Abstract

The activities completed by kayakers during the competition mezocycles are extremely important as they directly affect their competition results, therefore it is necessary to inspect the variables that influence the athletes’ progress. Objectives of the research: to investigate the preparation of professional kayak rowers during the competition mezocycles for the 2013 and 2014 world rowing championships; to complete a comparative analysis and distinguish the factors influencing the athletes’ preparation level. The objects of the research – Lithuanian kayak rowers, preparing in the 1000 m distance for the world championships of 2013 and 2014, the process of training during competition mezocycles. The research was conducted during the first two years of the 4 year Olympic cycle. During this time the athletes participated in the 2013 and 2014 ICF World championships, in which they took 10th place in the former and 6th in the latter. The workload of the competition mezocycles was analysed and divided into 5 categories, characterising the severity of the training. The time, distance covered and the heart rate of the athletes during the exercises were measured using the computer system „Garmin Connect Forerunner 910XT“. To measure the intensity of the exercise, capillary blood samples were taken and the lactic acid (La) concentration in them was measured. The percentage of time spent in the working zones was also measured. The contents of kayak specific physical workload microcycles during the competition mezocycles were also analysed. The fluctuation of the athletes’ heart rate (bpm) was analysed. This was done by taking orthostatic samples at resting, right after a standard exercise load and during the rest period after the exercise. The blood pressure, levels of haemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht) were measured three weeks before competition, three days before the competition and three days after the competition. Using the gas analyser „Oxycon Mobile 781023-052- 5.2“ the athletes aerobic work capacity at the critical intensity limit was analysed. The research revealed that when preparing professional kayak rowers for the 1000 m distance it is beneficial to reduce the load of general physical load and to increase the amount of intense work at the breaking point between the aerobic and anaerobic glycolytic zone, where the amount of lactic acid in the athlete’s bloodstream is between 5.1 and 8 mmol/l to 10 % of all on – water exercise. The workload when the level of lactic acid is more than 8 mmol/l should also be raised to 0.8 % of the total exercise load. VO2max is not the principal indicator for 1000 m kayak paddlers, however it informs well about the aerobic capacity of the athlete, it also shows the level of muscle ability to produce mechanical energy using O2. Nevertheless, it is extremely important to analyse the force of the muscle power, which is affected by glycolytic reactions. As the reactions intensify, the level of VO2 max decreases. The research proved that the readings of heart rate measurements at rest, in orthostasis, during physical exercise and during rest are not a trustworthy measurement as the physical changes during the competition make substantial corrections and may mislead the researcher when examining the state of the athlete’s cardiovascular system. It was also found that during the competition mezocycle and especially during the pre-competition microcycle it is extremely important to regularly measure the athlete’s hematocrit levels, as research shows that it fluctuates unpredictably and often exceeds the maximum recommended levels, thus obstructing the blood flow in the smaller capillaries. Verf.-Referat