Tracking Physiological Demands and Body Composition Changes in Elite Male Kayakers

Background: Elite kayaking demands peak conditioning—tracking these athletes reveals the science behind world-class performance. We tracked physiological demands and body composition changes of Elite male kayakers during the preparatory and transition periods of a kayaking competitive season. Methods: We applied laboratory (body composition assessment and a 4-min all-out test in a kayak ergometer) on-field tests (4×1500-m incremental intermittent protocol with 30-s rest intervals in a kayaking/rowing track) to follow 8 Elite male kayakers (23.1 ± 5.6 y; 80 ± 8.8 kg; 177.0 ± 6.8 cm) at the beginning of the kayaking season (preparatory period — M1; first week of October), 22 weeks later, at beginning of transition period (M2; last week of February), and 5 weeks later, at end of transition period, i.e., beginning of competitive period of the season (M3; first week of April). The M3 corresponded to the participation in international competitions. Results: Distance at VO2peak on the kayak ergometer improved by 36.7 meters from M1 to M3, pace at V4 reduced (improved) by 25.2 s·km-1 from M1 to M2, and 25.6 s·km-1 by M3. Body weight decreased by 2.3 kg from M1 to M2, and fat mass percentage and kilograms decreased by 1.8% and 3.1% respectively. Fat-free mass increased by 1.9% and 3.1% respectively. Skinfold measurements showed a decrease in subscapular, suprailiac, abdominal, and geminal skinfold. Cardiorespiratory fitness improved by 0.7 L·min-1 from M1 to M2, and by 1.1 L·min-1 by M3, and from M2 to M3 was ~ 0.5 L·min-1. Relative VO2peak improved from M1 to M2, and from M2 to M3, with an increase of 6.4 ml·kg-1·min-1. Conclusions: Elite male kayakers improved their physiological performance and body composition during the preparatory and transition phases of the competitive season. Notable gains in performance were mainly due to increased peak oxygen uptake, enhanced cardiorespiratory fitness, and positive body composition changes. These findings provide insights for optimizing training strategies and boosting competitive performance.