The Relationship between Stroke Metrics, Work Rate and Performance in Slalom Kayakers

Paul William Macdermid,Telmo Olazabal

doi:10.3390/biomechanics2010005

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between work rate, stroke metrics, and performance in whitewater slalom. Twelve Spanish, nationally competitive whitewater slalom kayakers took part in a simulated competition while using an instrumented kayak paddle to record stroke metrics over a simulated race, total duration and sectional splits. Performance time was highly correlated to overall power output (r2 = 0.511, p < 0.001), where kayakers demonstrated a positive pacing strategy with power output significantly decreasing over successive sectional splits (158 ± 40, 112 ± 32 and 65 ± 33 W, p < 0.001). This resulted in an increased stroke duration (p < 0.001), time to peak force (p < 0.001), a decrease in stroke peak force (p < 0.001), and rate of peak force development (p < 0.001) over elapsed time. As such, work rate is deemed an objective metric to monitor performance, prescribe training, and ascertain optimal pacing strategies in canoe slalom.

Highlights

Further analysis of stroke metrics over each sectional split presented an overall significant effect for stroke length (F(2, 148) = 11.55, p < 0.001, Figure 8A), with significant post hoc increases in stroke duration between splits 1–3 (p < 0.001, effect size = 3.568, 95% CI of difference −0.111–0.034 s) and 2–3 (p < 0.001, effect size = 0.183, 95% CI of difference −0.102–−0.022 s), but not splits 1–2 (p = 0.809, effect size = 0.162, 95% CI of difference −0.050–0.029 s)
The hypothesis that participants would adopt an even paced. This investigation set out to assess the relationship between work rate, stroke metrics, strategy was rejected as all participants used a positive pacing strategy where power output and performance in a simulated whitewater slalom competition
This led to an increase in stroke hypothesis, the main findings performance is highly work rate but duration, decreases in stroke peakshow force,that increased time to stroke peakcorrelated force, and ato decrease not strokerate metrics

Summary

Introduction

Competition duration ranges from 75–95 s, where physiological demands in flatwater and whitewater slalom reflect a 32–50% anaerobic and 50–68% aerobic contribution to work [2,3]. Such holistic analysis provides no detail regarding the objective physical requirements of the sport in relation to work rate, pacing strategy and stroke metrics. Such information could be important for developmental monitoring, and training prescription.

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion