Physiological mechanisms of muscle strength and power are dependent on the years post obtaining peak height velocity in elite juniors rowers: A cross-sectional study

by Paulo Francisco de Almeida-Neto, Ayrton Bruno de Morais Ferreira, Adam Baxter-Jones, Jason Azevedo de Medeiros, Luiz Felipe da Silva, Paulo Moreira Silva Dantas, Breno Guilherme de Araújo Tinôco Cabral

It is not yet known whether the years after peak height velocity (PHV) are associated with the physiological mechanisms of muscle strength and power in Juniors rowers.

To identify the association between years post PHV (YPPHV) with muscle power and strength in Juniors rowers.

We tested 235 Brazilian rowing athletes (male: 171, female: 64, Juniors category). We measured: power (indoor rowing over 100-m, 500-m, 2,000-m and 6,000-m) and muscle strength (one repetition maximum (1RM) test in squat, deadlift, bench press and bent row on the bench). Biological maturation was index by age of PHV. The sample was divided into groups considering YPPHV recent (2.5 to 3.9), median (2.51 to 4.9) and veteran (>4.9). We use a Baysian approach to data handling.

When compared to their peers in the recent and median post PHV groups, the male veteran group were superior in muscle power (Absolute: 100-m (BF₁₀: 2893.85), 500-m (BF₁₀: 553.77) and 6,000-m (BF₁₀: 22.31). Relative: (100-m (BF₁₀: 49.9)) and strength (BF₁₀≥10.0 in squat, bench press and deadlift), and in the female the veteran group were superior in test time (500-m, BF₁₀: 88.4).

In elite Juniors rowers the increasing YPPHV are associated with muscle power performance in both sexes and muscle strength performance in males.