Abstract
This 2024 study analyzed 21 world-class flatwater canoeists from the Spanish and Portuguese national teams to identify physical markers that distinguish sex and performance levels. While male and female canoeists share similar muscle contractile properties and flexibility, males exhibit significantly higher absolute strength and canoe-specific power. International medalists were distinguished by their explosiveness and sustained power output during sport-specific movements.
Training for elite canoeists should focus on the rate of force development and sport-specific power. Functional Electromechanical Dynamometry (FEMD) is recommended for creating accurate performance profiles for high-level athletes.