Hélène Rémond writes:

The 33rd International Conference on Biomecanics in Sports takes place in Poitiers (Poitou-Charentes, France) from 29 June to 3 July. General topics of the conference cover sports biomechanics at competitive and recreational levels. Research focuses on technological innovation applied to sports and physical activity that benefits on performance or health.

An applied session entitled “Improving Rowing Performance” is scheduled today, on 30 June, whereas three lectures are dedicated to rowing on 3 July:

Effect of the ergometer design on pelvic twisting in elite rowers

The objective of this study was to assess the influence of the ergometer design on parameters related to the pelvic twist and lower back flexion.

Specific and non specific rowing field evaluation correlated with ergometer rowing performance

The present study aimed at testing the possible correlations between a rowing ergometer performance in young competitive rowers and their ability to generate maximal muscular power during a Wingate test on the one hand, and a squat jump test on the other hand.

Design, validation, and application of an unobtrusive oar force-angle measurement system

The advance of technology has facilitated increases in accuracy, unobtrusiveness, reliability, quality of visualisation and affordability and has the potential to provide the most effective feedback mode. The aim of this project was to design and evaluate a rowing performance measurement system (RowIMU) that met these criteria.

Dr. Floren Colloud is the Chairman of the ISBS 2015 Conference. He has been an ISBS member since 2002, when he was still a Ph.D. student. Floren is a former elite rower and owns coaching certificates for rowing (first and second levels). His Ph.D. thesis is entitled “Dynamic model of the whole body from rowing ergometers tests. Implications for training”.

The main objective of this study is to improve the knowledge of the human locomotion, and more precisely to identify the factors of performance in rowing by a full mechanical analysis of the gesture. This study consists in computing kinematics, forces, muscular moments, muscular powers at each joint of the rower to establish relationships between movement and mechanical actions.

A large number of experimental data is necessary to develop a dynamical model of the rower: anthropometrics, three-dimensional kinematics and external mechanical actions.

Rowing is an out-door activity. Nevertheless, the accuracy of kinematic measurements realised during on-water rowing does not allow such studies. To understand this complex activity from a mechanical point of view, the testing in a laboratory has been preferred using two kinds of rowing ergometers (fixed versus free-floating stretcher).

First, a synthetic review is proposed, in the fields of biomechanics and rowing. Then, the experimental protocol is described. It concerns the development of specific force transducers and the recording of the external data of 25 high-level rowers.

Two levels of modelling are proposed: a direct approach (analysis of the external forces and 2D kinematics) and a 3D modelling approach. The 3D relative movement between adjacent segments is computed by modelling each joint as a sequence of three hinges about mobile axes. The 3D inter-segmental mechanical actions of the whole body are calculated using a 4×4 matrix concept developed in the field of robotics.

The two mechanism conditions as well as the symmetry of the gesture are compared using a functional data analysis. This statistical method allows a complete and general comparison between two experimental conditions instead of focusing the analysis only in characterised points. The results obtained are validated by comparison with data published in scientific journals. These results lead to the estimation of the efficiency of each rowing ergometer.

Since 2005, Floren has been an Associate Professor of Biomechanics at the University of Poitiers.

For more articles by Floren Colloud, please take a look here.

More information on the 33rd International Conference on Biomecanics in Sports can be found here.