Athlete Testing Protocols

14th March, 2003

 Six Protocols
• 500 m
• Incremental Step Test
• Strength / Power
• 1000 m
• Sub-Maximal Test
• Anaerobic Capacity
 500m Test
• The test: A 500 meter piece in a single scull or on
the Rowperfect recording the number of strokes
taken to complete the test. There is no fixed rate or
power output set, it is up to the athlete
• The conditions: On water – do test twice, once
with the conditions and once against.
• No special preparation required of athlete except
that they are warmed up
• Frequency of testing: Recommend as a test of
progress in skill run bi-monthly or monthly
 500m Test
• Results (on water)
• Girls aged 20 30 strokes with
conditions and 35 against conditions
• Younger girl 36 with and 39 against
• Boy young 29 with and 36 against
• Older boy 24 with 36 against
 Incremental Step Test
• The test: This is designed to measure
effectiveness of training.
• The conditions: A light training day before
relative to normal training loads.
• Frequency of testing: Typically every 6 –
8 weeks to fit within the cycle of training
programme.
 Incremental Step Test
REBECCA STEPEST RESULTS ROWPERFECT SIMULATOR

12.00

10.00

8.00
lac30/11/00
LAC TAT mM

lac22/12/00
6.00
lac 22/01/01
lac 27/02/01
4.00

2.00

0.00
100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275
WATTS
 Strength / Power Test
• The test: The Strength/Power Test is designed to
illustrate and measure specific rowing skill and strength. It
can be used to monitor athlete response to the training
programme and to see whether specific training (e.g.
power strokes) is paying off in increased strength.
• The conditions: No special needs
• Frequency of testing: This test can be run alongside
any other test you may be running. As it does not take
much time, it may be used as a pre-test before, for
example, a step test.
 Strength / Power Test
15 Stroke pow er te st-28s pm

700

600

500

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100

0
1

10

13

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25

28

31

34

37

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43

46

49

52

55

58

61

64

67

70

73

76

79
Courtesy of Giles Warrington,
Irish Rowing Federation
 Strength / Power Test
15 Str ok e te st-34 SPM

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
1

10

13

16

19

22

25

28

31

34

37

40

43

46

49

52

55

58

61

64

67

70

73

76

79
Courtesy of Giles Warrington,
Irish Rowing Federation
 0

0
100
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700

100
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700
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79 79
Strength / Power Test

28 spm

34 spm
Average Power
 1000 m Test
• The test: Two 1000 m pieces are rowed on the
Rowperfect at rates over 36 spm with time recorded. The
objective is to measure fitness and recovery as well as
psychological race readiness. The coach can assess the
athlete’s skill in transferring technique into the boat at race
pace.
• The conditions: No tapering is required, or possibly
one lighter session beforehand.
• Frequency of testing: The test is designed to
demonstrate ‘race readiness’ of a crew later in the season
when it is inappropriate to run a full 2000m test to
exhaustion.
 Sub Maximal Test
• The test: As the name suggests, a measure of
training progress without total exhaustion. Used
regularly the test can provide good data to
appraise tiredness, strength progress and recovery
rates (state of training)
• The conditions: No special pre-conditions
required
• Frequency of testing: Weekly or bi-weekly as
needed when not doing 2,000m test
 Sub Maximal Test
27-Apr 12-May 18-May 25-May 01-Jun 08-Jun 15-Jun 20-Jun 29-Jun
Calvin Ferguson
M1 90 91 90 91 91 92 92 92 91
Recovery 35.52 30.27 25.81 28.8 26.92 26.92 28.65 21.79 34.78
& Max 91.5 92.5 93 92 91 87.5 96 89.5 92
M2 519 515 514 514 505 523 523 510 524
Grant Craies
M1 87 88 86 89 87 89 91 91 90
Recovery 24.44 21.47 21.97 21.51 23.21 27.27 23.56 30.86 24.85
& Max 90.45 88.94 91.92 86.81 84.85 88.89 87.88 88.38 85.35
M2 499 506 495 502 494 497 506 502 498
David Lightbourne
M1 85 85 87 86 85 86 87 88 90
Recovery 21.57 37.11 28.13 32.48 41.56 46.71 43.4 41.18 39.86
& Max 76.88 79.9 80.4 79.29 77.78 76.76 80.3 77.27 77.27
M2 506 503 494 494 498 497 501 501 499
Scott Crampton
M1 91 87 88 89 91 89 92 92 91
Recovery 16.13 19.89 22.16 20.11 19.34 22.37 21.74 23.91 25.4
& Max 92.54 90.45 92.04 91.54 90.05 87.56 91.54 91.09 92.03
M2 505 505 507 508 508 510 518 511 502
 Anaerobic Capacity Test
• The test: A new test designed to assess the athlete’s
fitness and to determine a ‘fade’ factor to show when full
recovery is not achieved between test periods.
• The conditions: No special preparation needed.
• Frequency of testing: The test can be applied
throughout the year, but may be particularly useful to track
fitness progress through the later winter and into spring
racing season. It may also help determine fitness to race
for athletes returning after injury or sickness