August 26, 2021Scientific ReportsOpen Access

The integration of training and off-training activities substantially alters training volume and load analysis in elite rowers

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

The integration of off-training activities significantly increased weekly training volume ≥ 60% HRmax from 554 to 688 minutes but had no significant effect on performance surrogates in elite rowers.

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Elite rowers (n=8). Intervention: Integration of off-training activities (TOTAL) vs. Scheduled training only (TRAIN). Primary outcome: Training volume ≥ 60% HRmax (min/week) (p=<0.001).

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Key result

Off-training activities linked to ~24% greater training volume without improving performance in elite rowers.

P<0.001
n=8

Why the study?

Training studies in elite athletes traditionally focus on scheduled training and performance, leaving the contribution of off-training activities to total training and performance unexamined.

Does the integration of off-training activities with scheduled training better explain changes in performance in elite rowers?

Population

Eight elite rowers

Comparison

Activities outside of scheduled training (OFF) added to scheduled training (TRAIN) vs scheduled training alone

Design

Observational cohort study

Follow-up

One season (30–45 weeks)

Authors

GTGunnar TreffParacelsus Medical University RLRobert LeppichUniversity of Würzburg KWKay WinkertUniversität Ulm

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Off-training activities inflate volume metrics without performance gains in elite rowers; hypothesis-generating for their role in adaptations.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=8)

Structured PICO

Does the integration of off-training activities with scheduled training better explain changes in performance in elite rowers?

Population

8 elite rowers (6 male, 2 female) competing at the national and international level.

Intervention

Integration of off-training (OFF) activities (>60% maximum heart rate) recorded during waking hours via multisensory smartwatches to calculate total training (TOTAL).

Comparator

Scheduled training (TRAIN) alone.

Outcome

Changes in performance assessed via rowing ergometer testing (mechanical power output at 2 and 4 mmol/L blood lactate, 2000m average power) and maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max).surrogate

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 688% vs 554%

p-value: p=<0.001

While off-training activities substantially increase total calculated training volume and load in elite rowers, they do not significantly impact physiological performance adaptations.

Limitations

Missing data due to synchronization problems, malfunctioning hardware updates, or battery and connectivity issues (23% of possible weeks lost)
Small final sample size (n=8) due to high dropout rate
Observational design did not allow clear discrimination of conditions
Problems inherent with single day performance testing (e.g., hydration status, sleep quality, motivation)
Time in zone approach tends to underestimate the percentage of high-intensity exercise
Small sample size due to high dropout rate (11 dropouts and 3 with incomplete data out of 22 original participants)

Cite This Study

Treff et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Elite rowers (n=8). Integration of off-training activities (TOTAL) vs. Scheduled training only (TRAIN) was evaluated on Training volume ≥ 60% HRmax (min/week) (p=<0.001). The integration of off-training activities significantly increased weekly training volume ≥ 60% HRmax from 554 to 688 minutes but had no significant effect on performance surrogates in elite rowers.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a104c3d2badbc352affbc9b https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-96569-0

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Implication

Off-training activities inflate volume metrics without performance gains in elite rowers; hypothesis-generating for their role in adaptations.

The integration of training and off-training activities substantially alters training volume and load analysis in elite rowers

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Cite This Study

The integration of training and off-training activities substantially alters training volume and load analysis in elite rowers

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider