# Effects of Specific Training Using a Rowing Ergometer on Sport Performance in Adolescents
## 1 Introduction  
Rowing is a strength and endurance sport in which competition performance depends on a combination of parameters involving cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and motor skills, making it a perfect activity for adolescents who want to develop a range of physical and mental skills while enjoying a rewarding physical sport experience [1, 2]. Consequently, muscular strength is a vital component of rowing, and the major role it plays in this discipline cannot be underestimated. Muscular strength is the capacity of a muscle to exert a force through contraction, allowing it to overpower, resist or exert pressure against resistance [3, 4]. Muscular strength plays a critical role in rowing because athletic performance is built over physical strength [2]. Young athletes who engage in this sport work on building strength in many muscle groups, such as those of the arms, legs, back and trunk; it is also a challenge for the cardiorespiratory system, since rowing requires a large intake of oxygen [5]. Strength in these muscle groups gives rowers the power they need to efficiently and quickly move the boat through the water [2, 6, 7]. One of the advantages of focusing on building muscle strength in adolescence is that it is a critical period of growth and development [3]. Research into strength training in young people has generated significant controversy in the physical fitness world over the years [8; 9]. Although the earliest studies published on how strength training influences adolescents did not report positive effects for young people [10; 11], there is now sufficient scientific evidence to assert that strength training in adolescents, provided it is controlled and supervised by professionals who focus on developing proper technique and ensuring individual safety, is beneficial to the health and performance of young athletes [3]. The World Health Organization's global recommendations suggest that children and adolescents should spend at least 60 min per day engaging in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, mainly aerobic, and engage in muscle and bone strengthening activities at least three times per week [12]. Additionally, the American College of Sports Medicine prioritizes strength training at an early age to improve musculoskeletal system function and the overall fitness level of young people through the practice of a variety of safe, effective and fun strength training activities [3]. Among the benefits of strength training in 11-13 year olds, there are studies showing how mechanical stress, induced through strength training, was beneficial for body and bone growth [8; 13]. This not only corroborates the theory that suggests that, because of the low surrounding hormone levels in bone structures, adolescents cannot handle overloading during training and, therefore, may suffer alterations in the bone formation process or deformities, as some studies suggest without sufficient significant evidence [14], but it also shows us that strength training based on moderate and high-intensity exercises can be a powerful positive stimulus on bone structures [8; 15]. Furthermore, regarding another controversial topic of strength training research--the high risk of injury during training--recent studies have shown that strength training at an early age helps to reduce injuries by up to 50% [3]. This suggests that the increase in physical conditioning levels enables adolescents to successfully cope with the challenges posed by the demands on the musculoskeletal system during physical and sports activities, thus reducing the injury rate [16]. Adolescents who engage in rowing-specific strength training programs not only improve their ability to perform on the water, but also help develop healthy cardiorespiratory, muscular and skeletal systems [5]. Moreover, as we have seen above, muscular strength in rowing has a direct impact on preventing injuries [6; 16]. Strong muscles provide additional joint support and help stabilize the body during the repetitive motion involved in rowing.