Every month we take a deep dive into the latest research in sports science. In the December edition we start off looking at athlete availability. A new year-long study helps identify key times of year that injury might occur. We also look at the role of perception in the long jump, altitude training, back pain, cortisol response, probiotics, and more.
Read more
Middle-distance running requires a unique interplay of aerobic and anaerobic energetics. Historically, however, research on the events has centered on the aerobic side. Physiologist Gareth Sandford has sought to correct that imbalance by looking in detail at anaerobic speed reserve. He joins this week’s GAINcast to discuss his work and look at how to profile athletes and develop individualized training for complex events.
Read more
Every month we take a deep dive into the latest research in sports science. In the October edition we start off looking at disordered eating in sport, including a look at prevalence, warning signs, and more. We then look at how training can be viewed in terms of creating synergies, monitoring training load in endurance athletes, integrated sports rehabilitation, game day priming, and more. Read more
Elite athletes use all zones of intensity, but what makes them elite is knowing what each zone can be used for and what doses to use it in. Stephen Seiler has been at the forefront of analyzing how elite athletes train. He joins this week’s GAINcast to discuss successful training strategies for elite athletes. Read more
Today’s post again is a workout that athletes can do indoors or outdoors and solo or with a partner with proper social distancing. It’s an awesome field circuit workout that I call the Oregon Circuit. Although the name is representative of the University of Oregon’s track and field tradition, its roots are with Brazilian soccer players. So it’s a multi-sport workout that is flexible to the person and the facility that you have available. Read more
As it is Sunday, I will take a break from posting workout information. Don’t worry; more to come tomorrow! Instead today, I would like to share some inspiration from the great coach Al Carius that I think is applicable to our current plight. He has been men’s Cross Country and Track and Field Coach at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois for 52 years and has an incredible record of success. Read more
As I wrote yesterday, I do not want anyone to feel that I am trivializing the plight we are currently in. With athletic events cancelled around the world, sports is way down the list of daily priorities. But outside of personal sanitation habits, I think we should be encouraging the routines of health and well being and that for many is some consistency of training. So before I get into today’s topic, I thought I would share a story that has some parallels to what we are currently experiencing. Read more
Dr. Michael Joyner has been writing about the limits of human performance for decades and back in 1991 was one of the first to analyze the possibility of a sub 2-hour marathon. On this episode of the GAINcast, Joyner breaks down recent two hour attempts, the role of technology in pushing performance forward, and what trends he sees on the horizon for endurance athletes.
Every month we take a deep dive into the latest research in sports science. This month we start off by what exactly mental toughness is. We also summarize topics like the limited science of elite sprinting, connecting sprint speed to endurance performance, the load of warming up, periodizing skill acquisition, and more. Read more
Circuit training can be a vital tool in developing athletes. Many years ago I put together a DVD on circuit training, which is now available for streaming by HMMR Plus members. My approach to circuit training has certainly changed over my career, but some of the basic goals, principles, and construction guidelines remain unchanged. Below are the key points I highlight in the video before demonstrating some of my favorite circuits. Read more
