Reliability of the maximal lactate accumulations rate (vlamax) in sub-elite rowers

INTRODUCTION: During a 2000-meter rowing race, rowers mostly depend on their aerobic energy metabolism, but also rely to a certain amount on their anaerobic capacities including lactate accumulation. While most performance diagnostics in competitive rowing aim to evaluate the aerobic capacity, diagnostics determining anaerobic capacities are uncommon and rarely used. One promising parameter is the maximum lactate accumulation rate (VLamax), which indicates anaerobic capacities. While positive results in other sports are already investigated, including running and cycling, studies based on rowing are missing, but crucial within sport specific performance testing. Thus, this study aims the verification of reliability of VLamax in rowing. Positive results might expand performance diagnostics in rowing and therefore optimise training plans and sport performance.
METHODS: In a between day design with repeated measurements, seventeen competitive male (n=9) and female (n=8) rowers (age: 19.8 ± 5.3 years, height: 176.7 ± 7.8 cm, and weight: 70.8 ± 8.7 kg, VO2max: 54 ±13 ml/min/kg) were asked to undergo a 20-seconds all-out sprint on the Concept 2 rowing ergometer. Those two different measurement days were separated by 5-10 days. VLamax, peak lactate concentration, time to lactate peak and mean rowing power were measured.
RESULTS: Good to excellent intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), low standard error of measurement (SEM), and acceptable level of agreements (LoA) for VLamax (ICC = 0.85; SEM = 0.02 mmol/Ls; LoA ≤0.09 mmol/Ls), peak lactate (ICC = 0.88; SEM = 0.3 mmol/L; LoA ≤1.4 mmol/l), time to lactate peak (ICC = 0.92; SEM = 0.1 min; LoA ≤0.5 min), and mean rowing power (ICC = 0.98; SEM = 3 min; LoA ≤39W) were observed. In addition, VLamax was highly correlated (r = 0.96; p ≤ 0.001) to the rowing power.
CONCLUSION: Those results verify a good reliability of measuring VLamax and sprint performance parameters including lactate peak concentration, time to peak lactate and mean rowing power using this sport-specific sprint test protocol in rowing. These findings affiliate with earlier research in cycling and running with similar high reliability markers. In conclusion, determination of VLamax can be used as a reliable tool in rowing to identify anaerobic capacities and thresholds. In addition, correlations between VLamax and rowing power indicated a promising parameter of anaerobic lactic power testing. Therefore it can expand the performance diagnostics in rowing and help optimising training plans and performance.