Comparison of physiological responses to open water kayaking and kayak ergometry

This study compared the physiological responses of simulated kayaking on a K1 ERGO kayak ergometer with open water paddling. Nine well-trained male kayakers (V̇O₂peak 4.27 ± 0.58 L/min^-1, age 24 ± 4 yr, mass 77.3 ± 6.4 kg, height 179.5 ± 5.3 cm; [mean ± SD]) performed two 4 min exercise bouts on open water (OW) and on an air braked kayak ergometer (Erg). During exercise, expired air and heart rate (HR) were continuously measured. The distance covered during OW (992 ± 47.1 m) was highly correlated (r²=0.86) with the total work performed in Erg (47.64 ± 7.67 kj). There were no differences between trials for oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production or estimated carbohydrate oxidation. However, during OW, minute ventilation was significantly higher at 60 and 90 s (104.2 ± 16.4 vs. 92.6 ± 20.4 L/min^-1 and 120.5 ± 15.8 vs. 111.7 ± 17.6 L/min^-1 for 60 and 90 s, respectively, p < 0.05), and HR was higher in OW during the first minute (120 ± 20 vs. 104 ± 19 beats/min^-1, 164 ± 8 vs. 147 ± 18 beats/min^-1 and 178 ± 6 vs. 170 ± 7 beats/min^-1 for 0, 30, 60 s, respectively, p < 0.05). There were no differences in peak V̇O₂ between OW and Erg (4.10 ± 0.49 vs. 4.09 ± 0.53 L/min^-1, respectively) nor in post-exercise blood (lactate) (6.43 ± 1.47 vs. 6.59 ± 0.99 mmol/L^-1, respectively). We conclude that the K1 ERGO accurately simulates the physiological demands of short-term, high-intensity kayaking.