APPLICATION OF SPORT-SPECIFIC STRENGTH-ENDURANCE EXERCISES FOR MALE ROWERS AGED 17–18 AT DANANG NATIONAL SPORT TRAINING CENTER, VIETNAM

Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Tran Manh Hung, Hoang Duc Tan

Abstract


This study addresses a critical gap in endurance development for adolescent male lightweight rowers by designing and evaluating a rowing-specific strength-endurance training program tailored to their physiological characteristics and competitive demands. Conducted at the Danang National Sports Training Center in Vietnam, this mixed-methods study incorporated literature review, expert interviews (n = 26), pedagogical observations, and a six-month training intervention. Twenty male rowers aged 17–18 were randomly divided into experimental (n = 10) and control (n = 10) groups. The experimental group followed a specialized, periodized endurance training regimen, while the control group continued their regular training. Performance was assessed before and after the intervention using six validated indicators: 2000m rowing time, VO₂max, 1000m split-time variability, pull-up and push-up endurance, and anaerobic power. The experimental group showed statistically significant improvements across all indicators (p < 0.05), with gains ranging from 8.2% to 44.2%, while the control group exhibited only marginal, non-significant changes. Key exercises, such as timed 2000m rowing, resistance-based pulling, and 1000m repeated runs, received over 85% consensus among experts for their relevance and effectiveness. These findings underscore the importance of integrating sport-specific, structured strength-endurance training to enhance aerobic and anaerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and pacing efficiency in youth rowing. This study provides a scientifically grounded model for optimizing endurance performance in adolescent rowers and offers practical guidance for coaches and sports training centers, particularly in developing countries. Future research should explore long-term adaptations and assess the model's applicability across different age groups and rowing disciplines.

 

Article visualizations:

Hit counter


Keywords


rowing, endurance training, adolescent athletes, VO₂max, rowing-specific strength-endurance

Full Text:

PDF

References


Bourdin, M., Messonnier, L., Hager, J. P., & Lacour, J. R. (2004). Peak power output predicts rowing ergometer performance in elite male rowers. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 25(5), 368–373. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2004-815826

Chang, C.-H., Chen, C.-Y., & Lau, H.-T. (2025). Effects of four-week plyometric training on rowing performance and muscle fatigue in youth rowers. Scientific Reports, 15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-09673-w

Cosgrove, M. J., Wilson, J., Watt, D., & Grant, S. F. (1999). The relationship between selected physiological variables of rowers and rowing performance as determined by a 2000 m ergometer test. Journal of Sports Sciences, 17(11), 845–852. https://doi.org/10.1080/026404199365867

Hoang, T. L. (2018). A study on physiological and physical fitness characteristics of young male rowing athletes in the Central region of Vietnam. Journal of Physical Education Science, (2), 20–28. (In Vietnamese)

Ingham, S. A., Whyte, G. P., Jones, K., & Nevill, A. M. (2002). Determinants of 2,000 m rowing ergometer performance in elite rowers. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 88(3), 243–246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-002-0709-9

Jones, T. W., Taylor, J. D., Weston, M., & Manley, A. (2020). Strength and conditioning for male adolescent athletes: Position statement. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 42(3), 12–22. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000533

Kleshnev, V. (2020). Rowing biomechanics and performance modeling. Sports Biomechanics, 19(6), 745–758. https://doi.org/10.1080/14763141.2020.1736249

Le, T. H. (2020). Evaluation of endurance strength training practices in competitive rowing at elite sport centers. Journal of Sport Science, (7), 30–38. (In Vietnamese)

Majumdar, P., Das, A., & Mandal, M. (2017). Physical and strength variables as predictors of 2000 m rowing ergometer performance in elite rowers. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 17(4), 2502–2507. https://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2017.04281

Majumdar, P., Das, A., & Mandal, M. (2018). Relationships between anthropometric, strength variables and 500 m ergometer time. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 18(2), 150–156.

Malina, R. M., Bouchard, C., & Bar-Or, O. (2004). Growth, maturation, and physical activity (2nd ed.). Human Kinetics. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781492596837

Mikulić, P., & Ruzić, L. (2011). Development of aerobic and anaerobic power in youth rowers: A 5-year study. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 14(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01200.x

Mujika, I. (2021). The tapering process in endurance sports. Journal of Science and Cycling, 10(2), 3–9.

Nguyen, D. T. (2022). Selection of exercises for developing sport-specific endurance in young rowing athletes. Journal of Sports Science, (9), 45–52. (In Vietnamese)

Nguyen, H. Q. (2017). The role of endurance in elite sports: A case study in rowing. Education and Society Journal, (5), 55–60. (In Vietnamese)

Nguyen, V. D. (2019). Comparison of the effectiveness of sport-specific endurance development methods for youth-level rowing athletes. Journal of Sports Science and Technology, (4), 40–47. (In Vietnamese)

Riechman, S. E., Thomas, S. J., & Park, Y. (2022). Youth endurance training: Implications for performance and injury. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(3), 712–721.

Seiler, S. (2010). What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes? International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 5(3), 276–291. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.5.3.276

Tesch, P. A. (1983). Physiological characteristics of elite rowers. Canadian Journal of Applied Sport Sciences, 8(2), 54–59.

Tran, V. M. (2021). Solutions to improve physical training effectiveness for 17–18-year-old male rowing athletes. Journal of Sports Training, (6), 12–19. (In Vietnamese)

Treff, G., Winkert, K., Sareban, M., & Steinacker, J. M. (2021). Monitoring training load and recovery in rowing: Current practices and challenges. Frontiers in Physiology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.666540

Turner, K. J., et al. (2021). High-intensity interval and sprint training improve 2000m ergometer performance. Frontiers in Physiology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.803430

Vietnam Institute of Sport Science. (2020). Summary report on research and training in rowing from 2016–2020. Hanoi: Sports Publishing House. (In Vietnamese)

Volianitis, S., McConnell, A. K., Koutedakis, Y., & Jones, D. A. (2001). The influence of prior activity on inspiratory muscle strength in rowers and non-rowers. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 84(4), 353–357. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-1999-9464

Winkert, K., et al. (2022). High energetic demand of elite rowing – implications for physiology. Frontiers in Physiology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.829757




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v13i1.6498

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, Tran Manh Hung, Hoang Duc Tan

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright © 2015 - 2026. European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science (ISSN 2501 - 1235) is a registered trademark of Open Access Publishing Group. All rights reserved.


This journal is a serial publication uniquely identified by an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) serial number certificate issued by Romanian National Library (Biblioteca Nationala a Romaniei). All the research works are uniquely identified by a CrossRef DOI digital object identifier supplied by indexing and repository platforms. All authors who send their manuscripts to this journal and whose articles are published on this journal retain full copyright of their articles. All the research works published on this journal are meeting the Open Access Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).