EFFECTS OF NORMOBARIC HYPDXIC EXERCISE FOR 6-WEEKS ON ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE IN MODERATELY TRAINED ROWERS

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of normobaric hypoxic training by rowing ergometer on aerobic performance and anaerobic threshold. Fourteen healthy male participants perform 30 min of continuous training in either a normoxic (FiO(2) = 0.209) or hypoxic (FiO(2) = 0.145) condition. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups, with 7 participants per group. Both the Control (n = 7) and Hypoxic (n = 7) group participants exercised on a rowing ergometer at an intensity corresponding to 80-90% of heart rate at anaerobic threshold attained in normoxia. Before the training (PRE), after three-week training (MID) and after six-week training (POST), the subject's aerobic performance and anaerobic threshold were determined by 7x4 rowing ergometer incremental test under the normoxic condition. The results showed that there was a significant improvement in the normoxic anaerobic threshold only for the Hypoxic groups (p<0.05) at PRE-training compared to POST-training value. There was no difference in normoxic aerobic performance and the normoxic anaerobic threshold between the Control group; CON and the Hypoxic group; HYP (p<0.05). In conclusion, the normobaric hypoxic training protocol manipulated in this experiment had a significant effect on development in the anaerobic threshold but no significant difference between Control and Hypoxic groups.