Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak fueling

-----Original Message-----
From: BaysideBob <vaughan_at_jps.net>


>I also have used a heart rate monitor kayaking
>and rowing and running and bicycling.
>
>The problem with kayaking is the amount of
>muscle mass involved.  Not nearly as much as
>running or cycling and those are the activities
>that are used as benchmarks for what is
>"aerobic".   One will NEVER be able to maintain
>the same heart rate for the same length of time
>as activities using the legs.  Just not enough
>mass involved with the arms-shoulders.  They're
>smaller, use less oxygen, have a smaller blood
>supply and the lactic acid builds up and they
>go anaerobic at the same heart-rate where the
>legs could go all day.


Let me guess, you use a rudder.  I'm using my legs, back and torso a lot
when I'm paddling hard (sort of stair stepping on the footpedals) and if
racing I find myself breathing real hard, overheating and sweating so bad it
drools down into and hurts my eyes (unless I'm wearing a headband). I could
sprint all out for a minute or two and be completely exhausted. I don't have
a heart rate monitor but it sure feels like I am working as hard as when I
am running.
>
>The other problem is using speed as a measurement.
>Hull speed is the square root of the length at waterline
>times 1.4 for knots.  A couple feet of boat length makes
>a difference for athletes in a race, not so much for
>the rest of us.  Hull speed is a wall, period.  Some
>folks claim to exceed it, but only for periods of seconds.
>Runners don't have that problem.


I don't understand your point. While it may not accomplish much in the way
of extra speed pushing hard against hull speed is much like running up a
steep hill, it can burn up a lot of energy in a short time if you want to.
You just don't get much back in terms of extra speed for all your extra
effort. With the right graph you could measure effort by your speed.
Crudely, effort doubles for each knot of speed increase although there is
some variations due to hull designs.

>Kayaking is exercise.  It is aerobic.

Not always

>It is low-impact.
>It's often spiritual.  It is not running or stair-climbing.

No it is not, but I think you can work just as hard at it if you want too
(if that's what turns you on).

>Using typical fitness magazine methods of measuring
>it are frustrating to useless.

Why, what are the problems? It is my understanding (but I'm no expert here)
that you can measure calories burned by oxygen uptake and for any
individual, heart rate variations will provide an indicator of relative
oxygen use.
Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com



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