What does it take to be an Olympic champion?

Performance Scientist Dr Steve Ingham knows: he’s supported over 1000 athletes, including Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and Jessica Ennis-Hill.

In this insightful interview with Olly, he reveals how the tiniest details of an athlete’s training programme, the words and music used to motivate them, and even the occasional exposure to injury and failure combine to create a world-class performance.

Meanwhile, in The Zeitgeist, Ollie Peart considers the phenomenal growth of ‘robocalls’ in the USA - and wonders whether this trend will soon infiltrate the UK too.

In this week’s Foxhole, Alix Fox advises a listener who wants to bring sensory deprivation into the bedroom. How should one go about introducing cuffs, blindfolds, and pinwheels to a less enthusiastic partner?

The Foxhole is sponsored by our friends at mycondom.com - use the code ‘FOXHOLE’ for 15% off at Checkout.

Elsewhere, for this week’s Lifehack, Amanda Keetley from LessPlastic.co.uk offers up her Top 3 tips on how to eliminate single-use plastic from your life.

The Lifehack is sponsored by Podcast Lounge - the new podcatcher app for Windows 10 devices. Get your free trial at the Windows App Store now.

Finally, our record of the week is ‘Wrestling’ by Self Esteem. It’s the best thing to come out of Margate for decades, and it’s available to stream now.

If you’d like to suggest a challenge for Ollie, if you have a question of sex for Alix, or you’d like to share your story with Olly, get in touch via the Feedback form on our website, MODERNMANN.CO.UK

And, if you’re able to support the show - please do. For the cost of just one pint of beer per month you can help us create thirty quality episodes per year. Visit our website and click ‘Beer Money’. Thanks.

See You Next Tuesday!

Presenter: Olly Mann. Contributors: Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Steve Ingham, Amanda Keetley, Self Esteem. Producer: Matt Hill. Theme Music: ‘Skies Over Cairo’, by Django Django. Graphic Design: Jenny Mann Design. Copyright: Olly Mann / Rethink Audio 2018.

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