Comparison of the Effects of Long-Term Rowing Training on Aerobic Capacity, Physical Fitness, and Psychological Parameters in Novice Individuals and Professional Rowers
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- Hacettepe University
- Enrollment
- 54
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- 2000-Meter Rowing Ergometer Performance
Study Overview
Brief Summary
This study aims to compare the effects of long-term rowing training on aerobic capacity, physical fitness, heart rate variability, and psychological performance in novice rowers, professional rowers, and healthy controls. Approximately 60 adults aged 18-65 years will be enrolled and allocated into three groups: novice rowers, professional rowers, and a non-exercising control group. Participants in the rowing groups will complete an 8-week supervised rowing ergometer training program (twice weekly), while the control group will maintain their usual daily activities without structured exercise. Assessments will be performed before and after the intervention and will include aerobic capacity (shuttle walk test, 500-m and 2000-m rowing ergometer tests), muscle strength, muscle power, muscular endurance, core stability, flexibility, agility, posture, heart rate variability, flow state, and mental toughness. The study is designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the physiological and psychological adaptations associated with rowing training at different levels of experience and to identify factors that distinguish novice and elite rowers.
Detailed Description
This randomized controlled study is designed to investigate the effects of long-term rowing training on aerobic capacity, physical fitness, cardiovascular autonomic function, and psychological performance in individuals with different levels of rowing experience. Approximately 60 healthy adults aged 18-65 years will be recruited and allocated into three groups: novice rowers, professional rowers, and a healthy control group. Participants in the novice and professional rowing groups will complete an 8-week supervised rowing ergometer training program performed twice weekly, while the control group will continue their usual daily activities without participating in a structured exercise program.
Outcome assessments will be conducted before and after the intervention period. Aerobic capacity will be evaluated using the Shuttle Walk Test together with 500-m and 2000-m rowing ergometer performance tests. Physical fitness assessments will include muscle strength (back-leg dynamometer), muscle power (Countermovement Jump), muscular endurance (30-second push-up and sit-up tests), core stability (plank test), flexibility (Sit-and-Reach Test), agility (T-Test), and postural alignment (PostureScreen®). Cardiovascular autonomic function will be assessed through resting heart rate variability using a validated chest-strap heart rate monitor. Psychological performance will be evaluated using the Alpak Flow Scale and the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ). Demographic and clinical characteristics will also be recorded.
The primary objective of the study is to compare multidimensional physiological and psychological adaptations between novice and professional rowers following an 8-week rowing training program and to determine how these adaptations differ from those observed in healthy controls. The findings are expected to improve understanding of training-induced adaptations in rowing and provide evidence to support the development of more effective, evidence-based training strategies aimed at optimizing athletic performance and promoting athlete health.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Non Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- Single (Participant)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 65 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Adults aged 18 to 65 years. Able and willing to provide written informed consent. Medically able to participate in an 8-week rowing training program. For the novice rowing group: no previous structured rowing training experience. For the professional rowing group: actively competing or regularly training as a rower.
- •For the control group: healthy individuals not participating in structured rowing training during the study period.
Exclusion Criteria
- •History of cardiovascular, neurological, orthopedic, psychiatric, or other systemic diseases that may interfere with study participation.
- •Cognitive or psychological conditions that prevent completion of the study assessments.
- •History of recent surgery or any medical condition limiting exercise participation.
- •Pregnancy. Inability or unwillingness to complete the intervention or outcome assessments. Participation in another structured exercise intervention during the study period.
Arms & Interventions
Novice Rowers
Participants in this group will complete an 8-week supervised rowing ergometer training program twice weekly. Each session will include a warm-up, moderate-intensity rowing exercise emphasizing technical skill development, progressive interval training, and a cool-down period. Exercise intensity will be progressively increased according to participants' tolerance (RPE 11-13).
Intervention: Rowing Ergometer Training for Novice Rowers (Other)
Professional Rowers
Participants in this group will perform an 8-week supervised high-performance rowing ergometer training program twice weekly. Training will include warm-up, high-intensity interval rowing, race-pace training, sprint intervals, endurance sets, and cool-down. Exercise intensity will be individualized according to maximal capacity (RPE 14-18) with progressive increases throughout the intervention.
Intervention: High-Performance Rowing Ergometer Training (Other)
Healthy Control
Participants assigned to the control group will not receive any structured rowing training or exercise intervention during the 8-week study period. They will be instructed to maintain their usual daily activities and avoid participation in organized exercise programs. Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and after 8 weeks.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
2000-Meter Rowing Ergometer Performance
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Time required to complete the 2000-meter rowing ergometer test as the primary indicator of rowing performance and aerobic fitness.
Flow State
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change in flow state assessed using the Alpak Flow Scale. The Alpak Flow Scale ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater flow experience. Lower scores indicate a lower level of flow (worse outcome), whereas higher scores indicate a higher level of flow (better outcome).
Mental Toughness
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change in mental toughness assessed using the Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire. The Sport Mental Toughness Questionnaire consists of 14 items, with total scores ranging from 14 to 56. Higher scores indicate greater mental toughness (better outcome), whereas lower scores indicate lower mental toughness (worse outcome).
Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change in resting heart rate variability assessed using the Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD). RMSSD is expressed in milliseconds (ms). Higher values indicate greater parasympathetic (vagal) activity and better cardiac autonomic function.
Standard Deviation of Normal-to-Normal Intervals (SDNN)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change in resting heart rate variability assessed using the Standard Deviation of Normal-to-Normal Intervals (SDNN). SDNN is expressed in milliseconds (ms). Higher values indicate greater overall heart rate variability and better cardiac autonomic function.
Low-Frequency Power (LF)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change in resting heart rate variability assessed using Low-Frequency Power (LF). LF is expressed according to the analysis method (e.g., milliseconds squared \[ms²\] or normalized units \[nu\]).
High-Frequency Power (HF)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 8
Change in resting heart rate variability assessed using High-Frequency Power (HF). HF is expressed according to the analysis method (e.g., milliseconds squared \[ms²\] or normalized units \[nu\]). Higher values generally indicate greater parasympathetic modulation.
Secondary Outcomes
- Shuttle Walk Test Distance(Baseline and Week 8)
- 500-Meter Rowing Ergometer Performance(Baseline and Week 8)
- Back and Leg Muscle Strength(Baseline and Week 8)
- Lower Limb Muscle Power(Baseline and Week 8)
- Core Stability(Baseline and Week 8)
- Flexibility(Baseline and Week 8)
- Agility(Baseline and Week 8)
- Postural Alignment(Baseline and Week 8)
- 30-Second Push-Up Test(Baseline and Week 8)
- 30-Second Sit-Up Test(Baseline and Week 8)
Investigators
Ceyhun Topcuoglu
Dr.
Munzur University