The Science of Canoeing By Richard Cox

Since the demands of lactic training are both physiologically and psychologically exhausting they should not
take place too often. Once a week in the specific preparatory training period (see p. 164) and 2 to 3 times per
week leading up to (but not too close to) major competitions is usually sufficient
Axiomatic training is used by many swimmers to develop the lactic system. This entails maximum efforts of up
to 1 minute holding ones breath. This may be of some benefit to canoeists although I have still to hear of it being
successfully used as a training technique in this country.
To increase the speed of the recovery process following lactic acid build up and to improve the efficiency of the
aerobic system, it is necessary to develop the cardiovascular respiratory system. That is, increase the supply of
raw materials for energy metabolism (oxygen, glycogen, fat etc.) to the muscle cells and eliminate of waste
products. Before describing how this can be achieved it is necessary to understand the way the cardiovascular
respiratory system works.
The oxygen required for metabolism is contained in the air we breathe. When we inhale, air passes through the
nose and mouth and then travels down the wind pipe which divides into two branches, each leading into two
halves of the lungs. Each branch further divides into smaller and smaller branches eventually leading into tiny
thin walled air sacs called alveoli. Each of these sacs is surrounded by a basketwork of very fine blood vessels
known as capillaries. It is in the alveoli that oxygen diffuses through the thin walls into the bloodstream. As
oxygen passes into the blood, carbon-dioxide diffuses out of the bloodstream and into the lungs for expiration.
At rest we breathe about twelve times per minute, but when exercising breathing rates increase to help take in
more oxygen.