Special strength training using an innovative kayak ergometer during an offseason period

Abstract

Kayak rowing is a sport discipline with a great importance of specific force qualities, in particular in 200 and 500 m races. Approach: Special strength training at high velocities should be preferred to resistance training at low velocities to train more specifically during the offseason. Purpose: The aim of this research is to study the influence of a special strength training using an innovative kayak ergometer during an offseason period on the sport competition results in water rowing in 200 and 500 m races. Material: Sixteen 15–18-year-old male kayak rowers were involved in this research (body mass: 75.9 ± 4.3 kg, body length: 175.7 ±3.0 cm). All participants were healthy and trained according to the program of kayak rowing for sport schools. Results: A decrease in time in the 200 m competition race in the experimental group (1.6 s) was 0.7 s greater compared to the control group (0.9 s). Similar results were observed in the competition results in the 500 m race with 1.7 s difference between the experimental and control groups’ competition results (p < 0.001). Very strong Pearson correlation was observed between competition results in 200 and 500 m races: r = 0.959 in November and r = 0.949 in March (p < 0.001). According to the results of two-way ANOVA, a strongly significant bias appeared between competition results in 200 m distance (p = 0.021) and 500 m distance (p < 0.001). Corresponding quarter of variance equals 17.2% and 40.8%, respectively. These parameters confirm a significant decrease in time of overcoming the two studied distances in March compared to November competitions. Conclusions: A special strength training using an innovative kayak ergometer during an offseason period (November–March) resulted in a strongly significant (p < 0.001) increase in the sport competition results in water rowing in 200 m (0.7 s) and 500 m (1.7 s) distances.