Effect of posture on simulated board paddling performances

[Extract] In surf lifesaving, board competitors paddle 5 m fibreglass Malibu surfboards out to and around buoys before returning to shore (~550 m). Previously, kinematic analysis of board paddling identified the kneeling posture as advantageous due to stroke consistency and higher velocities in both flat and choppy conditions while also being a more powerful posture for maximising paddling performance compared to the prone paddling posture. The metabolic demand on surf lifesavers and professional lifeguards has previously been identified via simulated aquatic assessment tasks designed to mimic the demands of surfboard paddling. Currently many surf coaches utilise a 1000 m board paddling time trial on a river or dam as a representation of aerobic fitness. To our knowledge, no research has compared the physiological demands of posture on board-paddling performances. Assessment of VO2peak in upper-body specifically trained athletes is enhanced when assessed via upper-body ergometry. Therefore the present study investigated the physiological demand of the prone and kneeling posture on a 1000 m board paddling performance