen (age 30 ± 5.5 years, height 1.9 ± 0.04 m, body mass 102 ± 3.6 kg), were evaluated through both an ACE cardiopulmonary maximal exercise test (CPET) and an ACE all-out up to exhaustion exercise test, before and after the ACE training. UB aerobic fitness improved significantly: UB-VO₂peak increased from 4.29 ± 0.442 to 4.52 ± 0.522 l·min(-1) (6.4 ± 3.66%), VO₂ at UB-Tvent from 2.42 ± 0.282 to 2.97 ± 0.328 l·min(-1) (22.8 ± 5.09%) and VO₂ at UB-RCP from 3.25 ± 0.402 to 3.75 ± 0.352 l·min(-1) (16.1 ± 10.83%). Peak power at the ACE CPET increased from 351 ± 27.5 to 387 ± 33.5 W (10.5 ± 6.93%). The all-out test total mechanical work increased from 28.9 ± 2.35 to 40.1 ± 3.76 kJ (72.1 ± 4.67%). In conclusion, a high intensity aerobic ACE training can be effective in improving grinding performance by increasing UB aerobic fitness and all-out working capacity.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer" , Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo Emilio
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Adami
authors.forename: Anna Sofia
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Delussu
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodio
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Squeo
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corsi
authors.forename: Filippo Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Quattrini
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fattorini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000332:Aerobiosis; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D012767:Ships; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Physiology; metabolism; team sport; testing; training