Michele Baeder

The Study: Indoor Rowing“Multivariate allometric scaling of men’s world

indoor rowing championship performance”Vanderburgh et. all, 1996, Medicine and Science in

Sports and ExerciseWhen: 1995Where: World Indoor Rowing Championships-

Boston, Mass.Subjects: 148 male rowers ranging from world

class masters to club or intercollegiate levelsAll subjects rowed a 2500m erg piece on Concept

IIC stationary rowing ergometers

C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints (WIRC)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN2WX10hBUc

BackgroundThe event of the WIRC is a single 2500m row on a

stationary ergometer.This is a non-weight bearing event due to the lack

of water dragMale Rowers are split into only 2 weight classes

light, < 74.8kg, and heavy, >74.8kg. This leaves anyone well under or just above the light weight limit with little to no chance of winning.

Rowers are also split into age groups of <30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and >80.

The <30 age group contains the overwhelming majority and the older age groups have very few participants.

Theoretical ApproachRS3 ~ BW⅔

(fan law)

RS ~ BW2/9

H ~ BW⅓

RT ~ RS-1

RT ~ H-1

Age is adjusted because of rowing performance’s relationship with VO₂max

Why Height is ImportantGeneral physicsLeversLimb length

ProcedureBody mass and height were

measured before the event.The event was done in heats,

all using the rowing Concept IIC ergometer

Times were recorded from this event and the time, weight, and height were all studied through regression analysis

ResultsThe exponent for Height

was 0.937 +/- 0.12 T/H-1 = T*HAge was found to have an

exponent of 0.061 +/- 0.01

SS = T*H*A-0.06

This allows rowers to be compared regardless of height and age on the erg.

Results Comparison

SubjectTime

(s)Height

(m)Age (yr)

Old Rank

New Rank

T*H*A^-0.06

A 469 1.829 40 6 1 687.5

B 493.2 1.765 42 38 3 695.6

C 454 1.981 17 1 23 758.8

D 458.1 1.892 19 2 11 726.4

E 461.2 1.956 21 3 40 751.4

Norms for Height and AgePercentile Rank T*H T*H*A^-0.06

90 878.9 741.3

80 899.2 763.9

70 914 780.4

60 926.5 794.3

50 938 807.1

40 949.6 820

30 962 833.8

20 976.8 850.3

10 997.1 872.9

ConclusionTaller, heavier rowers are fasterOn rowing ergometers there is a bigger

advantage for height.Male rowers can be compared with no group

separation on their indoor rowing speed with the scaled score of T*H*A-0.06

This does not scale for who will be faster on the water

Scaling Rowing Ergometer Performance for on the Water

A 2008 study in Great BritainScaling for on the water rowing speed from

ergometer rowing speed uses body weightBW affects on the water rowing by adding

dragRowing ergometer results will show a greater

speed difference between heavyweights and lightweights than on the water rowing will

SourcesVanderburgh, Paul M., Frank I. Katch, Joseph

Schoenleber, Christos P. Balabinis, Robb Elliott. “Multivariate allometric scaling of men’s world indoor rowing championship performance.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 1995.

Nevill A.M., C. Beech, R. L. Holder, M. Wyon. “Scaling concept II rowing ergometer performance for differences in body mass to better reflect rowing in water.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. 2009.