Comparisons of physical characteristics and performances among female collegiate rowers

Abstract

The physical characteristics and performances of female collegiate rowers were examined from two perspectives: level (novice, varsity) and years of participation (0, 1, 2, 3) in collegiate rowing. The participants were 90 female collegiate rowers from three US Division I university teams, of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Height, body mass, sitting height, arm span, skinfolds, limb circumferences, and skeletal breadths were measured. Leg length was estimated and Heath-Carter anthropometric somatotypes were calculated. Performance measures included lower-back flexibility, vertical jump, and 2-km time on a rowing ergometer. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the total sample and by level and years of experience. Multivariate analysis of variance and a Bonferroni-adjusted alpha level (P < 0.05) were used to test differences. Varsity rowers had significantly more rowing experience (∼0.5 years) before college, higher vertical jumps (∼3 cm), faster 2-km times (∼25 s), and lower endomorphic characteristics than novice rowers. Anthropometric and performance differences among rowers by years of experience were negligible with the exception of slower 2-km times (∼32 s) in rowers with no collegiate experience than rowers with collegiate experience. In conclusion, collegiate rowers differ to some extent in physical and performance characteristics by level and experience.

Keywords:

• Anthropometry
• somatotype
• female athletes
• 2-km performance