Physiological, psychological and biomechanical parameters applied in canoe slalom training: a review

Abstract

Canoe slalom is an Olympic sport held in natural and artificial rivers, with peculiar characteristics as compared to other sports. This sport is divided into the subdisciplines of kayak single (K1), canoe single (C1) and canoe double (C2), which also have specific characteristics. As with many other Olympic sports still on the rise, which lack expressive media recognition, few scientific studies have investigated canoe slalom. This information gap minimises possible similarities between theory and practice and advances in the preparation of teams (i.e., coaches, physical trainers and athletes). It is well established that for athletic development, several areas of knowledge must be integrated and applied to the specific nature of the sport, optimising sports training and athletic performance. Accordingly, this review aims to bring together studies on the physiological, psychological and biomechanical parameters, sports strategies and periodisation training applied to canoe slalom, explaining the need for increased knowledge in each of these areas of the practice of this sport.