Effects of a 4-Week Altitude Training on Sport-Specific Performance, Body Composition, and Cardiac and Pulmonary Function in Adolescent Male Rowers

Effects of a 4-Week Altitude Training on Sport-Specific Performance, Body Composition, and Cardiac and Pulmonary Function in Adolescent Male Rowers: The Potential Role of Maturation

This study aims to investigate the effects of a 4-week altitude training program on adolescent male rowers. The research will examine changes in athletic performance, athletic body composition, athletic cardiac function, athletic pulmonary function, and selected blood markers. Participants will be stratified by biological maturation based on peak height velocity to explore whether maturity influences athletic training adaptations. Measurements will include non-invasive assessments of athletic performance, athletic body composition, athletic heart and lung function, as well as venous blood sampling for hematological markers. The study intends to provide evidence for optimizing high-altitude training strategies in youth rowing.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: High-altitude Training Adaptations in Adolescent Male Rowers
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: 4-Week Altitude Training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Ziyue Ou; Phone Number: +853 8591 2000; Email: research_ethics@ipm.edu.mo

Study Locations

• China
  • Macao
    • Macao, Macao, China
      • Recruiting
      • Macao Polytechnic University, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports
      • Contact: Chaoran Han; Phone Number: +853 8591 2000; Email: hanchaoran1999@outlook.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:Male adolescent rowers aged 12-19 years Regularly training and participating in competitive rowing Willing to participate in 4-week altitude training program and follow testing protocol -

Exclusion Criteria:Any cardiovascular, respiratory, hematologic, or musculoskeletal disorders Injury or illness preventing participation in high-intensity rowing training Participation in another high-altitude training program within the last 3 months Any medical contraindication to blood sampling

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Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Post-PHV group; Participants in the Post-PHV group are adolescent male rowers stratified by biological maturation (PHV offset). They will undergo the same 4-week high-altitude training program, including aerobic, anaerobic, and sport-specific rowing exercises. Pre- and post-training measurements of athletic performance, athletic body composition, athletic cardiac and pulmonary function, and hematological markers will be collected.	Behavioral: 4-Week Altitude Training; Participants undergo a 4-week altitude training program, including aerobic, anaerobic, and sport-specific rowing exercises. Both Post-PHV and Mid-PHV groups receive the same training protocol. Pre- and post-training assessments include athletic performance, athletic body composition, athletic cardiac and pulmonary function, and hematological markers. Participants are stratified by biological maturation (PHV offset) to explore whether maturity influences training adaptations.
Experimental: Mid-PHV group; Participants in the Post-PHV group are adolescent male rowers stratified by biological maturation (PHV offset). They will undergo the same 4-week high-altitude training program, including aerobic, anaerobic, and sport-specific rowing exercises. Pre- and post-training measurements of athletic performance, athletic body composition, athletic cardiac and pulmonary function, and hematological markers will be collected.	Behavioral: 4-Week Altitude Training; Participants undergo a 4-week altitude training program, including aerobic, anaerobic, and sport-specific rowing exercises. Both Post-PHV and Mid-PHV groups receive the same training protocol. Pre- and post-training assessments include athletic performance, athletic body composition, athletic cardiac and pulmonary function, and hematological markers. Participants are stratified by biological maturation (PHV offset) to explore whether maturity influences training adaptations.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Peak Power During Wingate Test	Peak power measured during the Wingate anaerobic test before and after the intervention.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Maximal Oxygen Uptake	Pre- and post-intervention measurement of VO₂max using standard exercise testing protocol to assess aerobic capacity in adolescent male rowers.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Mean Power Output During 1500 m Rowing Test	Mean power output measured during the 1500 m rowing ergometer test before and after the intervention.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Body Weight	Body weight measured before and after the training period.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Body Fat Percentage	Body fat percentage measured using bioelectrical impedance or other validated method.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)	Forced vital capacity measured using spirometry before and after the intervention.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Maximal Voluntary Ventilation	MVV measured using standard pulmonary function testing protocol pre- and post-intervention.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Left Ventricular Volume	Echocardiography measurement of left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Ejection Fraction	Echocardiography assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction pre- and post-training.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Myocardial Thickness	Measurement of interventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall thickness by echocardiography.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle Mass	Skeletal muscle mass measured pre- and post-training.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Red Blood Cell Count	RBC count measured from venous blood samples pre- and post-intervention.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Hemoglobin	Hemoglobin concentration measured from venous blood samples.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Hematocrit	Hematocrit levels measured pre- and post-training.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training
Erythropoietin	Plasma EPO concentration measured from venous blood samples.	Pre-training and immediately post 4-week altitude training

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Macao Polytechnic University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): May 25, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 21, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 28, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 29, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 28, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: FCSD/DPPESS-2026/003

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No