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This episode takes the form of an article club— it's been a long time since I we one of these…and since the Australian article club and Scandinavian article club have been crushing it. I figured I would get a group of colleagues together and get back to it. So, instead of one guest walking us through their own study, I've got a group of PETE colleagues around the (virtual) table, and we're all going to dig into someone else's paper together.The paper is called “AI-hype! A Critical Approach to Artificial Intelligence in Physical Education,” by Øyvind Førland Standal at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, just out in Sport, Education and Society.My guest is Dr. Chad Killian- everyone else was too busy to hang out with us!
Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan explains how muscle quality changes in perimenopause and how HIIT, heavy lifting and protein timing help women over 40 train smarter. In perimenopause, muscle can shift from a lean "filet" toward a "rib eye," with more fat and connective tissue inside it, and a DEXA or InBody can't detect it. Dr. Abbie Smith-Ryan explains why heavier, higher power training recruits the type 2 fibers that fade with age, how 1 minute on, 1 minute off HIIT appears to reduce visceral fat in as little as three weeks, why fat burning is not fat loss, and when about 20g of protein before training helps. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why muscle quality, not just muscle size, may change first in perimenopause How 1 minute on, 1 minute off HIIT targets visceral fat in midlife women Why fat burning during zone 2 is not the same as fat loss When training fasted costs you results, and when it does not TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro: Muscle Quality in Perimenopause and Why a DEXA Can't Measure It 06:31 - How to Train for Muscle Quality After 40: Heavy Load, Power and Type 2 Fibers 10:13 - HIIT and Visceral Fat in Midlife Women: The 1 Minute On, 1 Minute Off Protocol 16:01 - The 30 Minute Heavy Lifting Protocol, the Norwegian 4x4 and Where Zone 2 Fits 25:38 - Fasted vs Fed Training for Women 40+: Protein Before or After Exercise 37:58 - Losing Leg and Glute Definition, HRT and Why Your Symptoms Are Valid 44:28 - Fiber, Omega-3s and Creatine Dosing for Muscle and Brain in Perimenopause 54:05 - Perimenopause Is a Metabolic Transition: Final Advice VALUABLE RESOURCES Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight/obese women, Journal of Sports Sciences (Smith-Ryan et al. (2016)) https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1149609 The acute effect of exercise modality and nutrition manipulations on post-exercise resting energy expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio in women, Sports Medicine (Wingfield et al. (2015)) https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-015-0010-3 The effects of nutrient timing on training adaptations in resistance-trained females, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (Pihoker et al. (2018)) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2018.09.236 Metabolic effects of high-intensity interval training and essential amino acids, European Journal of Applied Physiology (Hirsch et al. (2021)) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04792-4 Follow Dr Abbie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asmithryan/ Explore Dr Abbie's work: https://asmithryan.com/ Thanks to my sponsor, Eight Sleep Sleep cooler, recover faster. The Eight Sleep Pod pre-cools your bed and adjusts all night for deeper sleep - dual-zone, so you and your partner each get your own temp.
How much does the surface beneath an athlete's feet really affect performance and injury risk? This week, Richard Graves is joined by Professor John Sorochan from the University of Tennessee and Alan Thomson, USA Sales Director at SIS Pitches, to explore the science behind the playing surfaces used at the highest levels of sport. From natural grass and artificial turf to the growing use of hybrid pitches, John and Alan explain what actually happens when an athlete interacts with a playing surface – and why the relationship between the player, their footwear and the surface itself matters. John takes us inside the testing process, explaining how researchers measure factors such as surface hardness, traction, stability and consistency, and how those measurements help inform decisions around player performance and safety. The conversation also explores the rapid development of hybrid surfaces. Alan explains how introducing a small percentage of synthetic fibre into natural grass can reinforce the pitch, reduce surface damage and help maintain more consistent playing conditions across demanding schedules. The pair also discuss one of the biggest challenges in modern sport: creating elite-level natural playing surfaces inside stadiums that are increasingly expected to host football, American football, concerts and other major events throughout the year. Drawing on their work around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they reveal how surfaces were developed to perform consistently across hugely different environments – from the heat and humidity of Miami to altitude in Mexico and cooler conditions in Canada. They also look at the debate around artificial turf in the NFL, what research can tell us about hybrid alternatives, and where playing-surface technology could go next. In this episode you will learn Why player safety depends on the interaction between the athlete, footwear and playing surface What researchers actually measure when testing elite sports pitches How surface hardness, traction and stability can influence player movement The difference between natural grass, artificial turf and hybrid playing surfaces Why hybrid pitches are still predominantly natural grass despite their synthetic reinforcement How hybrid systems can create greater stability and consistency as a pitch begins to wear How playing surfaces were developed for very different climates during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Why achieving consistent ball and player interaction across different stadiums is so important How multi-use stadiums are changing the demands placed on grounds teams and playing surfaces Why shallow hybrid stitching has opened up new possibilities for temporary and replaceable surfaces What elite sport can learn from the ongoing debate around artificial turf and player safety How research, technology and experienced pitch managers work together to produce elite surfaces About Professor John Sorochan and Alan Thomson Professor John Sorochan is Distinguished Professor of Turfgrass Science and Management at the University of Tennessee and one of the leading researchers in sports turf and athletic-field safety. His career in turfgrass science stretches back more than 30 years, including working as a student on the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Today, his research examines the relationship between playing surfaces, player biomechanics, turf performance and safety. John has worked with organisations across elite sport including the NFL, Major League Baseball and professional football, and has played a leading role in research designed to deliver safe and consistent pitches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Alan Thomson is USA Sales Director at SIS Pitches and has spent his career working with elite sports surfaces. After beginning his career in golf-course management in Scotland, Alan moved into the construction, renovation and maintenance of football pitches before joining SIS Pitches. He now works across the United States helping venues implement hybrid playing-surface technology across sports including football, American football, baseball and lacrosse. His recent work has included major stadium projects across North America and the installation and development of hybrid surfaces used during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
In this episode Eric discusses a recent Korean youth baseball study that sampled youth baseball players ranging from ages 12-15. This study focused on the correlation between bat speed and a few different force production methods in these populations. Thank you to today's sponsor 1st Phorm. 1st Phorm is an awesome supplement company with a comprehensive product offering I enjoy using myself and with our athletes. Visit 1st Phorm and get free shipping on your order of $99 or more.
Episode 407 of the Football Fitness Federation Podcast is with Lead Academy Sport Scientist at Fulham FC Rob Le Guen We discussed: ▫️UK v USA approach to player Development ▫️Leading a Department ▫️Heart Rates in Football ▫️Responsibilites of a Head of Sport Science & much more! You can connect with Rob on LinkedIn Keep up to date with the amazing work our sponsors are doing here: STATSports - www.statsports.com/teams Good Prep - thegoodprep.com Discover the power of nutrition at WWW.THEGOODPREP.COM and use code FFF15 for 15% off your first order Hytro - hytro.com Maximise your athletic potential with Hytro BFR. Easier, safer and more practical BFR for squads to prepare for and recover from exercise than ever before. Click the link [[ bit.ly/3ILVsbU ]] Join our online community & get access to the very best Football Fitness content as well as the ability to connect with Sport Scientists and Strength & Conditioning coaches from around the world. To get FULL access to all of these & even more like this, sign up to a FREE month on our online community at the link below. www.footballfitfed.com/forum/index.aspx Keep up to date with everything that is going on at Football Fitness Federation at the following links: X - @FootballFitFed Instagram - @FootballFitFed Website - www.footballfitfed.com
Dr. Aaron Baggish is a Professor of Sport Science at the University of Lausanne and a Sports Cardiologist at the University of Lausanne and Lausanne University Hospital. He is also a Medical Committee Member and Physician for World Rowing, a Cardiology Consultant for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, National Teams Cardiologist for the U.S. Soccer Federation, and he is the Founder and former Director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at Massachusetts General Hospital. In our interview, he discussed the negative effects of using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs on cardiovascular health, his sports cardiology research, and his experiences advising athletes on their cardiovascular health.
Few people are better placed to chart the evolution of sports science in professional football than Simon Grayson. Across a career spanning five decades, Simon has experienced the game as both a player and manager, from an era of bacon sandwiches before training and beers on the team bus, through to the GPS data, individualised programmes and specialist performance departments that are now part of everyday professional football. This week, Richard Graves sits down with Simon to discuss how that transformation has changed the way players train, recover and prepare for matches, and how his own approach to management has evolved alongside it. Simon explains what he wants from sports science practitioners as a manager, why information has to be relevant rather than simply available, and why data should always be understood within the context of what actually happened on the pitch. They also explore one of the challenges facing modern performance teams: finding the right balance between objective data and a coach's experience. Simon discusses why high-speed running is one of the metrics he pays particular attention to, how physical data can influence team selection during congested schedules, and why he has never wanted his training sessions to be dictated entirely by the numbers. Drawing on his experiences in English football and coaching overseas, Simon also explains how climate, culture and the physical capabilities of players can force coaches to adapt their methods. And despite everything that has changed, he believes one part of coaching remains as important as ever: getting the best out of people. In this episode you will learn How sports science in professional football has changed since Simon began playing in the 1980s What a manager actually wants from sports science and performance staff Why more data doesn't necessarily mean better information Why Simon pays particular attention to high-speed running How physical data can influence selection during congested fixture schedules Why training load data needs to be interpreted within the context of the game How managers balance sports science recommendations with coaching experience What modern recovery looks like compared with previous generations How Simon adapted his training methods when coaching in different climates and cultures Why man-management and relationships remain fundamental regardless of advances in technology About Simon Grayson Simon Grayson has spent more than four decades in professional football as a player, coach and manager. After beginning his career at Leeds United, he went on to play for clubs including Leicester City, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Blackpool. His playing career included promotion to the Premier League with Leicester and victory in the 1997 League Cup. As a manager, Simon has led clubs including Blackpool, Leeds United, Huddersfield Town, Preston North End, Sunderland and Bradford City, with promotion-winning campaigns at several clubs. His career has also taken him overseas, giving him experience of working with players and performance teams in different footballing cultures and environments. More recently, Simon has worked in international football and advisory roles, while also launching the Simon Grayson Football Academy in Leeds. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
SGS Essen midfielder Antonia Baaß sits down to discuss her path back to Germany and orchestrating the rebuild of SGS Essen in the Frauen Bundesliga 2.Creative midfield engine and technical dynamo Antonia Baaß joins the podcast to share insider insights on her highly anticipated return to SGS Essen, taking her game to the next level, SGS's Essen's promotion race to return back to the top-flight of German women's football and returning to a club she left that is now in a different division, becoming a part of the team's climb back to the pinnacle of women's soccer.She shares what it meant to enter the international environment at just 15 years old, playing alongside the rising prospects of European football in the 2016 UEFA Development Tournament, where she starred in victories over Scotland and France. Given the stages of those matches, she shared how she learned how to navigate that pressure and having gone through those experiences, the advice she would give to younger self.Antonia also talks about her evolution as a player, reflecting on her initial 50-appearance stint with Essen before completely unlocking her potential at FC Basel, where she racked up an incredible 8 goals and 17 assists across 67 matches. She takes us into the locker room to discuss the delicate balance of pursuing a demanding Sport Science degree alongside her professional schedule, shifting between international leagues, and how her classroom knowledge directly impacts her personal approach to training, tactical thinking, and recovery.Antonia shares why the SGS Essen rebuild project was the perfect step for her current career phase, the exact mindset required to serve as a designated squad centerpiece after returning to a familiar club, and the profound pieces of coaching advice that altered how she views the game.Lastly, she shares what excites her about sporting director Daniel Kraus's ambitious vision for the future, what she believes it will take for the squad to achieve its modern goals, her long and short term goals for her soccer vision board, and so much more!Thank you all for listening! Remember to follow us wherever you get your podcasts, on Instagram (@the_womens_soccer_podcast) and Bluesky (@thewomenssoccerpod.bsky.social). In addition, leave a 5-star review and tell all your friends about our show!
Are elite athletes training harder than the demands of their sport require? This week, Richard Graves is joined by performance coach Colin Byrne, who spent seven years working with Conor McGregor as part of his training and corner team. Colin believes many athletes, particularly in combat sports, still confuse doing more work with preparing effectively. He explains why conditioning should reflect the actual structure of competition, how fatigue affects technical execution and why the ability to recover between intense efforts can decide contests. The conversation explores Colin's work with McGregor following his first defeat to Nate Diaz. He describes how introducing greater structure, separating skill development from conditioning and helping McGregor understand his own intensity transformed the preparation for their rematch just 14 weeks later. Colin also introduces his “one-round principle”, challenges the value of routinely exceeding competition distances in training and explains what combat sports can learn from cycling's measurement-led approach to performance. In this episode you will learn Why many combat athletes train too much without training specifically enough How fatigue affects decision-making and technical execution What Colin changed after Conor McGregor's first fight with Nate Diaz Why skill training and conditioning may need to be separated How heart rate and power data can help athletes understand pacing Why recovery between high-intensity efforts matters so much How the “one-round principle” changes the structure of fight preparation Why training beyond the demands of competition is not always productive What coaches can learn from cycling's approach to measurement How amateur athletes can make better use of limited training time About Colin Byrne Colin Byrne is a performance coach, martial artist and founder of the Shinobi Academy in Portugal. A former professional cyclist and European silver medallist in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he holds black belts in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu and ninjutsu. Colin spent seven years travelling and working with Conor McGregor, helping to structure his conditioning following the first Nate Diaz fight and supporting him as a trainer and cornerman. His approach combines practical coaching experience, measurable performance data and a detailed understanding of the demands placed on combat athletes. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Episode 405 of the Football Fitness Federation Podcast is with the Head of Football Operations at Leeds United Academy Adam Kerr We discussed: ▫️Advice for Early/Mid/Late stage career coaches ▫️Current level of support for players ▫️Personal Standards ▫️How to improve the value of Sport Science & much more! You can connect with Adam on LinkedIn Keep up to date with the amazing work our sponsors are doing here: Good Prep - thegoodprep.com Discover the power of nutrition at WWW.THEGOODPREP.COM and use code FFF15 for 15% off your first order Hytro - hytro.com Maximise your athletic potential with Hytro BFR. Easier, safer and more practical BFR for squads to prepare for and recover from exercise than ever before. Click the link [[ bit.ly/3ILVsbU ]] Join our online community & get access to the very best Football Fitness content as well as the ability to connect with Sport Scientists and Strength & Conditioning coaches from around the world. To get FULL access to all of these & even more like this, sign up to a FREE month on our online community at the link below. https://www.footballfitfed.com/forum/index.aspx Keep up to date with everything that is going on at Football Fitness Federation at the following links: X - @FootballFitFed Instagram - @FootballFitFed Website - www.footballfitfed.com
Dr Dan Plews sits down with Dr Alan McCubbin - sports nutrition researcher and one of the most credible voices on sodium and hydration in endurance sport - to separate the science from the marketing. They cover what sodium actually does in the body, why fluid balance matters more than sodium dose alone, and where supplementation genuinely makes a difference.10 key takeaways for athletesSodium's primary job is signalling to your brain whether to drink more, retain fluid, or excrete water - not hydrating you directly.Changing your diet for three days shifts sweat sodium concentration by around 10 to 12 percent. Real but modest.True sodium deficiency from sweat losses is extremely unlikely in modern diets. Most problems come from fluid imbalance not sodium depletion.Your kidneys adapt fast. Athletes who lost 5,500mg of sodium over five hours cut their urinary sodium excretion by two thirds in the 24 hours after -- without supplementing.The 1,000mg morning sodium trend is a hydration retention play. It works when drinking large volumes on an empty stomach. Once food is involved the effect largely disappears.Pre-exercise hyperhydration is the clearest use case for sodium -- most relevant for hot, high intensity events where fluid access is limited during competition.Sodium during exercise doesn't directly improve performance. If it helps you drink enough fluid to stay hydrated, performance may improve as a result.Hyponatremia is a fluid problem not a sodium problem. Overdrinking is the risk. Sodium cannot rescue clear overhydration.Sweat sodium testing has limited value if your event is under four hours. General guidelines are enough for most athletes.Sodium matters but context matters more. Event duration, heat, and drinking behaviour should drive your hydration strategy -- not chasing a specific number every session.00:00 - Why Dan wanted Alan on to talk sodium03:34 - The old research on diet and sweat sodium09:10 - What sodium actually does in the body11:32 - How sodium drives thirst and kidney responses22:16 - Five hours of heat running and kidney adaptation26:32 - The rise of the 1,000 milligram morning sodium trend36:44 - Pre-loading fluid for hot, long events47:04 - During-exercise sodium and the real mechanism49:24 - What hyponatremia actually does in the body60:21 - Why recovery and post-exercise hydration is where sodium helps most64:25 - Whether sweat sodium testing is worth it for most athletes69:21 - Where Pillar's 400 milligram hydration product fitsConnect:Dr Alan McCubbin: https://www.instagram.com/fuelingendurance/Dr. Dan Plews: instagram.com/theplewsShop: pillarperformance.shopInstagram: instagram.com/pillarperformanceStrava: strava.com/clubs/1108245
Elite teams have access to more performance data than ever. The real competitive advantage, however, comes from knowing which questions to ask, how to interpret the answers and when to act. This week, Richard Graves is joined by Jamie Hepner, Director of Applied Sport Science – Football Performance at Catapult. Drawing on almost 12 years of working with leading NFL and college football programmes, Jamie explains how applied sports science has progressed from simply monitoring athletes to actively shaping training and practice. The conversation explores how performance teams can combine wearable data, video and practitioner judgement to manage player availability without leaving athletes underprepared. Jamie discusses why training load cannot be viewed in isolation, how deviations at individual and positional-group level require different responses, and why feeling tired after a demanding training block is not necessarily a negative outcome. Jamie also explains how technology such as Vector 8 is connecting physical performance data with the tactical context of practice. This allows practitioners to examine the demands of particular plays, automate player participation and prescribe the type and number of repetitions an athlete may need during the week. This is a practical discussion about moving beyond interesting information and using data to make decisions that improve preparation, availability and performance. In this episode you will learn What applied sports science looks like within NFL and college football Why the quality of the question determines the value of the data How player tracking and video can provide greater context around physical demands Why minimising training load does not necessarily reduce injury risk How performance teams balance player availability with adequate preparation How wearable data can help prescribe practice rather than simply review it Why individual and positional-group deviations require different responses How subjective athlete feedback and objective performance data work together Why fatigue and soreness can sometimes be an intended training response How practitioners can turn performance information into decisions coaches can use Why the next stage of athlete monitoring is likely to focus on context rather than data volume About Jamie Hepner Jamie is Director of Applied Sport Science – Football Performance at Catapult He works with leading American football programmes to help practitioners and coaches apply athlete-monitoring data to training, preparation and player-availability decisions. During almost 12 years at Catapult, Jamie has helped the company respond to the evolving performance needs of NFL and college football teams. Originally from Australia, Jamie relocated to the United States when he joined Catapult during the company's early expansion into American sport. His previous experience includes athlete management with AFL Victoria and strength and conditioning coaching. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Dr Jairo H. Migueles studied Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (2009-2013) and a Research Master in Physical Activity and Sport at the University of Granada (2014-2015). He is currently doing his doctoral thesis at the University of Granada with the ActiveBrains project (effects of a randomized controlled exercise program on cognition, mental and physical health in overweight and obese preadolescents). His main areas of interest are: Evaluation of physical activity, energy expenditure and sleep objectively through accelerometry. Assessment of physical fitness in young population Study of the effects of physical activity, physical exercise and sleep on different dimensions of physical, mental, cognition and brain health in young people. Physical exercise interventions through the use of mobile phones (SmartPhones), which today is known as m-Health ____________________ This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | Better Sleep, Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Research with Less Hassle --- Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely - Discover ground-breaking Fibion SENS --- SB and PA measurements, analysis, and feedback made easy. Learn more about Fibion Research --- Learn more about Fibion Sleep and Fibion Circadian Rhythm Solutions. --- Fibion Kids - Activity tracking designed for children. --- Collect self-report physical activity data easily and cost-effectively with Mimove. --- Explore our Wearables, Experience sampling method (ESM), Sleep, Heart rate variability (HRV), Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity article collections for insights on related articles. --- Refer to our article "Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Measurements" for an exploration of active and sedentary lifestyle assessment methods. --- Learn about actigraphy in our guide: Exploring Actigraphy in Scientific Research: A Comprehensive Guide. --- Gain foundational ESM insights with "Introduction to Experience Sampling Method (ESM)" for a comprehensive overview. --- Explore accelerometer use in health research with our article "Measuring Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Accelerometers ". --- For an introduction to the fundamental aspects of HRV, consider revisiting our Ultimate Guide to Heart Rate Variability. --- Follow the podcast on Twitter https://twitter.com/PA_Researcher Follow host Dr Olli Tikkanen on Twitter https://twitter.com/ollitikkanen Follow Fibion on Twitter https://twitter.com/fibion https://www.youtube.com/@PA_Researcher
Dr. Chad Herring is a Human Performance Specialist and Lead Strength & Conditioning Specialist supporting the United States Special Operations Command through KBR. His work focuses on integrating strength and conditioning, sport science, recovery, and performance analytics to enhance warfighter readiness and resilience.Prior to USSOCOM, Herring served as Director of Sport Science for football at Florida Atlantic University and held leadership roles in both private-sector performance and AI-driven training technology. He earned his PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Central Florida and has coached across collegiate athletics, professional baseball, and tactical performance settings$1 Trial Membership to SCN
Accelerometer data analysis with GGIR software package - Dr Jairo Hidalgo Migueles (Pt1) Dr Jairo H. Migueles studied Physical Activity and Sport Sciences (2009-2013) and a Research Master in Physical Activity and Sport at the University of Granada (2014-2015). He is currently doing his doctoral thesis at the University of Granada with the ActiveBrains project (effects of a randomized controlled exercise program on cognition, mental and physical health in overweight and obese preadolescents). His main areas of interest are: Evaluation of physical activity, energy expenditure and sleep objectively through accelerometry. Assessment of physical fitness in young population Study of the effects of physical activity, physical exercise and sleep on different dimensions of physical, mental, cognition and brain health in young people. Physical exercise interventions through the use of mobile phones (SmartPhones), which today is known as m-Health --- This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research --- Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely - Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/
What does it take to build a genuinely integrated high-performance programme? This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Trevor Short, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Health, Wellness and Performance at Utah State University. Trevor explains how Utah State is bringing sports science, sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition and mental wellness together around three shared objectives: athlete availability, performance development and readiness to compete. The conversation explores why alignment must come before data, how monitoring should respond to the questions coaches are actually asking, and why collecting more information does not automatically lead to better decisions. Trevor also discusses the challenge of balancing performance development with athlete availability, adapting thresholds to the demands of the season and communicating the same evidence differently to coaches and senior leaders. This is a practical discussion about designing high-performance systems in which every intervention has a purpose, departments work beyond their traditional silos and the athlete remains at the centre of decision-making. In this episode you will learn Why athlete availability, performance and readiness can be competing objectives How Utah State is integrating its performance, medical, nutrition and mental wellness teams Why alignment with coaches should come before collecting data How to build monitoring systems around meaningful performance questions Why readiness flags must be interpreted within the context of the season How multidisciplinary teams can make better decisions for individual athletes Why the same information should be communicated differently to coaches and administrators How standard operating procedures can make performance systems more consistent and measurable Why leadership, culture and trust matter as much as technology How integrated athlete support can increase a team's chances of winning About Trevor Short Dr Trevor Short is Senior Associate Athletics Director for Health, Wellness and Performance at Utah State University, where he oversees sports medicine, strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, mental wellness and sports performance. Before joining Utah State, Trevor worked as a performance and sports scientist at the University of Hawai‘i, supporting sports science provision across its intercollegiate programmes. His career has also included strength and conditioning, applied research, university teaching, private-sector performance coaching and operational leadership. Trevor holds a PhD in Kinesiology and is a Certified Performance and Sport Scientist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. His work focuses on integrated high-performance systems, athlete monitoring and the use of evidence to improve athlete availability, readiness and performance. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Alicia Naser, behavioural scientist and founder of The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology. Dr Naser works with professional athletes and organisations across hockey, tennis, baseball, basketball and golf, helping them understand the relationship between behaviour, physiology and performance under pressure. In this episode, she explains why mental performance should not sit separately from physical preparation, and how fatigue, heart rate, self-talk and emotion can all influence an athlete's ability to execute when it matters. The conversation explores the practical value of becoming more aware of internal responses during competition. From using frustration constructively rather than trying to suppress it, to striking the right balance with wearable data, Dr Naser offers a behavioural-science lens on high-performance sport that will be useful for practitioners, coaches and athletes alike. In this episode you will learn Why mental health and mental performance are related, but not the same thing How physical fatigue can affect clarity, decision-making and execution The relationship between heart rate, anxiety and an athlete's self-talk Why emotional awareness can itself be a useful performance intervention How frustration can be used to create focus and competitive intent Where breathing strategies fit within performance under pressure How to use wearable data without becoming overly dependent on it Why mental and physical preparation should be integrated across a performance programme How practitioners can use pre- and post-intervention data to build organisational buy-in A simple journalling exercise athletes and coaches can use to identify performance barriers About Dr Alicia Naser Dr Alicia Naser, PhD, BCBA-D, is a behavioural scientist, Board Certified Behavior Analyst and founder of The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology. Her work combines behavioural science, physiology and mental performance to support professional athletes, coaches and organisations. Dr Naser has more than 12 years of advanced study, research and applied work in behavioural psychology, and works across a range of elite sports including the NHL, ATP Tour, MLB, NBA, PGA and Premier League. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Open Days are happening at the moment, and I want to pop in and give you a snapshot of the things I think are really important to consider about each of the major universities so that you can make the most of the Open Day and get what you need to make an informed decision about your future. So why should you consider Deakin University? The main aspects I talk about in this episode are: Sport Science. Deakin is the #1 Sport Science school in the world. If you're interested in a career in the sports industry, Deakin is the university for you. The other courses and faculties that Deakin has a great reputation in like Forensic Science, Criminology, Psychology, Nursing and Health Sciences The business courses offered at Deakin that allow you to study Marketing and Human Resource Management through the lens of Psychology. How you can dive into Marine Science (sorry, not sorry) at Deakin if you're not afraid of the cold. I also mention a previous episode where I interviewed Lauren, the Associate Head of School, Teaching and Learning at the School of Midwifery and Nursing at Deakin. Check it out here: www.roadmapeducation.com/podcast/32 If you want to make the most of your next Open Day, grab my free guide: www.roadmapeducation.com/open-days
This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dave Emsley, physiotherapist and movement specialist at The Body Mechanics, for a practical conversation on why successful rehabilitation needs to look beyond the site of pain. Dave explains how the body adapts around injury, why a scan or strength test is only one part of the picture, and what practitioners can learn by observing how an athlete actually moves. From hamstring tears and persistent knee pain to golf swings, fast bowling and return-to-play decisions, this episode explores the relationship between biomechanics, motor patterns and long-term performance. The discussion also unpacks “adaptive potential”: the body's remarkable ability to find a way to keep performing when something is not working as it should. But that capacity is not unlimited. For practitioners, the challenge is recognising when an athlete's compensations are taking them closer to the gutter and helping them restore better options before another area of the system breaks down. In this episode you will learn Why pain should be treated as information, rather than simply the problem to remove How movement compensations can shift load elsewhere in the kinetic chain Where scans, strength testing and force-plate data fit within a complete assessment Why data should help confirm a clinical decision, rather than make it in isolation The difference between quantitative testing and the qualitative assessment of movement What “adaptive potential” means for injury risk, performance and longevity Why athletes with the same diagnosis may need very different rehabilitation plans When technical changes are worth making—and when practitioners should protect an athlete's existing strengths Why return-to-play should account for the athlete's actual performance demands, not just symptom resolution How practitioners can use movement quality to guide more individualised rehabilitation About Dave Emsley Dave Emsley is a physiotherapist and movement specialist at The Body Mechanics. With a background in sports science and physiotherapy, he works with athletes across a range of sports, including golf and football, and consults with Premier League footballers. His work focuses on biomechanical assessment, movement patterns, rehabilitation and helping people return to performance with a better understanding of how their body moves. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
I knew Stephen Seiler was going to be a bloody brilliant conversation, but I don't think I expected us to cover SO much ground. For those who aren't familiar, here's a bit about him... Stephen is a Professor of Sport Science whose work around endurance training and intensity distribution has influenced and catalysed international research into training intensity distribution and the 'polarised training model'. He's published a lazy 100+ peer-reviewed papers, written more than 100 science articles on exercise physiology and the training process, and is a founding editorial board member of the International Journal of Sport Physiology and Performance. So yeah... he knows a thing or two about training. In this chat we get into training, recovery, stress, AI, wearables, burnout, being an introvert who spends their life talking to people... and why the world's best athletes often trust what they feel in their own bodies more than what their watch is telling them. Stephen has spent decades researching how we actually get better at training, and one of the things I loved most was his take that training isn't a maximisation problem, it's an optimisation problem. In other words, more isn't always better. A lesson I seemed to want to learn the hard way in far too many areas of my life... and training is no exception. We also get into the idea that all of our stress goes into the same bucket, whether it's a hard workout, work, kids, life or even exciting things happening. And honestly, this is a bloody good reminder for anyone who is constantly pushing, achieving and wondering why they're knackered. Oh, and we have a pretty cracking conversation about AI in coaching, why your Garmin might actually be making your sleep worse, and why sometimes the smartest thing you can do is take the damn rest day. Basically, Stephen made me question quite a few things I thought I knew about training, recovery and performance, which is exactly what I want from a conversation. SPONSORED BY TESTART FAMILY LAWYERS Website: testartfamilylawyers.com.au TIFFANEE COOK Linktree: linktr.ee/rollwiththepunches Website: tiffcook.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Open Days are happening at the moment, and I want to pop in and give you a snapshot of the things I think are really important to consider about each of the major universities so that you can make the most of the Open Day and get what you need to make an informed decision about your future. So why should you consider Victoria University? The main aspects I talk about in this episode are: The negative misconceptions many people still have about Victoria University and where they came from Facts to counter the misconceptions, including student perspectives and subject rankings The courses and faculties that VU has a great reputation in like Sport Science, Health Science, Nursing, Engineering, IT and Education How VU works with industry partners to benefit its students If you want to make the most of your next Open Day, grab my free guide: https://www.roadmapeducation.com/open-days
Episode 400 of the Football Fitness Federation Podcast is with ex Professional Player & current Head of Goalkeeping at Stockport County Ben Hinchliffe We discussed: ▫️Reflections on his career ▫️Factors that led to only 1 injury across 22 years ▫️Sport Science changes ▫️Goalkeeper demands & much more! Keep up to date with the amazing work our sponsors are doing here: Good Prep - thegoodprep.com Discover the power of nutrition at WWW.THEGOODPREP.COM and use code FFF15 for 15% off your first order Hytro - hytro.com Maximise your athletic potential with Hytro BFR. Easier, safer and more practical BFR for squads to prepare for and recover from exercise than ever before. Click the link [[ bit.ly/3ILVsbU ]] Join our online community & get access to the very best Football Fitness content as well as the ability to connect with Sport Scientists and Strength & Conditioning coaches from around the world. To get FULL access to all of these & even more like this, sign up to a FREE month on our online community at the link below. https://www.footballfitfed.com/forum/index.aspx Keep up to date with everything that is going on at Football Fitness Federation at the following links: X - @FootballFitFed Instagram - @FootballFitFed Website - www.footballfitfed.com
Tennis players need far more than clean technique and a strong forehand. They need to be fast, powerful, durable and able to recover well enough to perform across an unpredictable, year-round competitive schedule. This week, Richard Graves is joined by Joshua Dragone, Head of Athletic Development at Dukes Meadows Tennis Academy, to explore what effective physical development looks like in tennis. Joshua explains why tennis S&C demands a different approach: players may be travelling, competing, dealing with limited gym access or adjusting plans after every match. He shares how he identifies the key physical qualities to target, creates structure without becoming rigid, and helps young players build the recovery, hydration and fuelling habits that support long-term development. The conversation also looks at maturation, the influence of social media on junior training, and why parents, tennis coaches and athletic development coaches need to be aligned around the individual athlete. In this episode you will learn Why tennis requires athletes to develop speed, power, change of direction, robustness and energy-system capacity at the same time. How to plan physical preparation around an unpredictable tournament schedule. How to identify the one or two physical priorities that matter most for an individual player. Why growth and maturation should shape expectations and programming in junior tennis. How to use training windows effectively when players are travelling and competing. The role of sleep, hydration and fuelling in availability, recovery and performance. Why junior tennis players are often under-fuelled — and how practitioners and parents can help. How consistent warm-up and recovery routines reduce friction on competition days. How to respond constructively when players want to copy professional athletes' social-media training. Why alignment between player, parent, tennis coach and S&C coach is essential. About Joshua Dragone Joshua Dragone is the Head of Athletic Development at Dukes Meadows Tennis Academy in West London. He joined the academy in 2021 as a Senior Athletic Development Coach and moved into his current role in 2022. With more than a decade of coaching experience across sports including rugby, football and tennis, Joshua now specialises in helping junior tennis players become faster, stronger and more robust through developmentally appropriate, athlete-centred programming. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
A new study of 6,589 finishers from the Quebrantahuesos Gran Fondo shows the fastest riders weren't the fastest starters. They held back early, paced more consistently, and separated from the field on the decisive climbs and at the finish.In this episode: the research, what it means for time-capped riders, riders over 50, and riders chasing a result — plus a personal note on the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it.Source: Sánchez-Jiménez JL, Priego-Quesada JI, Oficial-Casado F. "Pacing strategies in Gran Fondo cycling: a large-scale analysis of the Quebrantahuesos race." Sport Sciences for Health. 2026;22:236.Daily cycling intelligence from SEMIPRO CYCLING, produced with AI-assisted research, scripting, and synthetic voice.
This episode is the audio from the AIESEP connect in June 2026 – #AIESEPConnect #CoffeeWithColleagues Physical Literacy Across the World: From a Global Framework to Action Featuring: Johannes Carl – Technical University of Munich, Department Health and Sport Sciences, Germany Kasper Salin – University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Sport & Health Sciences, Finland Emiliano Mazzoli, PhD – Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Health and Social Development, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Australia Dora Carolo & João Martins – Centro de Estudos em Educação, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana and UIDEF, Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal Jean Pierre-Weerts & Alexandre Mouton – University of Liège, Department of Physical Activity and Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Unit for a Life-Course Perspective on Health & Education, BelgiumSession Video Recording: youtube.com/watch?v=zA-5y4FGELw&feature=youtu.be
How much of an athlete's performance is shaped by the materials they wear and use? This week, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Sarah Karmel, Chief Science Officer at RHEON Labs, to explore how dynamic materials are changing the way sport thinks about protection, comfort and performance. Sarah explains the science behind RHEON's non-Newtonian polymer technology: materials that remain soft and flexible at rest, but stiffen to manage energy when exposed to force. From NFL helmet components designed to address both linear and rotational impacts, to sports bras that provide support without unnecessary compression, this is material science with practical implications for athletes. The conversation also looks at vibration damping in tennis and padel rackets, the role of apparel in supporting movement, and why the next step in sports equipment may be creating products that adapt to the athlete, rather than asking the athlete to adapt to the product. In this episode you will learn How dynamic polymers respond differently at rest and under force. Why managing both linear and rotational impacts matters in athlete protection. Why repetitive lower-energy impacts are receiving greater attention in contact sport. How sports bra design can influence comfort, movement and the running experience for female athletes. How dynamic materials can reduce vibration in rackets without removing the feel athletes need. The potential role of responsive compression apparel in muscle support and tendon loading. Why energy management is the common thread linking helmets, apparel and sporting equipment. How material innovation could make sports equipment more individualised and athlete-centred. About Dr Sarah Karmel Dr Sarah Karmel is Chief Science Officer at RHEON Labs, where she leads the development of advanced elastomeric materials for sport, protection and performance applications. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and previously held the Blavatnik Fellowship at the University of Cambridge. Her work focuses on translating polymer and material science into practical technologies that improve how athletes are protected, supported and able to perform. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Richard Graves welcomes Dr Matthew Ibrahim back to the Science for Sport podcast to discuss how sports science, strength and conditioning, athlete monitoring and wellness can be brought together within one integrated performance model. Matthew explains how he is applying this approach in his new role as Assistant Athletic Director of Health, Performance and Wellness at Malden Catholic. Rather than collecting data simply because the technology is available, his focus is on asking better questions, identifying the measures that genuinely inform decisions and presenting information in a way that athletes, coaches, parents and support staff can understand. The conversation explores the difference between returning an athlete to play and returning them to performance. Matthew discusses how force plates, isometric strength testing, sprint timing, velocity-based training and subjective wellness measures can contribute to a criteria-based process, while emphasising that every test must have a clear purpose. Matthew also introduces his new Science for Sport course, Frontal Plane Fundamentals: Lower Body Training. He explains why lateral strength and movement are often underdeveloped, the importance of the adductors in athletic performance and how simple lateral squat and lunge progressions can be incorporated into a training programme. In this episode you will learn How to connect sports science, strength and conditioning, education and wellness within one performance model Why collecting more data does not necessarily produce better decisions How to identify the performance tests and monitoring measures that matter most The difference between return to play and criteria-based return to performance How practitioners can prepare athletes for sudden increases in training and competition load Why frontal-plane strength is important for running, cutting, skating and changing direction How lateral squats and lunges can develop the adductors and improve athletic movement Why relationships, trust and communication are essential when building athlete buy-in About Matthew Ibrahim Dr Matthew Ibrahim is the Assistant Athletic Director of Health, Performance and Wellness at Malden Catholic in Massachusetts. He has more than 15 years of experience across strength and conditioning, human performance, education and sports rehabilitation. Matthew holds a PhD in Human and Sport Performance and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. He is also the author of Train Like a Pro: Programming to Develop Your Inner Athlete and is currently working on a second Human Kinetics book focused on strength-based health, performance and wellness for young people. His work centres on making performance science understandable and useful, helping athletes develop the physical skills, confidence and habits needed to perform in sport and beyond.
In this episode with Adam Loiacono and Nicol Van Dyk we discuss the topic of injury prevention. We explore:What is injury prevention?Prevalence of injuries in different sportsThe future of injury preventionIndividuality within injury preventionWhat the current evidence supportsTapping into patient's motivation for rehabilitation and prehabilitationInjury prevention protocols – what role do they play? Return to play protocolsThe role of screening with athletes
Speed in American football is about far more than running a fast 40-yard dash. It is the ability to create space, close space, accelerate, decelerate, change direction and repeatedly produce high-speed actions under the demands of the game. This week, Richard Graves is joined by Matt Gebert, Strength and Conditioning Coach at Ole Miss Football, to explore how speed is developed within an elite college football programme. Matt explains how Ole Miss structures speed training across the week, from acceleration and change of direction to maximum velocity, curved sprinting and conditioning. He also breaks down how the physical demands change between position groups and why offensive linemen, linebackers, running backs, wide receivers and defensive backs require different training priorities. The conversation explores the five key qualities Matt uses to assess speed development and how tools including Catapult GPS and the 1080 Sprint can help coaches understand an athlete's strengths, weaknesses and potential performance limiters. However, collecting more data does not automatically lead to better decisions. Matt explains why sports science technology must be accurate, efficient and actionable, particularly when working with a squad of around 120 athletes within strict time restrictions. Richard and Matt also discuss the balance between pushing athletes hard and protecting player availability, the value of wellness monitoring, the importance of sleep and why technology should help practitioners ask better questions rather than replace coaching judgement. Matt also reflects on how his coaching philosophy has changed during more than a decade in college football, including moving away from one-size-fits-all programming and learning to coach athletes differently, both physically and psychologically. In this episode you will learn Why speed in team sport is ultimately about creating and closing space How Ole Miss structures acceleration, maximum velocity, change of direction and conditioning work Why different football positions require different speed and strength qualities The five physical qualities Matt assesses within speed development How Catapult GPS and the 1080 Sprint are used to profile athletes Why maximum velocity is particularly important for wide receivers and defensive backs How to identify and improve an athlete's performance limiters The difference between using sports technology and practising sports science The three questions Matt asks before introducing new technology How external and internal training loads can inform programme decisions Why wellness questionnaires can start important conversations with athletes The relationship between training load, recovery and player availability Why sleep may be the most overlooked performance metric How Matt's approach to individualising training and communication has evolved Why acceleration should be a priority for young athletes in almost every sport About Matt Gebert Matt Gebert is a Strength and Conditioning Coach with Ole Miss Football, where he leads speed development work within the programme's performance team. Matt has worked in college football for approximately 13 years and is currently completing a PhD focused on speed development. His work covers linear speed, multidirectional movement, acceleration, maximum velocity, deceleration, curved sprinting and conditioning for team-sport athletes. Alongside his coaching and research, Matt regularly shares practical information about speed development and the use of sports science within high-performance environments. He is also preparing a forthcoming book focused on speed development for team-sport athletes. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Hello & Welcome! I'm so excited to share this discussion with a leader in the field of sports medicine, who brings her personal experience as a high performance athlete, her vast clinical experience and her research insights to today's conversation. I'm talking about Dr Fiona Wilson,who as well as all of the above is also a Deputy Editor of the BJSM; the highest ranking sports and exercise medicine journal globally. She is also a professor of physiotherapy in Trinity College Dublin, as well as Deputy Editor of the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, leading their Injury Prevention subsection, and she is on the editorial board of the Journal of Sport Sciences and the German Journal of Sports Medicine.Her research focus is the role of sport and exercise on low back pain (LBP) and on brain health, and she's published many clinical practice papers that are changing how we manage back pain in athletes, as well as a growing interest in menstrual pain in athletes (she was a coauthor on the Harrison 2026 paper that I discussed in a recent episode on menstrual pain, as well as a co-author on Dr Ciara Everard's paper on menstrual health (check out episode 113 where I chatted with Ciara about that paper)In today's episode, Fiona shared her personal journey from becoming an elite rower to transitioning into sports medicine research, including her experience with a career-ending back injury that motivated her to study athlete-specific approaches to back pain management. Our conversation focused on how athletes' back pain differs from general population back pain due to the unique nature of using their bodies as tools for performance, and the importance of keeping athletes' voices centered in research rather than relying solely on average population data. We discussed the specific challenges female athletes face with menstrual pain and pelvic health issues, highlighting gaps in knowledge and the need for better support systems. Fiona emphasised the importance of precision rehabilitation approaches that consider multiple factors including biomechanics, systemic inflammation, and the athlete's individual circumstances rather than using generic interventions like static exercises (planks - we are talking to you!)Our conversation also covered the stigma surrounding menstrual health in sports and the need for athletes to lead conversations about normalising these issues, with Fiona noting that better support could help retain female athletes who might otherwise drop out of sports during their periods.Some of Fiona's publications that we talked about today include:Whittaker JL, Schulz JM, Galarneau JM, Moore IS, Ackerman KE, Butler M, Dane K, Dubé MO, Ferraz Pazzinatto M, Gomez CD, Hayden KA, Marmura H, Mizuta R, Mosler AB, Schneider G, Schneider KJ, Sharma S, Trease L, Wilson F, Thornton JS, Crossley KM, Emery CA., Prevention strategies and modifiable risk factors for spine, chest, abdominal and/or pelvic injury and pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis for the Female, woman and/or girl Athlete Injury pRevention (FAIR) consensus., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2025"The pain isn't the hardest challenge...it's the frustration at how much it affects my day-to-day life, my mental health and my ability to train”: a qualitative thematic analysis of elite athletes' lived experiences of persisting low back pain'' Trease et al 2026'“I'm breaking my back for this sport and they're not supporting me” Trease et al 2024Fiona is an absolute legend in the world of sports medicine - for good reason, I'm sure you'll agree after listening to this episode!Want to learn more about supporting female athletes? When you join the online course 'The Menstrual Detective'. you'll get access to the bonus course 'Pelvic Health for the Young Female Athlete' for free! All the details are at CelebrateMuliebrity.comUntil next time, Onwards & Upwards! Mx #celebratemuliebrity
Toby Banfield is an accomplished performance practitioner across a number of sporting codes and elite environments. He is the current Head of Sport Science for Brentford FC in the English Premier League. In this episode, Toby discusses his philosophies and blueprints for performance planning, how his blueprint has allowed him to adapt to a wide range of diverse sporting situations, and the differences and parallels between season planning for a whole team and rehabilitation planning for an individual injured athlete. Topics The Six Step Blueprint for Effective Performance Planning. The Six Step Blueprint for Effective Rehabilitation Planning. How to Plan in an Appropriate Level of Detail and Avoid Common Pitfalls of “Too Much Detail”. “Vertical Integration” for Performance Planning. “Vertical Integration” for Rehabilitation Planning. Non-Invasive Athlete Testing “Everything is a Test”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX3YeEbRYdY
Team NSN Cycling is one of the most exciting teams in the World Tour peloton, and Lausanne-based Briton David Bailey is its Head of Sport Science. Amid the pressures of being at the cutting edge of athletic performance, Bailey talks us through the current trends in pro cycling, including nutrition, training, health, tech, and even the role of AI and data management. Bailey has over 20 years of experience in elite sport as a coach, scientist, and performance director, I has supported world-class athletes, including multiple Olympic and World Champions. Bailey has also worked for the BMC and Bahrain Victorius pro cycling teams and comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience. SHOW NOTESTeam NSN website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves welcomes back Dr Warren Bradley, Co-Founder and Head of Elite Performance at Hytro, to explore how blood flow restriction is being used at the highest level of sport. With the biggest World Cup in history placing huge demands on players, staff, travel logistics, recovery windows and match preparation, Warren explains where BFR now fits inside elite performance environments. This conversation goes beyond the basic idea of BFR as a recovery tool. Warren breaks down how it can be used to support circulation, tissue preparation, injury risk reduction, return-to-play, long-haul travel strategies and squad-wide recovery workflows. He also discusses the challenge every practitioner will recognise: how to balance research, data, individualisation and real-world practicality when time is limited and performance outcomes matter. For coaches, sports scientists, physios and performance staff working in elite sport, this episode gives a clear look at how BFR is being applied in tournament football and why the next stage of recovery science may be less about collecting more data, and more about using meaningful interventions consistently. In this episode you will learn What blood flow restriction is and why its application has changed in elite sport How BFR can be used for recovery, tissue priming, warm-ups and travel support Why long-haul travel creates a major performance challenge during tournament football How teams are adapting BFR protocols to fit real-world environments, including pools, the sea, flights and pitch-based warm-ups Where BFR can help bridge the gap between low-grade injury and return-to-pla Why Warren believes circulation is becoming a major focus in modern recovery science How elite teams balance scientific precision with practical use across a full squad Why highly specific numbers can sometimes become a barrier to implementation How BFR protocols can be individualised without overcomplicating delivery What Warren would study if he had unlimited access to World Cup players, wearables and performance data About Dr Warren Bradley Dr Warren Bradley is Co-Founder and Head of Elite Performance at Hytro, a company specialising in wearable blood flow restriction technology for performance, recovery and rehabilitation. A sports scientist by trade, Warren has spent more than a decade working in professional sport, including Premier League football and international rugby. He completed a PhD in exercise physiology and has focused much of his work on making blood flow restriction safer, more practical and more accessible for athletes and practitioners. Through Hytro, Warren works with elite teams and athletes across world sport, helping them apply BFR in realistic performance environments — from training grounds and recovery rooms to tournament travel, warm-ups and matchday preparation. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Richard Graves welcomes Dr James Morehen back to the Science for Sport podcast for a practical conversation on what it really takes to work in elite performance nutrition. James reflects on his journey from Liverpool John Moores University to rugby league, England football, Premiership rugby, international rugby, and his current work with England Rugby. But this episode is less about the polished version of elite sport, and more about the details that actually make performance environments work. From gaining experience as a student, to building a trusted network, to solving problems on tour before they affect the athletes, James gives a clear view of the craft behind applied performance nutrition. He explains why degrees matter, but why they are only part of the picture, and why students and early-career practitioners need to get into clubs, support research, present to athletes, make mistakes, and learn from them. James also shares examples from inside elite sport, including heat strategies, travel logistics, hydration planning, making weight for combat athletes, and the hidden operational details that can decide whether a practitioner is adding real value or simply reacting under pressure. This is a valuable episode for sports nutritionists, sports scientists, S&C coaches, performance directors, students, and anyone interested in the reality of working behind the scenes in high-performance sport. In this episode you will learn Why academic knowledge is essential, but not enough on its own How students can build meaningful experience while still at university Why volunteering, research participation, and applied placements can separate candidates in a crowded field What James looks for when interviewing or mentoring young practitioners How to build a professional network that genuinely improves your practice Why elite sport often comes down to simple details done exceptionally well How practitioners use networks to check, challenge, and improve strategies What travel, heat, hydration, and logistics look like inside international rugby Why mentorship matters at every stage of a practitioner's career How James is now helping clubs and practitioners develop better nutrition systems About Dr James Morehen Dr James Morehen is a performance nutritionist working at the highest level of elite sport. He is currently Lead Performance Nutritionist for England Rugby and has supported athletes and teams across rugby league, England football pathways, Premiership rugby, international rugby, and professional boxing. James completed his undergraduate, master's and PhD studies at Liverpool John Moores University, where his interest in applied physiology and performance nutrition developed through his work in rugby league. Alongside his work in elite environments, James is the founder of the Performance Nutrition Network and is passionate about mentoring and developing the next generation of practitioners. His work focuses not only on evidence-based nutrition, but on the practical systems, communication, logistics, and problem-solving needed to support athletes in real performance environments. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves welcomes back Steve Jennings for part two of one of the most fascinating stories in sports nutrition. Earlier this year, Steve joined us to tell the story of how creatine first entered the world of elite sport ahead of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. In this follow-up conversation, Richard and Steve look at where creatine goes next. For decades, creatine has been viewed primarily as a strength, power and high-intensity performance supplement. But Steve believes the next phase of creatine will move far beyond the gym, the track and the changing room. In this episode, Steve discusses the emerging research around creatine, cognition, fatigue, brain function, sleep deprivation, concussion, ageing, women's health, shift work and everyday human performance. He also explains why education is now critical, particularly for youth athletes, parents, schools and practitioners who need to understand creatine in the right context. The conversation also explores the future of creatine as an ingredient technology, with Steve outlining how new forms of creatine could be used in functional foods, gummies, drinks and other products designed for wider health and performance benefits. This is a conversation about sport, science, innovation and the changing role of creatine in human performance. In this episode you will learn How creatine moved from elite sport into mainstream performance nutrition Why Steve believes the biggest future breakthroughs may come outside traditional sports performance The potential role of creatine in cognition, fatigue, brain function and sleep deprivation Why education is so important when discussing creatine with youth athletes and parents How practitioners can better frame creatine use in the right context Why Steve believes three grams per day can be enough for many users How creatine needs may change across the lifespan Why creatine is becoming a major topic in women's health, ageing and longevity The challenges of creating liquid-stable and food-based creatine products How ingredient technology could shape the next generation of creatine products About Steve Jennings Steve Jennings is one of the most influential figures in the history of sports nutrition. A former professional racing cyclist, Steve founded Maxim Sports Nutrition in the early 1990s and played a key role in introducing creatine supplementation to elite sport ahead of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. Over the last three decades, Steve has built, launched and developed nutrition brands across performance sport, active lifestyle and human health. Today, through Jenerise, he is focused on the next chapter of creatine: helping expand its role beyond traditional strength and power performance into cognition, vitality, healthspan and everyday human performance. Steve brings a rare combination of lived sporting experience, commercial innovation and deep understanding of how science can be translated into practical, real-world use. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Tijdens het WK voetbal draait alles om fitte spelers, en achter de schermen verschuift de sportgeneeskunde van behandelen naar voorkomen. Met camera's langs het veld en sensoren in de schoen proberen wetenschappers blessures te zien aankomen voordat ze ontstaan. Met een belangrijk doel: een gescheurde voorste kruisband betekent negen tot twaalf maanden uit de roulatie, en in het vrouwenvoetbal gebeurt dat twee tot drie keer zo vaak als bij mannen. In deze aflevering van BNR Beter bespreekt Stijn Goossens hoe technologische innovaties topsporters fitter houden, en wat de reguliere zorg daarvan kan leren. Te gast zijn Nils Jongerius, bewegingswetenschapper aan de Hogeschool van Amsterdam en co-directeur van het Amsterdam Institute of Sport Science, en Bas van Hooren, sportwetenschapper aan de Universiteit Maastricht. Ook te horen is sportarts Suzanne Huurman, head of medical staff van Curaçao op het WK voetbal. Jongerius onderzoekt met het project PLAYSAFE hoe kruisbandblessures in het vrouwenvoetbal te voorkomen zijn. Met een kring camera's rond een training en kunstmatige intelligentie bouwt zijn team een 3D-model van elke speelster, om haar persoonlijke beweegpatroon over een heel seizoen te volgen. Wijkt dat patroon plots af, dan gaat er een signaal naar de medische staf. Het AISS, een samenwerking van de Hogeschool van Amsterdam, de VU, het Amsterdam UMC en Hogeschool Inholland, wil zulke wetenschap vertalen naar de praktijk, van topclub tot amateurveld. Van Hooren werkt aan een slim inlegzooltje met druk- en versnellingssensoren dat de belasting op specifieke structuren, zoals de kruisband of de hamstring, per beweging in kaart brengt. Waar een GPS-tracker alleen de afgelegde afstand meet, schat zijn model de interne belasting, zodat een speler op tijd een rustdag kan inlassen. In een studie onder 220 hardlopers verminderde realtime feedback via zo'n wearable het risico en de ernst van hardloopblessures. Camerabeelden en sensoren vullen elkaar aan: camera's vangen het hele lichaam, sensoren meten continu en ook buiten het lab. Vanaf het WK voetbal in de VS, Canada en Mexico geeft sportarts Suzanne Huurman een blik op de innovaties in de voetbalgeneeskunde: welke data bepaalt of een speler fit is, en waarom de eindbeslissing bij de mens en de trainer blijft. Huurman is head of Medical Staff bij het elftal van Curaçao. Verder gaat het over de keerzijde van alle meetdata, zoals slaapscores die mensen onterecht vermoeider maken, en over de vraag welke technologie wél behapbaar is voor de amateursport. Over deze podcast BNR Beter is het wekelijkse programma van BNR Nieuwsradio over een toekomstbestendige zorgsector. Elke week bespreekt presentator Nina van den Dungen met zorgprofessionals, ondernemers en beleidsmakers hoe de Nederlandse zorg met technologie, innovatie, regelgeving en wetenschap beter kan worden. BNR Beter is elke maandag om 15:30 op de radio te beluisteren bij BNR Nieuwsradio, en vanaf dat moment ook als podcast via deze feed. Over de makers Nina van den Dungen (1987) is freelance journalist en als radio- en podcastpresentator al ruim 15 jaar verbonden aan BNR. Zo is ze regelmatig te horen als presentator van de nieuwsprogramma's in de ochtend- en avondspits en daarnaast presenteert ze wekelijks de beleggingspodcast Doorgelicht en BNR Beter over de zorgsector. Stijn Goossens (1996) is de redacteur van BNR Beter en plaatsvervangend presentator. Bij BNR houdt Stijn zich bezig met onderwerpen over tech, wetenschap en innovatie. Hij presenteert ook de podcast Op de zaak en test elke vrijdag een nieuw techproduct in de Ochtendspits op BNR. Hiervoor was Stijn werkzaam voor NTR Wetenschap en techplatform Bright.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week, Richard Graves is joined by Anna Cruse, Assistant Athletics Director for Applied Health and Performance Science and Director of Football Performance Science at the University of Utah. Anna's route into sports science began as an international-level rower. Her interest in training, performance and data eventually took her from competing for the United States to helping develop the systems that support athletes across 19 sports at Utah. In this episode, Anna explains how Utah has moved from manual data exports and generalised reporting to faster, integrated workflows that deliver relevant information to coaches and practitioners. She discusses why collecting more data is not always the answer, the importance of educating decision-makers and how greater context can prevent practitioners from drawing the wrong conclusions from a metric. The conversation also explores individual athlete baselines, the limitations of fixed asymmetry thresholds and the need to make data specific to the athlete, position and sport. Anna also shares her perspective on artificial intelligence, including where it can improve performance workflows and why it should never replace qualified human judgement. In this episode you will learn How Anna moved from international rowing into applied sports science Why Utah only collects data it can use to support athletes or performance How the university delivers performance information across 19 different sports Why coaches and support staff must understand the context behind every metric How Utah has developed more sport-, position- and athlete-specific reporting Why fixed thresholds can be misleading when assessing asymmetry How integrated performance teams can make better use of limited resources Where AI can support practitioners without replacing their expertise Why athlete welfare must remain central to every performance decision How strong systems create more time for meaningful analysis About Anna Cruse Anna Cruse is Assistant Athletics Director for Applied Health and Performance Science and Director of Football Performance Science at the University of Utah. A former elite lightweight rower, Anna represented the United States at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships before moving into coaching, performance science and data analytics. Her career has included experience with the Philadelphia Union, Penn State and exercise intelligence company Svexa. At Utah, Anna helps lead the systems used to collect, interpret and communicate performance information across the university's athletic programme. Her work focuses on turning data into useful decisions while ensuring that technology and analysis remain grounded in good science and the needs of the individual athlete. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Matt Gebert is an Assistant Football Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of Mississippi. Gebert joined the Ole Miss staff in 2026 after serving a similar position for football at Auburn University for the 2025 season. Prior to that he was an assistant director for football strength & conditioning at the University of Arizona from 2024-2025. Before Arizona Gebert logged stints at Indiana University (2023), Stanford (2020-2022), Florida International (2017-2020) and Purdue (2015-2017). Additionally, he garnered experience as an intern coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 2014 season, at Columbia University in summer of 2013 and Rutgers University in spring of 2013. Gebert was also a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach on the staff at Minnesota University from 2013-2014. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Gebert is currently completing his PhD in Sport Science from Liberty University. A former college football player at Western Connecticut State University from 2009-2013, Gebert is an avid lifter and still very active himself in the weight room. Samson EquipmentSamson Equipment provides Professional Weight Room Solutions for all your S&C needs.Cerberus StrengthUse Code: STRENGTH_GAME at Cerberus-Strength.comSport KiltUse Code: TSG at SportKilt.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show
This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Great Britain track cyclist Joe Truman. Joe has spent nearly a decade as a full-time professional athlete with British Cycling, progressing through the pathway from a talent ID session at 15 to becoming a senior member of the GB sprint squad. After years of European, World Championship and Commonwealth medals, Joe recently claimed his first major individual title with European gold in the kilo, setting a British record in the process. In this episode, Joe gives a fascinating insight into the training methods, decision-making and performance science behind elite track sprinting. He explains how studying sport and exercise science changed the way he understood his own body, why he now has greater input into his own programming, and how that shift has helped drive a significant increase in performance. Richard and Joe also discuss the practical use of blood flow restriction training, how BFR moved from a rehab tool after back surgery to a staple part of Joe's training, and why lower-load, lower-volume methods can still create meaningful performance adaptations when used intelligently. In this episode you will learn How Joe Truman progressed from British Cycling talent ID to the senior GB podium squad. Why his first major individual gold medal felt like a weight off his shoulders after years of silver and bronze medals. How sport and exercise science changed the way Joe approaches his own training. Why understanding the “why” behind a session can be a major motivational tool for elite athletes. How Joe uses blood flow restriction training in the gym and on the bike. Why BFR became a key tool after back surgery and later evolved into a performance method. How Joe balances peak power, glycolytic capacity and race-specific cadence. Why tapering can determine whether an athlete reaches their true performance ceiling. How training quality, recovery and freshness influence maximal sprint output. Why athletes should trust their own knowledge and listen closely to their body. How Joe is preparing for the next phase of the Olympic cycle towards LA 2028. About Joe Truman Joe Truman is a Great Britain track cyclist and one of the senior members of the GB men's sprint squad. Originally from Portsmouth, Joe was identified by British Cycling at the age of 15 and has been part of the British Cycling pathway ever since. He progressed through the under-16, under-18 and under-23 squads before joining the podium programme full-time after his first World Championships in 2017. Across his career, Joe has competed in the team sprint, individual sprint, keirin and kilo, winning medals at European, World Championship, World Cup and Commonwealth level. In 2026, he claimed his first major individual senior title with European gold in the kilo, setting a British record and going under 58 seconds. Alongside his career as an elite athlete, Joe has studied sport and exercise science and now takes an active role in shaping his own training programme. His approach combines physiology, race-specific preparation, strength training, blood flow restriction training, recovery and athlete self-awareness. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
This week on the Science for Sport podcast, Richard Graves welcomes Matt Parr back to the show for a deeper look at the work that really drives performance in elite sport. Matt is the Head of Athletic Performance at Leicester Tigers, a former professional rugby player, and the founder of High Performance Puzzle. Having worked across both rugby union and rugby league, including Leicester Tigers and Catalan Dragons, Matt brings a rare combination of playing experience, coaching insight, leadership responsibility, and high-performance strategy. In this episode, Richard and Matt explore the “invisible work” that sits behind successful performance environments. Not the gym programme. Not the GPS report. Not the testing data. But the conversations, decisions, relationships, standards, and judgement calls that determine whether the physical work actually lands. They discuss why data needs context, how performance teams can align with coaches under pressure, what good decision-making looks like when information is incomplete, and why trust remains one of the most important currencies in elite sport. For sports science, S&C, medical, coaching, and performance staff working in elite environments, this episode is a valuable reminder that high performance is not built by data alone. It is built through people, relationships, standards, and the ability to make good decisions when the pressure is on. In this episode you will learn Why the work that drives performance often sits outside the formal programme, session plan, or data report How conversations between coaches, medical staff, S&C, sports science, and players provide vital context What good alignment looks like in a high-performance environment How to manage differing opinions between technical and performance departments Why frameworks are essential when emotions and pressure start to influence decision-making How to make better decisions when you do not have the complete picture Why trust between the head coach, medical team, and performance staff is critical How to use data without becoming over-reliant on it Why standards often slip in small ways before they show up in performance outcomes How relationships can make or break the effectiveness of even the best performance systems Why gut feel still matters, provided it is shaped by experience and reflection How elite practitioners can reflect more effectively on their own decisions and behaviours Why discipline is a habit, not just a personal trait What Matt has learned from working across rugby union and rugby league Why the best players want honest feedback when standards start to slip About Matt Parr Matt Parr is Head of Athletic Performance at Leicester Tigers and founder of High Performance Puzzle. Before moving into strength and conditioning, Matt spent around 14 to 15 years as a professional rugby player, representing clubs including Sale Sharks, Saracens, London Irish, and Leicester Tigers. His transition into performance coaching began at Leicester Tigers, where he initially combined a player-coach role with S&C responsibilities before moving fully into the performance department. Matt has since built extensive experience across both rugby union and rugby league. After progressing through the performance setup at Leicester Tigers, he joined Catalan Dragons as Head of Performance, before returning to Leicester as Head of Athletic Performance. Alongside his role in professional rugby, Matt has launched High Performance Puzzle, a consultancy focused on high-performance strategy, systems, leadership, and integration. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
How far can we push the limits of the human body? At the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas, a few dozen athletes tried to find out, and The Verge's Victoria Song was there to watch. She tells us the story of the swimmers, weightlifters, and other athletes who competed, the intense training and drug regimens they underwent, and the complicated mix of pseudo-science and actual science behind the event. Then, she tells us where this project goes from here — because the Enhanced Games experiment is just beginning. Further reading: Roids were all the rage at the Enhanced Games What would you be willing to put in your body? Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11. (Timestamps are approximate.) 00:00:00 90 Seconds Headlines 00:04:00 What Are Enhanced Games 00:06:00 Sport Science or Grift 00:07:00 Wellness Grifter Playbook 00:10:00 Rules for Doping 00:11:00 Allowed Drugs Explained 00:14:00 Clean Athletes Surprise 00:18:00 Harm Reduction Argument 00:21:00 Heat and Event Chaos 00:28:00 Peptides for Sale 00:29:00 Telehealth Friction Debate 00:32:00 Influencers vs Media Narrative 00:33:00 Athlete Payout Reality 00:35:00 Future Plans and Stock 00:37:00 Vegas Vibes and Sexy Water 00:37:00 Hotline 00:41:00 Ferrari Luce Listener Takes 00:44:00 Final Thoughts and WWDC Plug Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Da Vicenza a Daylesford: dopo una carriera di 21 anni come cuoco, Giovanni Da Rin Betta ha ottenuto una laurea in Exercise and Sport Science e sta facendo un master per raggiungere il suo sogno: aiutare le persone con disabilità attraverso lo sport.Seguici su Facebook e Instagram o abbonati ai nostri podcast cliccando qui.
In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves welcomes Dr Dave Hancock back to the show. Dave has spent more than three decades working in elite sport, including roles with Chelsea, Leeds United, the England national team and the New York Knicks. He is now CEO of Apollo, where his work focuses on helping performance teams use data, technology and AI to better understand player availability, injury risk and performance. Dave begins by sharing the latest developments in his Blind Screen approach, which looks beyond traditional testing by examining movement quality, control and rotational demands. He explains how Apollo is combining screening information with AI-generated insights, practitioner feedback and individualised exercise recommendations. The conversation then turns to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Drawing on his experience of working with England at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, Dave discusses the challenges facing performance and medical teams across a long international tournament: heat, travel, accumulated club workload, recovery, sleep, mental freshness and the need to bring a squad together around one common goal. This is a practical discussion about the margins that matter at the highest level of sport, from interpreting data more effectively to preparing players and staff for the demands of tournament football. In this episode you will learn How Dave's Blind Screen approach is developing and being used with elite athletes and teams. Why rotational movement may be an important missing consideration in traditional screening methods. How AI can help practitioners combine objective data with coaching and clinical insight. The key physical demands facing players heading into the 2026 World Cup. Why player preparation must become increasingly individualised after a demanding club season. The importance of sleep, recovery monitoring, travel planning and heat acclimatisation during a major tournament. Why mental freshness, squad togetherness and staff culture can influence performance at international level. What Dave learned from working with England at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. About Dr Dave Hancock Dr Dave Hancock is the CEO of Apollo and an experienced performance director, chartered physiotherapist and strength and conditioning coach. Across a career spanning more than three decades in elite sport, Dave has worked as Head Physiotherapist at Leeds United and Chelsea, served on the medical staff of the England national team at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, and spent seven years as Performance Director of the New York Knicks in the NBA. Through Apollo, Dave now works with sports teams around the world, using athlete management technology, data and AI to support player availability, injury risk management and performance decision-making. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
The 2026 Men's World Cup will place unprecedented demands on international teams: 48 nations, 104 matches and a tournament staged across Canada, Mexico and the United States, with teams required to manage heat, humidity, altitude, travel and limited recovery time. In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Ben Rosenblatt, Founder of 292 Performance and former Lead Men's Physical Performance Coach at The Football Association. Ben draws on his experience preparing the England men's football team for two World Cups and a European Championship, alongside his work with Olympic athletes, GB Hockey and elite performers across a range of sports. The conversation explores what it really takes to prepare athletes for tournament football at the highest level. Ben discusses why physical preparation cannot begin when players arrive in camp, how small doses of training can create meaningful change during a tournament, and why “available” is very different from “ready to compete” when returning players from injury. He also explains the physical and psychological challenges of competing in extreme environments, from heat and altitude to fatigue and pressure, and shares how the best performance teams use data, observation, communication and athlete understanding together to make better decisions. For practitioners working in elite sport, this episode offers a detailed insight into preparing players not simply to take part in major tournaments, but to perform when the demands are at their highest. In this episode you will learn Why effective tournament preparation starts months before the first game. How England used micro-dosed strength training during the 2018 World Cup to improve players' power and hamstring strength. Why athletes must continually adapt and “reinvent” themselves to sustain performance at the highest level. How Ben used daily monitoring with GB Hockey to prepare players for the demands of eight matches in 13 days at the Rio Olympics. Why data should be considered alongside observation, athlete feedback, staff conversations and practitioner judgement. The difference between returning a player to availability and preparing them to compete in the decisive stages of a major tournament. How performance teams can prepare players for heat, humidity, altitude and travel during the 2026 World Cup. Why recovery, nutrition, strength training and sprint exposure must be individualised rather than delivered as a single team-wide solution. How clarity, trust and pressure training help athletes execute when the stakes are highest. What the best high-performance environments look and feel like behind the scenes. About Dr Ben Rosenblatt Dr Ben Rosenblatt is the Founder and Director of 292 Performance, a multidisciplinary performance consultancy supporting elite athletes and organisations. He previously served as Lead Men's Physical Performance Coach at The Football Association, where he supported the England men's senior team through two World Cups and a European Championship. His career has also included work with the British Olympic Association, GB Hockey, elite football and Olympic athletes across multiple Games. Ben holds a PhD in biomechanics and motor learning, and his work focuses on helping athletes and teams prepare for the most demanding moments in high-performance sport. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Matt Thome is the Director of the Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory (NAPL) at University of Nebraska Athletic Department, where he leads applied sport science initiatives focused on technology integration, athlete monitoring, training strategies, and return-to-play processes to optimize performance and athlete health.Before Nebraska, Thome worked as a Sport Scientist at ALTIS supporting Olympic-level sprinters through monitoring, research, and strength training programming. He previously served as Head Strength & Conditioning Coach and Lecturer at Michigan Technological University and began his career at University of Richmond.Thome earned degrees from Grand Valley State University and Indiana University, and completed his PhD in Sport Science at Edith Cowan University in 2024, with research focused on training load and elite sprinter monitoring.___Download The Supertraining Reading Planhttps://strengthcoachnetwork.com/st___Buy Supertraining to Read Along with Ushttps://uaconcepts.com/product/supertraining
This week on the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Heather Farmer, Assistant Athletics Director, Sports Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Heather has been part of the UNLV athletics staff since 2016, first joining as Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning before moving into sport science and later being promoted to Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Science in 2024. In this episode, Heather shares how UNLV has built a sport science model from the ground up, why data should inform rather than dictate decisions, and how practitioners can create real buy-in across coaches, athletes, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, nutrition and psychology. The conversation explores the realities of working in collegiate sport, from the impact of the transfer portal to the challenge of supporting athletes when timeframes are shorter and rosters are constantly changing. Heather also discusses the importance of female athlete data, the risks of over-relying on wearable technology, and why return-to-play decisions must go beyond timelines and basic fitness markers. Throughout the episode, Heather brings the conversation back to one core principle: sport science is still about people. Data matters, technology matters, and AI may help practitioners work more efficiently, but the human side of performance remains central to everything. In this episode you will learn How Heather transitioned from collegiate soccer player to strength and conditioning coach, and then into sport science Why UNLV built its sport science model around being “human first” How to use data as an input rather than treating it as the final answer Why coach buy-in is easier when practitioners build trust and show value over time The challenges of applying male-dominated performance data to female athletes How the transfer portal has changed long-term athlete development in collegiate sport Why wearable technology can support performance but also create “analysis paralysis” How UNLV approaches return to play using performance outputs, not just timelines Why AI can support information gathering and efficiency, but cannot replace human judgement The importance of speaking the language of other disciplines in a high-performance team About Heather Farmer Heather Farmer is the Assistant Athletics Director, Sports Science at UNLV. She has been with UNLV since 2016, initially working in strength and conditioning before moving into sport science leadership. Her work focuses on integrating data-informed approaches across the high-performance team while keeping the individual athlete at the centre of the process. Before her career in performance, Heather played soccer at the University of North Alabama, where time spent rehabbing from injury and working in the weight room helped shape her interest in high-performance sport. She later worked across multiple sports as a graduate assistant at Lindenwood University before joining UNLV. At UNLV, Heather has helped grow sport science into a foundational part of the athletics department, working closely with coaches, athletes and interdisciplinary support staff to create a model that fits the needs of the university, rather than copying what works elsewhere. FREE 7d SCIENCE FOR SPORT ACADEMY TRIAL SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241 Learn Quicker & More Effectively Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More Improve Your Athletes' Performance Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research
Study referenced: Rønnestad, B.R., et al. (2025). Block training with moderate- or high-intensity intervals both improve endurance performance in well-trained cyclists. European Journal of Sport Science, 25(7), e70067.This week's video: Are You Too Slow for Aero? (What the Research Says)EIGHT Programme: semiprocycling.com/eightDaily cycling intelligence, produced by SEMIPRO CYCLING.
Sports and science go hand in hand, especially when it comes to softball and baseball. Join Molly and co-host Caris as they answer more of your questions about these two ballgames. Like why are bats measured in ounces? Or why do some players wear black paint under their eyes? Plus, we'll hear more of your chants and guess an all new Mystery Sound. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!) April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI Click here for a transcript of this episode.
Sports and science go hand in hand, especially when it comes to softball and baseball. Join Molly and co-host Caris as they answer more of your questions about these two ballgames. Like why are bats measured in ounces? Or why do some players wear black paint under their eyes? Plus, we’ll hear more of your chants and guess an all new Mystery Sound. Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!) April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) June 6 - Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI June 20 - Southern Theater, Columbus, OH June 21 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI Click here for a transcript of this episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Baseball and softball are both a feat of physics, from the curve of a pitch to the swing of a bat. Today, we’re exploring the science of these popular pastimes. Join Molly and co-host Kian as they learn about curve balls and the stuff inside a ball. Plus, our listeners share their chants for Team Science! Oh, and what’s that noise? It’s a brand new mystery sound. Play ball! Want to support the show? Join Smarty Pass to listen to ad-free episodes or donate! Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon! April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA (2nd show added!) April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON (2nd show added!) Click here for an episode transcriptSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.