Abstract
(1) Background: This study aimed to compare key variables of paddle stroke measured by a commercial Trainesense SmartPaddle® against the strain-gauge shaft and investigate how these variables are associated with the velocity of the boat among national-level canoe polo players. (2) Methods: This study involved 14 Finnish national-level canoe polo players. The measurement protocol consisted of three different paddling velocities, which were performed in indoor swimming pools. The velocity of the boat was calculated based on the performance time measured with the laser photocell gate. Canoe polo equipment was used in the study and a SmartPaddle sensor was attached to the paddle blade. A strain-gauge paddle shaft was used as a reference method to examine the validity of SmartPaddle. (3) Results: The stroke rate, force production time, mean and maximal force measured with the strain-gauge paddle shaft correlated strongly (r = 0.84–0.95, p < 0.01) with SmartPaddle. However, the SmartPaddle overestimated the maximum force compared to the strain-gauge shaft. Stroke rate (r = 0.86, p < 0.01), mean force (r = 0.79, p < 0.01), maximal force (r = 0.78, p < 0.01) and total absolute impulse (r = 0.70, p < 0.01) correlated positively and force production time negatively (r = −0.76, p < 0.01) with the velocity of the boat. (4) Conclusions: We conclude that the SmartPaddle provides promising information on stroke key variables when compared to the strain-gauge paddle shaft. The SmartPaddle is a new and interesting tool for biomechanical research and daily kayaking coaching in real open water conditions. However, more research and algorithm development are needed before the SmartPaddle can be used in everyday coaching sessions in kayaking.
Highlights
To create a forward acceleration for the boat, the paddler must win the resistance forces of water and air [1,2,3,4]
The present study suggests that the Trainesense SmartPaddle® offers promising opportunities to measure paddle stroke key variables acknowledging that the calculation algorithms and device mounting need to be further developed more suitable for kayaking in the future
It was more likely that the SmartPaddle overestimated the highest values such as maximum force and absolute impulse due to issues related to their hardware and algorithms
Summary
To create a forward acceleration for the boat, the paddler must win the resistance forces of water and air [1,2,3,4]. The direction of the paddle stroke is parallel to the kayak’s centerline, but on a wing paddle, the trajectory is slightly different because the blade’s wing shape produces buoyancy compared to a traditional paddle [11,12,15]. When the paddler is using the wing paddle, the trajectory should be on a slightly more curved line, moving beyond the centerline of the boat [15]. This has been found to prolong the optimal duration of the propulsion generation position [11]. The stroke trajectory is one of the key factors related to paddling performance and varies between different types of paddling such as canoe polo and sprint kayaking. The canoe polo is paddled with a traditional paddle (flat-blade) and should follow the same principles as other kayak sports using a traditional paddle, the actual research evidence on canoe polo is still limited
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