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In elite level rowing competition, the average velocities of medallists differ by less than 1 % over 2000 m. Nations place sporting excellence in high regard and this magnifies the importance of success. As a result, sports science and technology is increasingly used to achieve marginal performance gains. This research considers how to advance biomechanical analysis and skills training provision with a particular focus on the technical and practical delivery of real-time feedback to coaches and athletes, thereby shortening the amount of time between feedback cycles. Underpinning any biomechanical feedback intervention, validated determinants of performance are required. Previous research revealed that, while gross biomechanical measures such as athlete power, stroke rate and stroke length have previously been used as key determinants of performance, elite athletes are nowadays performing within expected ranges and therefore it is no longer possible to easily differentiate crews using these measures alone. This thesis describes workshops held with elite coaches to investigate biomechanical efficiency where the outcomes led to a focus on how a boat accelerates and decelerates during a stroke and hence how the boat's velocity fluctuates. Novel metrics are proposed to quantify aspects of a stroke cycle and used to analyse an elite data set, collected using a standardised protocol. It is shown that individual elite rowers can be successfully differentiated and benchmark values of performance are presented. Consideration of previous research suggests that there is currently no suitably functional and flexible biomechanical real-time feedback system to deliver complex skills training in rowing. Therefore, this thesis describes the research that has led to the development and evaluation of new technology to deliver visual and audible interfaces that support the delivery of concurrent and terminal feedback in water and land-based environments. Coaches and athletes were involved throughout the design process to optimise system suitability and encourage adoption. The technology empowers a coach to intricately manipulate feedback provision, thereby promoting motor control and learning theory best practice. Novel insights relevant to designing interactive systems for use within an elite sporting population are also discussed. This research presents an end-to-end strategy for the applied delivery of real-time feedback to skilled rowers bringing together engineering and social science disciplines. A land-based case series reveals that while statistically significant skill learning was not achieved, participants acquired sport specific technical awareness and heightened motivation as a result of the skills training intervention. Existing motor learning literature was tested as part of the study with a key finding being the lack of support for audible display of stroke acceleration through frequency modulation. Study limitations were identified that explain the lack of an effect of skills training on rower efficiency. The study also acted as a validation of the use of a land-based simulator to monitor and manipulate stroke velocity and a validation of the candidate feedback interfaces that had been implemented. As of result of this work, rowing coaches are able to evaluate their athletes in a novel way, achieving a deeper appreciation of their biomechanical efficiency. Upon identifying athletes with a need for technical development, coaches can intervene with the proposed methodology of skill development making use of the new technologies developed to deliver performance gains. This methodology would achieve enhanced validity through a deeper understanding of the reliability of the new metrics and their relationship to boat speed. Future attempts to test for skill learning should build upon the findings made in this work and, in due course, technology and theory should combine to deliver terminal feedback training during water-based rowing.

BACKGROUND: With the rapid growth of NCAA female collegiate rowing, it is important to better understand the effects of training within this population. The primary objective was to explore body composition in female NCAA Division I collegiate rowers compared to matched controls. In a subset of rowers, we examined the effect of boat category and oar placement on body composition. Understanding body composition changes will better inform sport personnel regarding performance, and injury prevention/rehabilitation; especially given the asymmetrical motion of sweep rowing. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done on 91 female collegiate rowers, and 173 female age matched controls from the University of Texas at Austin. Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure total and regional body composition, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). At the time of scanning, demographic information was collected; additionally, boat race category, and boat side information was collected for rowing participants. Two sample t-testing was used to analyze differences between rowing athletes and controls. One-way repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVA), using pairwise post hoc testing with Bonferroni adjustments for multiple comparisons, was used to analyze differences across Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons. Univariate ANOVAs used to analyze differences between boat race categories. Paired t-testing used to analyze differences between oar side and non-oar side of the body. RESULTS: Rowing athletes were shown to have significantly greater height and total body weight compared to controls (p

The objectives of this thesis were to establish the validity of commercially available rowing instrumentation systems for the measurement of oar angles and power to inform the interpretation of these measures, extend knowledge regarding the prediction of on-water rowing race performance and the contribution of measures of rowing technique and boat acceleration to rowing performance. From a practical perspective, this thesis aims to enable coaches and sport scientists to identify specific areas where performance improvements can be attained in the athletes they work with. Studies One and Two established the concurrent validity of rowing instrumentation systems for measures of oar and power, respectively. Concurrent validity was acceptable for Peach systems for oar angle (trivial to small but unclear systematic bias, and trivial to small random errors) and power per stroke (possibly or likely trivial random errors of -3.0 to -16%). EmPower systems did not have acceptable validity for oar angle (trivial to small but unclear systematic bias, and moderate to extremely large random errors) or power per stroke (likely or decisively substantial random errors of 9.7 to 57%). Only power was assessed in Weba and Concept2 systems as catch and finish oar angles are not measured by these devices. The random error associated with power per stroke was 61 to 139% for Weba and -28 to 177%) for the Concept2. Systematic bias in mean power was negative for all devices (Concept2, -11 to -15%; Peach, -7.9 to -17%; EmPower, -32 to -48%; Weba, -7.9 to -16%). Study Three investigated the contributions of power, stroke rate, headwind, technical efficiency, race conditions, and stroke-velocity variability in 45 rowing race performances. The unexplained prediction error was 0.35 to 0.55% across the four boat classes assessed. Effects on race velocity were extremely large for mean race power, small to large for mean stroke rate in singles, large to extremely large for headwind, trivial to extremely large but unclear for technical efficiency, very large or extremely in singles for race conditions, and small to trivial but mostly unclear for stroke-velocity variability. Specific measures of rowing technique from the Peach system were investigated in Study Four by evaluating their individual relationships with rowing velocity. Substantial relationships with velocity were found between most variables before adjustment for power and stroke rate, but effect magnitudes were reduced after adjustment for power and stroke rate. The greatest modifying effects were found for stroke rate, mean and peak force, and power output before adjustment, and for catch angle after adjustment for stroke rate and power. Study Five explored relationships between boat acceleration profile and rowing performance. Several measures of acceleration magnitude and jerk had substantial effects before adjustment but were reduced in size after adjustment for stroke rate and power. Substantial effects were found for maximum negative drive and peak drive acceleration magnitudes, and jerk in the early-to-mid drive and late recovery phases after adjustment for stroke rate and power. The findings of this thesis show Peach instrumentation systems have adequate reliability for stroke-to-stroke assessment of oar angles and power output. Race performance can be predicted from power, stroke rate and technical efficiency. Stroke rate, power, force, and catch angle are key areas where improvements in performance can be attained, as are changes in boat acceleration profile reflecting the late recovery, catch placement and early drive phases of the stroke.

Subjects (n = 34) did three rowing workouts of up to eight 2- minute stages separated by 45-60 second rests. Cardiovascular, ergogenic, thermoregulatory, perceptual and metabolic responses to workouts may be aided by intermittent palm cooling. Subjects received one of the following treatments per workout in a randomized sequence: no palm cooling, intermittent palm cooling during workouts, or palm cooling applied intermittently during workouts and post-exercise recovery. Methods: Palm cooling entailed intermittent cold (8-11o C) against the palmar surface of subject’s hands. Workouts began with 10 minutes of rest, followed by a 10-minute low- intensity warm-up and the workout, concluding with a 20-minute post-exercise recovery period. Work volume was examined with a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures for workout. All other variables were each examined with three-way (gender, workout, time) ANOVAs. Results: Palm cooling elicited significant effects on decreasing HR and BP. A trend for work volume differences exist as follows: NoPC < PCex, PCex&post. [BLa-] saw a significant time effect. RPE results yielded non-significant differences.

How does a sporting club come to life? What and who are the drivers behind it and what are the forces that shape its development? This thesis examines the town of Footscray through the lens of three local sporting clubs during the period 1859–1886. The study attempts to answer the above questions and considers the reasons each entity came into prominence and what hindered their progress or allowed them to grow. The major focus of this thesis is the Footscray Football Club whose precise origins have not been formally identified, despite conjecture that the club was founded in 1883. Two other local sporting clubs are closely scrutinised, namely the first incarnations of the Footscray rowing and cricket clubs, whose histories have not been properly documented. The intertwined histories of these organisations will not only assist in providing wider contexts for understanding the birth of the local football club, but will, more broadly, illuminate the important role that sport plays in the building of local communities.

Background: Rowing is a high-intensity endurance and weight-conscious sport. Body composition and diet assessment research in sub-elite male rowers is scarce. The confirmation of physical characteristics and performance measures paired with novel assessment methods of dietary habits in this population will be invaluable for future development programs.Objective: To describe and evaluate the relationship of body composition, diet, and performance in 17 collegiate sub-elite male rowers. We hypothesized that an increased lean mass would be positively correlated with ergometer performance. Methods: Subjects are members of The Ohio State Crew Club team and signed informed consent prior to participation (IRB protocol #2016H0289). Body weight and height were measured on a stadiometer. Body composition was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (GE Lunar iDXA). Diet was assessed through both VioScreen online food frequency questionnaire and 3 online 24-hour recalls using the ASA24. Performance was measured on a Concept 2 Ergometer.Results: Subjects met the ACSM guidelines for protein and fat but on average did not meet the guidelines for carbohydrate intake. Lean Mass was significantly correlated with VioScreen estimated daily calories (r=0.554, p=0.021), carbohydrate (r=0.630, p=0.007), and fat (r=0.664, p=0.004). Lean Mass was also significantly correlated with measures of performance including peak power watts with max resistance (r= 0.657, p=0.008), race resistance (r= 0.554, p=0.032), and 1 minute meters (r= 0.686, p=0.005). 6K time had a strong negative correlation with Lean Mass (r= -0.771, p=0.001).Conclusions: This study described the estimated dietary habits of 17 sub-elite male collegiate rowers. The evaluation of body composition and performance measures resulted in strong correlations between lean body mass and performance in a sub-elite sample of collegiate club rowers. These data agree with the current literature stressing the relationship between higher lean mass, nutrition, and rowing performance.

Rowing at the elite level requires proper sequencing of the rowing stroke so that the rower is able to produce an efficient stroke while protecting oneself from potential injuries. The cyclic motion of the rowing stroke sequence at low loads often results in overuse injuries, specifically in the lower back. Kinematic data of rower’s pelvis-lumbar-thoracic spine were collected using inertial measurement sensors. An incremental step-test was conducted to observe the influence of increasing intensities on the lumbar-pelvis and lumbar-thoracic segments coordination and coordination variability. This study provides a new way of quantifying rowing kinematics using vector coding. The vector coding technique used in this study quantifies the relative motion and variability in lumbar-pelvis and thoracic-lumbar couplings during the rowing stroke. Rowers exhibited greater lumbar-pelvis coupling angle variability during the recovery-drive transition of the stroke sequence with increasing intensities, which may be necessary as the rower prepares for the added load applied when the oar is placed in the water. The findings from this study may also indicate that the low coupling angle variability during the drive and recovery phases of the rowing stroke could increase the demands placed on the lumbar and repeatedly stress the same surrounding tissues, potentially explaining the cause of overuse injuries seen in the sport.

Objective: Psychological resilience has been studied in the context of childhood and adolescent athletes and in elite athletes. Therefore a gap has formed in the part of the athlete population referred to as non-elite athletes. The objective of the present study was to explore the experiences of resilience and adversity in this non-elite athlete population and compare the findings to existing literature on elite-athletes to determine similarities and differences. Design and Method: Twelve non-elite rowers (8 women, 4 men) were interviewed regarding their experiences with resilience and adversity in rowing. A semi- structured interview guide was used to direct the interviews. Transcripts were coded and analyzed in accordance with a grounded theory methodology, and a substantive theory was formed through an iterative process of memoing, constant comparison, and theoretical sampling. Results and Conclusions: The findings suggested that there were a number of similarities in underlying processes of resilience in non-elite and elite athletes. The differences that were identified arose in the degree to which the athletes practiced resilient mechanisms.

The purpose of this study was to understand the reasons why novice rowers choose to join collegiate rowing teams. There is no existing research specifically analyzing this population, and the unique team structure in rowing makes previous sport participation research difficult to generalize to this population. The reasons for sport participation vary widely by age, gender, and level of competition. This study integrates self-determination theory and organismic integration theory with scales to measure satisfaction and behavioral intentions, and data were collected through the use of a web-based survey. Schools competing in NCAA Division I and II rowing conferences were contacted for their participation, resulting in 233 completed surveys. Data analysis was completed using SPSS resulting in the discovery that novice rowers are a highly motivated group, and intrinsic and identified forms of motivation regulation stand out as the strongest indicators of behavior. Self-determined forms of motivation were linked with high satisfaction and intent to continue rowing, whereas extrinsic regulation had an inverse relationship with intent to continue rowing, and amotivation had an inverse relationship with both satisfaction and intent to continue rowing. This information can be used to strengthen recruiting efforts to target student-athletes who naturally align with preferred motivation profiles. Specific recommendations are given for coaches, student-athletes, parents, and sport administrators on ways to ensure the sport environment fosters positive forms of motivation to enhance performance, satisfaction, and sport adherence.

The Watt Community Rowing Center (WCRC) is a conceptual project that will demonstrate and quantify how an architectural design response can be both spatially evocative and technologically grounded. The WCRC is an architectural design evolving the typical rectangular boathouse into an energy-efficient boathouse that stimulates `out of the box', forward thought, focused both on architectural form and sustainable design. The WCRC is a synthesis of architecture, environment, and athletics and is a conceptual design and theoretical research exploration. The proposed architectural solution motivates a new form in sustainable architecture that encourages the participation of building occupants. The interaction between individuals and architecture will promote energy efficiency. Athletes will be viewed as a viable source of energy as the watts generated during ergometer workouts will be recycled back into the grid. In the advancement of our technological age, new and innovative means of discovery can improve current trends and practices for future generations, a true sustainable thought.The proposed thesis is a catalyst to show how athletes and active individuals can contribute to energy production via athletic gait. Rowing for Power is the idea that energy produced by rowers during common indoor training ergometer workouts can serve as a potential for energy harvesting. The concept serves a site specific design in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but can be applied globally. Sports serve as a great segway to promote sustainability due to high fan populations and the natural draw of attention from the surrounding local community. High-performance athletes are role models who have the capability to yield high-performance architecture, which was explored in this design. Watts generated during ergometer workouts will be recycled back to the grid to offset energy demands. The Watt Community Rowing Center (WCRC) is an accommodating design for the Temple University Crew in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the surrounding area rowing community. The rowing center provides indoor exercise facilities that support rowing related conditioning year-round as well as adequate boat storage and waterway access. The architecture is an engaging experience for rowers, coaches, and visitors as it displays the energy produced and achievements earned by the rowers during training sessions and conditioning.

The effect of allowing learners to control selected aspect(s) of their learning environment (e.g., augmented feedback) has been shown to be beneficial during skill acquisition. Although Chiviacowsky and Wulf (2002, 2005) indicated that learners in a self-control protocol preferred feedback after so-called good performances rather than bad ones, Aiken, Fairbrother, & Post (2012) found no such preference in learners using video knowledge of performance (KP) for a basketball set shot. Laughlin (2012) reported that participants given self-control over four different types of instructional assistance displayed individualized request patterns tied to task proficiency and personal preferences. For example, learners’ requests for knowledge of results (KR) increased throughout acquisition while those for KP decreased. Together, Aiken et al. (2012) and Laughlin (2012) indicated that learner’s decisions about the timing and content of requested feedback are more complex than previously demonstrated. The purpose of this study was to examine feedback request behaviors and self-control effects in a protocol allowing learners to manage the provision of KP about four different critical features of a fairly complex task (ergometer rowing). The use of KP allowed an exploration of how learners’ feedback requests were tied to their success on each movement element and their perceptions of proficiency. The inclusion of a yoked control group extended Laughlin’s design to test whether or not a self-control benefit would be seen in a protocol that placed a relatively high information-management burden on the participants. Results revealed that the Self-Control (SC) group achieved significantly higher mean form scores during acquisition and retention, and also significantly lower heart rate during retention compared to the yoked (YK) group. Additionally, responses to a post-practice interview showed that SC participants’ requests for KP followed both good and bad trials, and were used for both error correction and confirmation of success. These findings indicated that self-control of KP for multiple critical features benefits learning of a complex task. The pattern of KP requests indicated that participants generally focused on the easier critical features early in practice. Moreover, participants used KP more for correction early, but increased its use for success confirmation as they gained proficiency.

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of air displacement plethysmography, ultrasound, near-infrared interactance, and skinfold measurements in estimating fat-free mass in elite male rowers. Twenty-three elite-level male rowers participated in this investigation. All participants were members of the High Performance Training Center located in Oklahoma City, OK and had a minimum of 4 years of training experience. All body composition assessments were performed on the same day in no particular order, except for hydrostatic weighing (HW), which was measured last. All participants were asked to refrain from food 8 to 12 hours prior to testing (ad libitum water intake was allowed up to one hour prior to testing), and were instructed to avoid exercise for at least twenty-four hours prior to testing. Hydration status was determined prior to all testing using specific gravity via handheld refractometry to ensure proper hydration prior to testing. Fat-free mass (FFM) was evaluated using the four compartment model (4C), which included the measures of total body water (TBW) from bioimpedance spectrospcy (BIS), body volume from hydrostatic weighing (HW), and total body bone mineral (TBBM) via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Estimates of FFM via air displacement plethysmography (BOD POD®), near infrared interactance (Futrex® 6100/XL), ultrasound (IntelaMetrix BX-2000), and the 3-site Jackson and Pollock skinfold equation (Sum3) were validated against the criterion method, 4C model. The major findings of the study were that all independent techniques evaluated overestimated FFM and should not be considered valid for the assessment of FFM in elite male rowers. Future studies should use multiple compartment models for the estimation of FFM, and include the measurement of TBW and TBBM.

Purpose: This study examined energy expenditure and power output by the upper and lower body, as well as gender, and training differences, using the Concept II Model E rowing ergometer. It was hypothesized that (1) there will be greater energy expenditure and power output with the lower body as compared to the upper body, (2) there will be a significantly greater upper and lower body energy expenditure and power output for males in the rowing stroke, and (3) there will be a significantly greater lower body energy expenditure and power output for trained rowers. Methods: Subjects included 14 males (7 trained, 7 untrained) and 14 females (7 trained, 7 untrained). Test 1 had participants rowing using the full body; a 1000 meter all out row was performed. Test 2 had the pull-chain from the row handle directly attached to the seat of the Concept II to isolate only lower body rowing input. Rowers then completed a 1000m row using the lower body at the same cadence of the full body row. To determine the contribution of the upper body, the results of test 2 were subtracted from test 1. Power output, energy expenditure, row time, distance per stroke, blood lactate, heart rate, and rate of perceived exertion were recorded. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare upper vs lower body, and independent t-tests were used to analyze gender and training effects. Results: Upper body power output (188.6 ± 60.5) was significantly greater than lower body (60.2 ± 28.5) power output (p=.001). Lower body energy expenditure (5.5 ± 4.5) was significantly greater than upper body (8.5 ± 3.8) energy expenditure (p=.043). There was a significant upper/lower by gender interaction for power, with upper body power output significantly greater in males (p=.018). There was a significant upper/lower by training interaction for both power and energy expenditure, with lower body power output (p=.008) and lower body energy expenditure (p=.021) significantly greater for trained. Conclusion: Upper versus lower body differences show the lower body to be more important in determining better rowing performance. Minor gender differences assume that technique, body composition (i.e. height, lean body mass, etc.), or other factors may be more influential in the rowing stroke. Results also suggest that training is more important than gender in rowing performance.

A multidisciplinary approach for the modeling and analysis of the performance of Olympic rowing boats is presented. The goal is to establish methodologies and tools that would determine the effects of variations in applied forces and rowers motions and weights on mean surge speed and oscillatory boat motions. The coupling between the rowers motions with the hull and water forces is modeled with a system of equations. The water forces are computed using several fluid dynamic models that have different levels of accuracy and computational cost. These models include a solution of the Reynolds Averaged Navier--Stokes equations complemented by a Volume of Fluid method, a linearized 3D potential flow simulation and a 2D potential flow simulation that is based on the strip theory approximation. These results show that due to the elongated shape of the boat, the use of Sommerfeld truncation boundary condition does not yield the correct frequency dependence of the radiative coefficients. Thus, the radiative forces are not computed in the time-domain problem by means of a convolution integral, accounting for flow memory effects, but were computed assuming constant damping and added mass matrices. The results also show that accounting for memory effects significantly improves the agreement between the strip theory and the RANS predictions. Further improvements could be obtained by introducing corrections to account for longitudinal radiative forces, which are completely neglected in the strip theory. The coupled dynamical system and the multi-fidelity fluid models of the water forces were then used to perform a sensitivity analysis of boat motions to variations in rowers weights, exerted forces and cadence of motion. The sensitivity analysis is based on the polynomial chaos expansion. The coefficients of each random basis in the polynomial chaos expansion are computed using a non-intrusive strategy. Sampling, quadrature, and linear regression methods have been used to obtain the these coefficients from the outputs generated by the system at each sampling point. The results show that the linear regression method provides a very good approximation of the PCE coefficients. In addition, the number of samples needed for the expansion, does not grow exponentially with the number of varying input parameters. For this reason, this method has been selected for performing the sensitivity analysis. The sensitivity of output parameters to variations in selected input parameters of the system are obtained by taking the derivatives of the expansion with respect to each input parameter. Three test cases are considered: a light-weight female single scull, a male quad scull, and a male coxless four. For all of these cases, results that relate the effects of variations in rowers weights, amplitudes of exerted forces and cadence of rowing on mean boat speed and energy ratio, defined as the ratio of kinetic energy of the forward motion to that of the oscillatory motions, are presented. These results should be useful in the design of rowing boats as well as in the training of rowers.

Crew race strategy is typically formulated by coaches based on rowing tradition and years of experience. However, coaching strategies are not generally supported by empirical evidence and decision-support models. Previous models of crew race strategy have been constrained by the sparse information published on crew race performance (quarterly 500-meter splits). Empirical research has merely summarized which quarterly splits averaged the fastest and slowest relative to the other splits and relative to the average speed of the other competitors. Video records of crew race world championships provide a rich source of data for those capable and patient enough to mine this level of detail. This dissertation is based on a precise frame-by-frame video analysis of five world championship rowing finals. With six competing crews per race, a database of 75 race-pair duels was compiled that summarizes race positioning, competitive drives, and relative stroke rates at 10-meter intervals recorded with photo-finish precision (30 frames per second). The drive-based research pioneered in this dissertation makes several contributions to understanding the dynamics of crew race strategy and performance: 1) An 8-factor conceptual model of crew race performance. 2) A generic drive model that decomposes how pairs of crews duel in a race. 3) Graphical summaries of the rates and locations of successful and unsuccessful drives. 4) Contour lines of the margins that winning crews hold over the course of the race. 5) Trend lines for what constitutes a probabilistically decisive lead as a function of position along the course, seconds behind the leader, and whether the trailing crew is driving. This research defines a new drive-based vocabulary for evaluating crew race performance for use by coaches, competitors and race analysts. The research graphically illustrates situational parameters helpful in formulating race strategy and guiding real-time decision-making by competitors. This research also lays the foundation for future industrial engineering decision-support models and associated parameters as applied to race strategy and tactics.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between pre-competitive anxiety and flow in female collegiate club rowers. Eleven participants from the Ohio University Women’s Club Rowing Team volunteered during two separate regattas. Participants completed the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory – 2 (CSAI-2) to assess state anxiety before each regatta and the Flow State Scale – 2 (FSS-2) following each regatta to assess flow. Results show no significant difference in anxiety between regattas. A significant difference was found in total flow (p = 0.01) and challenge-skill balance (p = 0.001). Correlations examined relationships between anxiety and flow. Self-confidence had the highest correlation with flow at the SIRA Regatta and also moderate correlations between flow and anxiety. Pearson’s correlations were also run within sub-scales of the CSAI-2 and the FSS-2. Results for these correlations show several moderate and strong relationships within sub-scales.

This investigation examined the possible benefits or problems of high carbohydrate, low fat (high CHO) & low carbohydrate, high protein (low CHO) diets on row ergometry training and performance. The body’s metabolism changes with different fuel sources, but the changes in metabolism during exercise stress, while on the low CHO, high protein diet still remains unclear. The study included 18 fit, non-smoking males aged 18-40 from Ohio University. During the 7 week study these subjects were asked to consume a high CHO (n =10) or low CHO (n = 8) diet and follow the same row training schedule. Anthropometric, strength & endurance, and other performance changes were collected pre- and post-training. Diet and performance data were also collected during the 7 weeks of training. It was hypothesized that there would be a difference in anthropometric measurements and performance in the low CHO group compared to the high CHO group. All statistical analysis was performed on SPSS Advanced Models 12.0 for Windows. The results showed no significant difference (p < 0.05) between the two groups in anthropometric, performance, and training variables. It was conclude low CHO diets do not provide any added benefits over a high CHO diet.

The Rowing Coaches is about friendship, money, love, loss, and rowing. It chronicles the turning point in the lives of three friends who are professional rowing coaches. The friends are Don Bestos, Bill Maxwell, and Bergman, men who are or were at the very top of their sport, and now question their friendships with each other and where their lives are headed. The story takes place on a weekend in the summer of 2000 at the USRowing Convention in Las Vegas, the big blow-out for everyone in the sport of rowing. The Rowing Coaches also offers a look at an esoteric and often misunderstood sport. The main character is Don Bestos, a fifty-year-old head coach from Northeastern University. Don is recently divorced and has yet to move on from the failure of his marriage. The memory of his ex-wife Annie causes him physical pain and occasionally haunts him. Don is in crisis and he questions what he has done with his life and whether he can continue with his chosen career. Don's concerns are compounded by his alcoholism. He grapples with his addiction throughout the story. Don also has a peculiar gift; upon touching certain inanimate objects, such as a boat, he can sense if the object has a soul. Don's best friend is Bergman, the obese head coach from the University of Pennsylvania. Bergman's team has been losing for years and he has lost the drive to continue as an elite rowing coach. Bergman is a loyal friend and he watches out for his friends. The one coach who appears to be on the upswing is Billy Maxwell, Don's assistant coach at Northeastern. Billy is a former Olympian and he is considered one of the rising stars in the coaching profession. Billy has been a winner at every level in the sport and he is willing to sacrifice everything to win, even friendship. Other characters include Stacy Kookla, a sociable sales representative for the top rowing boat manufacturer in the country; Andy Carr, the head coach of Yale University; and Missy Krajcik, the fastest female rower in the world.

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and reported type of injury in senior level schoolgirl rowers over the 2004-2005 rowing season. Data was gathered via survey and it was found that 18% of rowers sustained injuries (n=34), of this group 18 were sweep rowers and 16 were scull rowers. There was a difference in injury pattern between sweep and scull rowing. Lumbar and shoulder injuries were more prevalent in sweep rowers. Previous research suggests lumbar spine injuries are the most common injury in rowing and this research supported this with 32% (n=12) of injuries to the lumbar spine. Shoulder injuries were the second most common injury (18%). Apart from illness, shoulder and low back injury caused the greatest amount of time off training. Research shows that whilst most injuries occur due to rowing itself, injuries can be sustained during cross training. Our research showed that rowing caused the most number of injuries 48%, followed by ergometer 21%, running 14% and then weights 12%. It can be suggested that lumbar and shoulder injury prevention and rehabilitation should be incorporated into rowing programs. Rowing technique, especially at times of fatigue, must be a focus for prevention of injury. This minor thesis was written by a post-graduate student as part of the requirements of the Master of Health Science (Osteopathy) program.

This thesis examines the meaning and significance that professional sculling was created for Australian, and particularly New South Wales, society and it analyses the critical components that changed its meaning for that society and contributed to the sport’s decline. Some major themes examined include organisation, capital, regionalism, patriotism, nationalism, amateurism, professionalism, and social class. The thesis is a chronological study of the period between 1876 and 1927. It examines the fortunes of the world and national champions and the various organisational methods used to sustain the sport as a national symbol and mass spectacle. In the analysis of the sport’s post-war fortunes, specific focus is given to the sport’s prolonged apathy towards organisational and structural concerns, how imperialism and self-interest came to dominate the sport and why professional sculling lost its meaning and significance within a progressive and increasingly erudite society. Among the many findings of this thesis, the traditional belief that gambling and corruption destroyed professional sculling is refuted. The failure of the sport to endure and prosper was of its own making, as it failed to adapt to the increasingly sophisticated organisational demands, institutionalisation and commodification of twentieth-century society.

This study examined firstly, the effects of 24 hours of dehydration on body weight, plasma volume and various urinary variables and compared the efficacy of drinking water and solutions of varying sodium chloride concentration in restoring plasma volume after dehydration; and secondly, the metabolic processes during performance in a maximal rowing trial following partial rehydration with water after rapid weight loss.