Stroke power consistency and 2000 m rowing performance in varsity rowers.

We studied the relationship between stroke power consistency and 2000 m rowing time besides determining maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) and leg extension power. The subjects (n=16, male varsity rowers) carried out an incremental test to volitional exhaustion on a rowing ergometer, and the VO(2) at each stage was determined. The stroke power consistency was assessed by the coefficient of variation of power (CVP(high)) at the highest workload at which each subject could maintain power. Besides the incremental test, 2000 m all-out rowing was performed on the ergometer and leg extension power was measured. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that the 2000 m rowing time could be predicted by VO(2max), leg extension power and CVP(high) in order of strength of standardized partial correlation coefficients as explanatory variables. The CVP(high) correlated with the residual of the regression between 2000 m rowing time and VO(2max). The findings suggest that the stroke power consistency contributes to maintenance of the power during ergometer rowing.