If you've ever walked through a gym, you've probably heard something about aerobic and anaerobic exercise. While the two types of exercise neatly line up with certain sports and workouts, other disciplines involve both forms of exercise. Essentially, aerobic exercises rely on plentiful oxygen for energy, whereas anaerobic exercise takes place when oxygen isn't delivered to the muscles. Anaerobic exercise is typically short-lived, as the muscles burn out and lactic acid quickly builds up. Aerobic exercise is less demanding, but can last longer. Rowers use both forms of exercise as they propel themselves through the water.
Aerobic Activity
When you row for a long period at a steady rate, your heart rate and breathing rate increase, delivering ample oxygen to your muscles. This makes it possible for the muscles to perform aerobic, or oxygen-rich, energy-production. The utilized oxygen is used to burn fat and is sustainable for a relatively long period. When rowers need to maintain a constant speed over a long distance, they use an aerobic level of activity. During a 2,000-mile race, aerobic activity contributes about 75 percent of the rowers' energy, according to findings published in the 1984 "Sports Medicine Journal" and 1982 "Medical Science Sports Exercise Journal."
Anaerobic Activity
Whereas aerobic activity relies on oxygen, sometimes an athlete uses muscles at an intensity that exceeds that rate of oxygen delivery. In these cases, the body switches into anaerobic energy production, an alternative means of exercise that is only sustainable for a short while. The remaining 25 percent of the energy required for rowing comes from the anaerobic process. Rowers produce brief bursts of highly intensive activity, forcing their muscles to work harder for short periods. Whereas aerobic activity primarily burns fat, anaerobic activity primarily builds muscle mass.
Race Dynamics in Rowing
The extent to which a competitive rower uses aerobic and anaerobic processes varies according to the type of race and the various stages of the race. During the first 500 meters of a 2,000 m event, athletes often row anaerobically, producing a fast sprint and attempting to get ahead of the other boats. Once they have passed the others, the team switches to aerobic rowing for the following 1,000 m, conserving their energy and recovering from the initial push. For the last 500 meters, rowers make a second push of anaerobic activity, sprinting to the finish.
Benefits of Mixed Exercise
By practicing both aerobic and anaerobic activity, rowers develop athletically in a balanced way. Anaerobic activity gives them heightened resistance to lactic acid build up, increased muscle mass, improved sprinting speed and improved strength. Aerobic activity reduces body fat and improves endurance. The muscle fibers of rowers are typically very similar to that of long-distance runners, given the mixture of exercise types that both use. Both types of exercise improve the fat-to-muscle ratio, increase the muscular fiber size, improve bone density, increase ligament and tendon strength and improve enzyme activity.
References
- University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics: Anaerobic Exercise: Energy without Oxygen
- Fitday: The Aerobic and Anaerobic Benefits of Rowing
- Sports Fitness Advisor: Rowing Training
- United States Sports Academy: The SAID Principle & Aerobic/Anaerobic Training
- "Principles and Labs for Fitness and Wellness"; Wener W. K. Hoeger et al.; 2009
Member Comments