Performance benefit of DYNO machine v compound resistance training for semi-professional rowers
Author: Bryce Abernethy
Supervisors: Megan Gibbons Mat Blair
Abernethy, B. (2020). Performance benefit of DYNO machine v compound resistance training for semi-professional rowers. (A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree Masters in Applied Science at Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, New Zealand.)
Abstract
Rowing is a well-recognised Olympic sport in New Zealand, it gains good funding from High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) and participation is high, particularly at secondary school. Last year, rowing was given just over $5 million, the most out of any sport under HPSNZ. There are many aspects of a rowers training schedule, one of which being strength & conditioning. In traditional rowing, strength & conditioning comprises of power-based compound exercises, but with advances in technology, new, more sport specific ways of increasing strength have been developed to increase the gains made by an athlete in the gym. One such advance in technology was the development of the Concept II DYNO machine (DYNO), however, this machine was only sold from 2001 to 2007 and is no longer in production. This cessation in production, has led to the cost of purchase and maintenance of these machines for some club and school programs to see it as an unnecessary expense. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the DYNO leg press exercise with a traditional compound exercise, the power clean, to explore whether free-weights would be a suitable substitute for programs that cannot afford a DYNO. Sixteen semi-professional rowers participated in this study. The rowers were a part of a semi-professional rowing team based in Christchurch, New Zealand. The rowers (6 females) completed a 5-week training regime of 12 sessions per week include 2 resistance sessions per week. Before the participants started this training regime, they completed a 2km and a 100m test on the Concept II Rowing machine. Participants were randomised into two groups of 8 (3 females), one group completed the DYNO leg press exercise as a part of their usual weight session, while the other would complete the power clean exercise. All other trainings and resistance exercises remained the same. After completing this training regime for 5 weeks the participants were retested, and the results compared. The study showed that there was no significant statistical difference between the two groups with respect to 2km or 100m Erg time, or 100m peak power. Within the group training on the DYNO there was a significant improvement in the 100m peak power and the 100m time from pretesting to post testing. This study found that power cleans are a suitable replacement for the DYNO, however more research over a longer time period, and with bigger groups would be beneficial.
Licence
This thesis is not publicly available.
