Peak Paddle Performance Podcast

In today’s podcast we sit down with Dr Brendan O’Neill the Chief Operating Officer of Vaaka Cadence based out of New Zealand.    Brendan grew up in competitive kayaking starting at the age of 15.  He competed at very high levels in the UK during his peak years and then transitioned into coaching.   As a paddler, coach, and Doctor of Sports Medicine, Brendan found his true passion exploring the realm of physiology and related metrics to drive optimal performance.   This is a great discussion centered around the benefits of training with real time cadence and distance per stroke feedback.   And specifically how to both drive continuous improvement in your paddling as well as find the sweet spot where you operate most efficiently.  Some of the key topics we cover include:   The very beginnings of the Vaaka Cadence sensor and how it was used in the lead up to a very successful 2012 Olympics for the NZ teamWhy cadence can often be a better metric to focus on than heart rate or speedWhy power is a challenging m