Award-winning study provides scientific basis for canoeing

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Agência FAPESP* –By José Tadeu Arantes
Agência FAPESP – When Rio de Janeiro hosts the 2016 Olympic Games, Brazilians may be in a for a surprise with the performance of the official Brazilian Canoe Slalom Team. 
The performance will not depend on chance but will instead be based on solid scientific knowledge. This is because some of the members of the team are currently participating in a study conducted by Leonardo Henrique Dalcheco Messias, under the direction of Professor Fúlvia de Barros Manchado Gobatto.
A FAPESP fellow, Messias won first place in the oral session of the 4th Congress of Scientific Initiation (CIC), sponsored by the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) and the Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp).
The event, held at the Physical Education School at Unicamp this past September, highlighted the knowledge produced by graduate and post-graduate students from three São Paulo state universities that stand out on the international scene due to the quality of their programs in physical education and various fields of sports.
On the occasion, Messias presented the study “Analysis of different mathematical models and combinations of maximum efforts, using the model of critical speed in canoe slalom,” which is the result of preliminary data obtained in his scientific initiation project.
The project spanned from January to December 2011, a period during which Messias and Gobatto developed research activities at the Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba (Unimep).
Among the main objectives of the study, one of the highlights is the application of a model to assess the aerobic conditions of high-performance athletes in canoe slalom, studying the effect of sports training on these parameters, as well as their relationship with the physiological responses observed in simulated tests.
The tests attempted to mimic real competitions, employing the same motions and equipment utilized in the sport and conducting evaluations at locations where the teams habitually train, i.e., on lakes or rivers.
“These aspects are fundamental if one considers the possibility of translating scientific results into precise technical training parameters, allowing coaches to prepare training plans that are tailored to the individual characteristics of the athletes,” comments Messias to the Agência FAPESP.
“Tests that use a treadmill and/or ergonomic bicycle cannot truly represent the physical conditions faced during different sports events. In this sense, tests that respect the specificity of the modality must be adopted,” explains Gobatto.
According to the study, due to the characteristics of canoe slalom, the athletes need both anaerobic conditioning to withstand the high intensity of exercise when rowing against the current of rivers, and aerobic conditioning to achieve a “critical velocity” for recovery after their efforts in heats or  training sessions.
“We investigated the applicability of the tests and the effects over eight weeks of training with the intensity and volume monitored, using aerobic and anaerobic parameters estimated by the model of evaluation adopted,” said Gobatto.
Currently, Gobatto is one of the professors in the Sport Sciences Program at Unicamp’s Applied Science School in Limeira, working in the Applied Physiology Laboratory for Sports (Lafae).
Messias was recently selected for the post-graduate program in Nutrition, Sports and Metabolism Sciences within this same department in Unicamp.
After the initial project, FAPESP approved another research grant presented by Gobatto to evaluate the aerobic and anaerobic conditions through free and bound tests in canoe slalom. Gobatto received a regular research grant for the project.
“Because of the positive results found in the initial study, we established a partnership with the Brazilian Canoeing Conference. From now, we will conduct our research with athletes from the official team,” said Messias.
The Applied Physiology Lab for Sports (Lafae), set up with FAPESP funding, is one of the best-equipped laboratories outside the capital.

<p><b>By José Tadeu Arantes</b></p>
<p><b>Agência FAPESP</b> – When Rio de Janeiro hosts the 2016 Olympic Games, Brazilians may be in a for a surprise with the performance of the official Brazilian Canoe Slalom Team. </p>
<p>The performance will not depend on chance but will instead be based on solid scientific knowledge. This is because some of the members of the team are currently participating in a study conducted by Leonardo Henrique Dalcheco Messias, under the direction of Professor Fúlvia de Barros Manchado Gobatto.</p>
<p>A FAPESP fellow, Messias won first place in the oral session of the 4th Congress of Scientific Initiation (CIC), sponsored by the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp) and the Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp).</p>
<p>The event, held at the Physical Education School at Unicamp this past September, highlighted the knowledge produced by graduate and post-graduate students from three São Paulo state universities that stand out on the international scene due to the quality of their programs in physical education and various fields of sports.</p>
<p>On the occasion, Messias presented the study “Analysis of different mathematical models and combinations of maximum efforts, using the model of critical speed in canoe slalom,” which is the result of preliminary data obtained in his <b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bv.fapesp.br/en/bolsas/115580/critical-power-model-applied-slalom/">scientific initiation</a></b> project.</p>
<p>The project spanned from January to December 2011, a period during which Messias and Gobatto developed research activities at the Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba (Unimep).</p>
<p>Among the main objectives of the study, one of the highlights is the application of a model to assess the aerobic conditions of high-performance athletes in canoe slalom, studying the effect of sports training on these parameters, as well as their relationship with the physiological responses observed in simulated tests.</p>
<p>The tests attempted to mimic real competitions, employing the same motions and equipment utilized in the sport and conducting evaluations at locations where the teams habitually train, i.e., on lakes or rivers.</p>
<p>“These aspects are fundamental if one considers the possibility of translating scientific results into precise technical training parameters, allowing coaches to prepare training plans that are tailored to the individual characteristics of the athletes,” comments Messias to the <b>Agência FAPESP.</b></p>
<p>“Tests that use a treadmill and/or ergonomic bicycle cannot truly represent the physical conditions faced during different sports events. In this sense, tests that respect the specificity of the modality must be adopted,” explains Gobatto.</p>
<p>According to the study, due to the characteristics of canoe slalom, the athletes need both anaerobic conditioning to withstand the high intensity of exercise when rowing against the current of rivers, and aerobic conditioning to achieve a “critical velocity” for recovery after their efforts in heats or  training sessions.</p>
<p>“We investigated the applicability of the tests and the effects over eight weeks of training with the intensity and volume monitored, using aerobic and anaerobic parameters estimated by the model of evaluation adopted,” said Gobatto.</p>
<p>Currently, Gobatto is one of the professors in the Sport Sciences Program at Unicamp’s Applied Science School in Limeira, working in the Applied Physiology Laboratory for Sports (Lafae).</p>
<p>Messias was recently selected for the post-graduate program in Nutrition, Sports and Metabolism Sciences within this same department in Unicamp.</p>
<p>After the initial project, FAPESP approved <b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bv.fapesp.br/en/projetos-regulares/55150/standardization-free-tethered-specific-tests/">another research grant</a></b> presented by Gobatto to evaluate the aerobic and anaerobic conditions through free and bound tests in canoe slalom. Gobatto received a regular research grant for the project.</p>
<p>“Because of the positive results found in the initial study, we established a partnership with the Brazilian Canoeing Conference. From now, we will conduct our research with athletes from the official team,” said Messias.</p>
<p>The Applied Physiology Lab for Sports (Lafae), set up with FAPESP funding, is one of the best-equipped laboratories outside the capital.<br />
 </p>