A BIOMECHANICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF OLYMPIC FLATWATER CANOEING

Abstract

Simulation of sporting activities for the purpose of assessing physiological parameters and for conditioning athletes has been an important development within the sports world. The purpose of this study was to compare Olympic flatwater canoeing technique to that of an ergometer developed by Pyke et al. at Dalhousie University. The comparison, using three national team members, was both physiological and biomechanical in order to determine; 1) if accurate physiological measurements focusing on the upper body during racing conditions could be matched while using the laboratory ergometer; 2) if the ergometer movement patterns closely approximated the actual on-water racing stroke. The results indicated that the techniques were similar physiologically and different biomechanically. VE and VO2 max, for the 500 m. race and for a simulated 500 m. trial were close and consistent across all S's. Results for the 1000 m. were acceptable, but not as accurate as the 500 m. The use of the Pyke ergometer was judged on the whole to be a valid physiological testing procedure. The major difficulty with the ergometer was that it forced all S's to alter their racing strokes in order to successfully maintain movement of the mechanism. Changes in movement and velocity patterns of the trunk, arms and hands of all S's were considerable and led to the conclusion that this ergometer, in its original design, not be used as a training device.