Abstract

The purpose of the study was to verify the mechanical energy output, energy cost, circolatory and respiratory parameters in kayak paddlers tested both at a specific ergometer for kayaking and at a cycling ergometer. 11 top level paddlers (Italian national respresentative including a world champion) were evaluated both on specific kayaking ergometer and on cycling ergometer at the same r.p.m. and with the identical work-load for both ergometers increased every two minutes. Oxygen uptake, ventilation CO2 exhalation, pneumotachogram, R, heart frequency, oxygen pulse, respiratory equivalent were calculated at rest, for each intensity of work-loads and during the recovery. By sagittal and lateral planes, the motion of paddlers on a kayak and on an ergometer simulation kayak mouvement was analyzed cinematographically to obtain a comparison between the exercise in kayak and in laboratory. In paddling and cycling the energy cost of the work was quite similar in rapport with the submaximal work load, although the heart frequency, ventilation, pneumotachogram differ significantly in paddling and cycling. The oxygen input during specific paddling mouvement is, in so trained and skilled athletes, high also in upper-limbs work. The mouvement of paddlers on the specific ergometer tested, is quite similar to the specific mouvement executed on kayak and requires thesame muscular activity. We consider necessary to apply specific ergometer on evaluating kayak paddlers taking in account the different physiological responses observed in cycling and in paddling. It is once more demonstrated that the oxygen input is correlated with the muscular masses involved in the specific mouvement on which the athletes are trained, and not with normally accepted physiological index as, for example, the heart frequency. Verf.-Referat