Exercise capacity measurements
Patients reported to the exercise laboratory in a fasted state (> 1.5 h) and were explicitly told to refrain from tobacco, caffeine and alcohol on testing day and to avoid strenuous exercise for at least 24 h prior to exercise testing.Peak oxygen uptake (VOThe exercise protocol was conducted on a cycle ergometer to ensure that potential training-induced adaptations in exercise capacity and muscular efficiency were induced by physiological adaptations to the applied training intervention rather than familiarization with the rowing ergometer and/or improved rowing technique.