Our mailbag is full, so it’s time to go through some listener questions about a variety of topics. On this week’s episode we dive into questions on the planning for truncated seasons, recovery, teaching the Olympic lifts, rest periods in circuit training, who do we want to grab a beer with, and more.
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Recently, it seems everyone has discovered the value of sleep. While we all know intuitively how important sleep can be, the science of sleep in sport has been slow to follow. Pat Byrne was a pioneer of developing sleep and fatigue programs in sports. On this week’s GAINcast he discusses what we know about sleep, and busts a few myths about sleep as well.
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When it comes to training, competing, and life all exert a significant amount of load on the athlete, through a variety of different mediums, including the physiological and psychological. In this article of the performance health series, I’ll explore what we can do to support our recovery from load. Read more
Every month we take a deep dive into the latest research in sports science. In the June edition we take a deep dive into several articles on building mental toughness and resilience in training. Mental toughness is a term that is thrown around a lot, but without many coaches knowing exactly what it is or how to train it. We then look at the importance of individualized recovery, and how coaches commonly monitor athletes. Read more
I have identified a new syndrome – the over-recovered athlete. I look at the landscape and I see athletes and teams spending as much or more time doing ice baths, cryotherapy massage etc. as they do in actual training. Rest and recovery are fine and necessary but only of benefit if you first do the necessary work. Read more
Welcome back to another edition of Sports Science Monthly. This month, we take a closer look at warm downs, ice baths, carbohydrates, and some new findings regarding sleep in athletes. Read more
Research studies often get big headlines in the popular science media, which can be eye-catching. In today’s media saturated world, a quick headline on social media is all many of us have time for. This, of course, can lead to us not getting the full picture, and having what we do in our day-to-day negatively impacted through the incorrect application of this information. Read more
After focusing on getting back to the basics in October and adaptation in November, we turned our attention to a new site theme in December: rest and recovery. Throughout the month we compiled best practices in this area from top coaches, including Dean Benton (English Rugby), Mike Bahn (formerly of US Ski), Nick Lumley (Edinburgh Rugby) and Vern Gambetta. We also got input from Matt Foreman on recovery as you age, and Craig Pickering on some of the science behind recovery. Combined, it will get you thinking about how to approach the topic going forward. Read more
The theme this month on HMMR Media is recovery. Recovery is a tricky area to navigate, with decisions often influenced as much by traditions, new technology, or pseudoscience as by research and common sense. On this episode of the GAINcast, Vern walks through the science of recovery, his approach, and what questions coaches need to be asking. Read more
When it comes down to it, much of sports training is about being able to endure more and come back and do it again. These are both points that rugby strength coach Nick Lumley has focussed on since taking over his role at Edinburgh Rugby this summer. He comes back on the podcast this week to explain how he has tried to improve body composition, increase endurance, and optimize recovery for his team. Read more
