Abstract
This study aimed to compare the aerobic power (treadmill running) and muscle power (bench press and bench pull) of Junior/U23 paddlers from Slovakia who won medals in international championships with that of those who did not take the podium. Forty-three Slovak Junior/U23 paddlers (sprint = 24, medalists = 8, non-medalists = 16; slalom = 19, medalists = 11, non-medalists = 8) were tested in 2018 and 2019 after the world championships. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and the velocity at maximal oxygen uptake (vVO2max) were determined by the incremental running protocol (0% slope and 1 km⋅h–1 increments every minute until volitional exhaustion). Mean maximal power from the entire concentric phase was recorded during bench press and bench pull exercises by the validated TENDO weightlifting analyzer. No interaction was obtained between medal and canoe discipline for VO2max (p = 0.069, F = 3.495), vVO2max (p = 0.552, F = 0.361) and absolute (bench press: p = 0.486, F = 0.495; bench pull: p = 0.429, F = 0.640) or relative (bench press: p = 0.767, F = 0.089; bench pull: p = 0.696, F = 0.155) mean maximal power. Conversely, a significant effect for the medal on the bench press (absolute p = 0.017, F = 6.170; relative p = 0.043, F = 4.384) and the bench pull (absolute p = 0.041, F = 4.470) mean maximal power were observed. Our study indicates the absolute mean power on the bench press as a prerequisite for success in international Junior/U23 championships of slalom and sprint canoeing. However, the mean power on bench pull seems to have a deeper influence on sprint paddlers when compared to slalom athletes. Regarding the aerobic power, the data from the treadmill testing did not reveal outcomes between medalists and non-medalists. This result can be associated with the lack of specificity of the incremental treadmill testing for canoeing, and future studies are encouraged to propose specific protocols to compare the aerobic power of medalists and non-medalists in international slalom and sprint championships.
Highlights
Canoe sprint and canoe slalom are sports that have been included in the summer Olympic Games since Berlin (1936) and Barcelona (1992), respectively (International Canoe Federation, 2020)
ANOVA showed that the mean power on the bench press of medalists was higher than non-medalists (Figures 2A,B)
Significant effects for medal and discipline were pointed for the absolute mean power on bench pull (Figure 2C)
Summary
Canoe sprint and canoe slalom are sports that have been included in the summer Olympic Games since Berlin (1936) and Barcelona (1992), respectively (International Canoe Federation, 2020). Strength and conditioning coaches must plan strategies to improve aerobic fitness and muscle strength/power of paddlers (García-Pallarés and Izquierdo, 2011; Rawlley-Singh and King, 2020) Such development, should consider Junior and U23 athletes. In this sense, Bielik et al (2018) demonstrates that the aerobic and muscle power of Slovak Junior/U23 paddlers who took the podium in international canoe sprint championships from 1995 to 2016 were ∼10% higher than the non-medalists. It remains to be demonstrated if a similar outcome occurs for slalom athletes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
