FITNESS
during competition. We have several energy systems that are always provid- ing energy to the body through different metabolic pathways:
• Our ATP-PC system is anaerobic, meaning it uses a substance called phosphocreatine to produce energy in the absence of oxygen. During the first 30 seconds of activity, it is the primary source of energy while the availability of oxygen lags behind the instant ener- gy needs of the body. This is the rea- son you can instantaneously perform at a very high intensity without your heart rate needing to be at 180bpm.
• Once the availability of oxygen has caught up with our body’s need for energy, our aerobic system begins to produce a larger percentage during activity. This system is actually com- prised of several separate metabolic pathways. The important thing to know is that the use of oxygen in these metabolic processes allows for a great- er percentage of your fatty muscle stores to be utilized, yielding a greater amount of energy. For our purposes, this is the primary energy producer for any activity lasting longer than five minutes.
• When the level of intensity increases to the point that our aerobic system can no longer keep up with demand, our body is able to produce energy through glycolysis. Glycolysis is anoth- er anaerobic pathway that provides a limited amount of energy, usually near the end of the event. Recent studies have shown that this system can be sustained in excess of eight minutes.
This is an overly simplified summary
of what is happening within the body to meet the demands of a rower during training and competition. As discussed before, all athletes have their own strengths and weaknesses, and energy systems are no different. Although the current gold-standard
fitness tests may help indicate how pre- pared they are to complete that spe- cific distance, they do not indicate true fitness, nor do they identify which energy systems are in need of attention. A five to eight-minute fitness test will help us de- termine ability to perform at a maximal effort. Likewise, an ergometer test lasting from 20-60 minutes will determine an athlete’s maximal sustainable ability. With this data, we can match the heart rate to the corresponding energy system. Once you understand the demands of
the activity and the contribution of each energy system, you can use this data to verify what your athlete’s physiological strengths and weaknesses are. We can now address the question of quality versus quantity. I am not just referring to large-volume training programmes, but also to the proper use of overloading, recovery, and adapta- tion. Simply stated, you place a training load over and above normal demands and then allow the appropriate recov- ery and adaptation to occur. Contrary to popular belief, training is not where our fitness gains are made; recovery is where all adaptation occurs. It is important to remember that recovery is just as important, if not more important, when increasing fitness than the actual process of training. Typically you are able to determine
when overload occurs because athletes will show signs of growing physical and mental fatigue. You will also notice a drop in performance with an increase in heart rate. Determining what recovery is appropriate for adaptation to occur is highly individual. Just like an athlete’s fitness, recovery and adaptation are affected not only by their natural ability, but also by many other factors, such as sleep, stress levels, and nutrition.
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ROW360 // Issue 001
Photographs: Ben Duffy
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