EFFECTS OF ROWING ON HEALTH PROMOTION IN OLDER PEOPLE

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We evaluated effects of age and rowing on cardiovascular function, blood lipid-lipoprotein profile and muscle mass. Although older oarsmen possessed a lower Vo2max than the young oarsmen, they showed a Vo2max similar to that of the young sedentary men but a higher value than obtained from the older sedentary men. The index of risk factors for CHD in the older oarsmen (LDL-C/HDL-C) was lower than that in the sedentary older men. The results suggest that rowing is an appropriate type of exercise for the promotion of health.We also evaluated the effects of rowing on the morphology and function of the leg muscle in older people. The leg extensor muscle area (CSA) of the oarsmen was larger that that of the sedentary men. Also the bilateral leg extension power of the oarsmen was larger than that of the sedentary men. Thus, the leg extensor power per CSA was not different between the two groups. The results suggest that rowing prevents age-related muscle wasting and weakness.This study evaluated oxygen uptake (Vo2) and heart rate (HR) during ergometry rowing (combined arm and leg ; sitting exercise) and treadmill running (leg ; upright exercise) for older people. The HR was lower during ergometry rowing than during treadmill running at a blood lactate concentration of 4mM (151±4 bpm vs. 160±5 bpm) and at a maximal effort (171±7 bpm vs. 177±7 bpm). This was the case although the Vo2 was higher during ergometry rowing than during treadmill running both at a blood lactate concentration of 4mM (3.0±0.4 /min vs. 2.7±0.4 L/min) and at a maximal effort (3.4±0.4 L/min vs. 3.1±0.3 L/min). The results suggest that, in prescription of rowing for older people, the relation between HR and Vo2 for rowing and the attenuated HR response to rowing should be taken into consideration.