Does the asymmetry in the boat make sweep rowers less symmetric in the gym? A case study of how rowers sit on the rowing ergometer

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BACKGROUND: This study analyses whether sweep rowers (port, starboard), who in the boat row in an asymmetric movement, sit on the seat of the rowing ergometer in a different manner from scullers, who on the boat row in symmetric manner. METHODS: Twenty-five male rowers (9 scull and 16 sweep: 8 port and 8 starboard) each performed a 90-min endurance training on rowing ergometer. Any displacement sideways of the rowers on the seats was measured from images of back of the rower at 30, 60 and 90 min. RESULTS: Scullers were seated in the expected manner maintaining centrality of the seat (distance from center at 30, 60, 90 min = 0.3±0.5 cm; 0.3±0.5 cm, 0.6±0.5 cm) in contrast with portside rowers who shifted to the left (30, 60, 90 min = -3.0±1.1 cm; -3.6±1.1 cm; -3.5±0.9 cm) and starboard rowers who shifted to the right (30, 60, 90 min = 3.1±2 cm; 3.9±1.6 cm; 3.4±1.4 cm). Shifted seating for sweep rowers was consistently observed to the opposite side to which they rowed. CONCLUSIONS: The type of rowing on the boat influenced how rowers sit on the ergometer with sweep rowers consistently adopting a seating position shifted to opposite side to the one they rowed. This can be interpreted in terms of neural memory of prior postural adjustments and calls for further monitoring as asymmetry in seating may lead to uneven loading, particularly relevant to athletes with large training volume and density and when rowing in more "extreme" rowing settings, for example, coastal rowing / beach sprints events.

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