Six-minute rowing test: a practical tool for training prescription, from ventilatory thresholds and power outputs, in amateur male rowers

Abstract

Background: The 6-minute rowing ergometer test (6-min_RT) is valid and reliable for establishing maximal aerobic power (MAP) in amateur male rowers. However, ventilatory thresholds (VTs) have not yet been established with their mechanical correspondence in this test.

Objective: The primary objective was to determine the VTs in the 6-min_RT achieved by amateur male rowers, while the secondary objective was to determine the correspondence between ventilatory, mechanical, and heart rate (HR) outcomes of the 6-min_RT.

Methods: Sixteen amateur male rowers were part of the study. All participants were instructed to perform an incremental test (IT) and a 6-min_RT. Determination of the ventilatory parameters for the first ventilatory threshold (VT1), the second ventilatory threshold (VT2), and 6min_RTVO_2max were performed by correlating the outcomes of VT1, VT2, and VO_2max obtained in the IT, with the outcomes of 6-min_RT. For these purposes, Pearson's test was used, with the following criteria: trivial, <0.1; small, 0.1-0.3; moderate, 0.3-0.5; high, 0.5-0.7; very high, 0.7-0.9; or practically perfect, >0.9. The significance level was p < 0.05.

Results: The IT analysis determined that VT1 and VT2 correspond to 55 and 80% of VO_2max, respectively. A high correlation was observed between IT outcomes in VT1, VT2, and VO_2max, with the outcomes of 6-min_RT (r > 0.6).

Conclusion: Based on IT ventilatory parameters and concordance analysis, VT1 and VT2 of 6-min_RT are determined at 55 and 80%, respectively, of both ventilatory parameters and their corresponding mechanical outcomes and HR.

Keywords: Amateur rowers; Maximal oxygen uptake; Power output; Rowing; Ventilatory thresholds.