Training Science Podcast

In this end of year catch up, Prof Paul Laursen and Dr. Martin Buchheit reflect on the biggest lessons, debates, and breakthroughs from the past 12 months in training science. They share updates from the front lines of rehab and high performance work, unpack what is changing fast in sports science 3.0, and discuss how AI and better monitoring frameworks are reshaping how athletes and coaches make decisions. The episode wraps with their most downloaded podcast highlights of the year and a look ahead at what 2026 may bring.

In this episode of the Training Science Podcast, Dr. Martin Buchheit is joined by João Ribeiro, Head of Performance, to explore how elite football clubs monitor neuromuscular load and fatigue in real-world conditions.

Building on their previous discussion around injury prevention and microcycle design, this conversation shifts focus to the response side of the monitoring equation—how athletes adapt to training and competition. João explains how his department integrates GPS data, wellness metrics, creatine kinase (CK), and low-frequency neuromuscular fatigue testing using Myocene to support daily decision-making, particularly during congested fixture periods.

They discuss why passive, objective measures are essential when players cannot reliably perform maximal tests, how data is interpreted at the individual athlete level, and how monitoring is used to inform training availability rather than game selection.

The episode also highlights feasibility, staff and coach alignment, and player buy-in as critical factors for successfully implementing advanced monitoring systems in applied football environments.

References
Myocene: https://www.myocene.com/

Today’s speakers
Dr. Martin Buchheit: https://martin-buchheit.net/
João Ribeiro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo%C3%A3o-ribeiro-86997955

In this episode of the Training Science Podcast, Prof Paul Laursen sits down with Professor Anthony Turner to unpack the fundamental laws that underpin performance in every sport, from explosive team games to marathon running and cycling. Instead of debating opinions or trends, Anthony brings everything back to first principles: Newton’s laws of motion, impulse, force, and the biomechanics of movement.

Using endurance running as the main example, the conversation explores why strength training is just as essential as VO₂max and threshold for performance and economy. Ant explains how maximum strength and rate of force development shape running economy, ground contact time, stretch-shortening cycle efficiency, and ultimately time to exhaustion. They then extend these concepts to running, cycling, and long-term robustness.

Listeners will also learn how to progress strength logically: from movement quality and symmetry, to heavy lifting, to power work and plyometrics, all while staying healthy and reducing injury risk. Whether you coach team sports, work with endurance athletes, or train yourself, this episode will change the way you think about strength training, biomechanics, and sport performance.

Perfect for anyone interested in strength and conditioning, running economy, endurance performance, injury prevention, and applied sport science.

References:
https://thefitnessformula.training/

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Today’s speakers:

Prof Paul Laursen  https://www.paullaursen.com/   

Prof Anthony Turner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-turner-62073788/

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In this episode of the Training Science Podcast, Prof. Paul Laursen sits down with Athletica’s AI modeling lead, Dr. Andrea Zignoli, to break down how artificial intelligence is transforming endurance training. Fresh off publishing three major SPSR papers, Andrea explains the evolution of AI systems inside Athletica — from agent-based modeling, to AI-assisted HRV readiness monitoring, to the use of sentiment as a new internal load signal.

Paul and Andrea explore how structured “AI agent” architectures and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems allow large language models to move beyond basic chatbot behavior and become powerful tools for interpreting training data, detecting patterns, and supporting smarter athlete decision-making. They also look ahead at “Sport Science 3.0,” a future where coaching remains deeply human but is amplified by AI that can read files, interpret readiness, understand emotional states, and contextualize performance.

Whether you're a coach, athlete, sport scientist, or tech-minded performance professional, this episode offers a clear look at how AI is already shaping modern training — and what’s coming next.

References:
https://tiscourse.vercel.app/about

https://sportperfsci.com/the-computational-paths-of-knowledge-in-ai-coaching/

https://sportperfsci.com/sports-science-3-0-series-ai-assisted-hrv-monitoring-enhancing-training-load-response-and-decision-making/

https://sportperfsci.com/signatures-of-fatigue-transformer-based-sentiment-analysis-for-internal-load-monitoring/

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Today’s speakers:

Prof Paul Laursen  https://www.paullaursen.com/   

Dr. Andrea Zignoli: https://andreazignoli.github.io/ 

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In this episode of the Training Science Podcast, host Dr. Paul Laursen sits down with neuroscientist and performance expert Dr. Tommy Wood to explore the science behind The Stimulated Mind, Tommy’s groundbreaking approach to optimizing brain health and cognitive performance.

They dive into the key pillars of a thriving brain: environment, nutrition, metabolic health, sleep, and exercise. From the neonatal ICU to Formula 1 racing, Dr. Wood connects how our environment, movement, and mindset shape cognitive longevity and peak performance. Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or simply striving to think and feel better, this conversation will help you unlock the full potential of your mind and body.

References:

Substack: https://www.betterbrain.fitness/

The Stimulated Mind by Dr. Tommy Wood: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/751292/the-stimulated-mind-by-dr-tommy-wood/

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Today’s speakers:

Prof Paul Laursen  https://www.paullaursen.com/   

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtommywood/

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In this episode of the Training Science Podcast, Dr. Martin Buchheit sits down with performance coach and founder of 292Performance, Dr. Benjamin Rosenblatt, formerly the Head of Strength & Conditioning for the England national football team. Together, they explore the real engine behind athlete development: motivation, buy-in, and meaningful relationships.

Ben shares the story behind his transition from leading England’s physical performance program to building a high-impact, athlete-centered company that now supports elite performers across Europe. The conversation dives into his evidence-based methods for driving player engagement, the role of autonomy and competition in training, and how to manage different personalities, from mavericks to rising talent.

Whether you work in elite football, academy settings, physical preparation, or high-performance environments, this episode offers practical frameworks, coaching wisdom, and behind-the-scenes stories you won’t hear anywhere else.

Perfect for coaches, sport scientists, physiotherapists, and anyone interested in performance coaching, athlete motivation, high-performance team culture, and player development.

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Today’s speakers:

Dr Martin Buchheit https://martin-buchheit.net/    

Dr Benjamin Rosenblatt https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-benjamin-rosenblatt-03342514/

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🚴‍♂️💥 NEUROMUSCULAR FATIGUE, CONCURRENT TRAINING & PERFORMANCE: WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN ADAPTATION ⚡

Ever wondered how strength and endurance training compete inside the body? Prof Paul Laursen sits down with Michael Gerhardy to break down the neuromuscular science behind fatigue, recovery, and real-world performance: straight from Michael’s PhD research.

Inside this episode:
 🧠 How neuromuscular variables reveal the hidden cost of training fatigue
 🏋️‍♂️ The sequence of endurance and strength sessions, and why ORDER matters for adaptation
 ⚡ Finding the sweet spot of HIGH vs LOW neuromuscular demand for athlete performance

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 #TrainingSciencePodcast #HIITScience #NeuromuscularFatigue #ConcurrentTraining #TrainingLoad #PerformanceMonitoring #StrengthTraining #EnduranceTraining #SportsScience #Recovery #AthletePerformance #ExerciseScience #FatigueManagement #TrainingAdaptations #Coaching #ResearchToPractice

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Today’s speakers:

Prof Paul Laursen  https://www.paullaursen.com/   

Michael Gerhardy https://runupperformance.com.au/ 

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🏎️💪 FITNESS, FOCUS & FORMULA ONE: The ART of PERFORMANCE 🚀

From the ski slopes of France to the F1 paddock, Dr Pete McKnight’s coaching journey has been anything but ordinary 🌍

In this episode of The Training Science Podcast, Martin and Pete unpack decades of lessons from Olympic sport to motorsport:

🏋️‍♂️ Why “getting fitter” doesn’t always mean better performance
 🧠 Emotional control: the invisible skill that separates the greats from the good
 🏎️ Inside the training demands of Formula One drivers

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#TrainingSciencePodcast #HIITScience #StrengthAndConditioning #FormulaOne #PerformanceScience #EliteSport #Coaching #AthleteDevelopment #EmotionalControl #HighPerformanceTeams #SportsScience #MindsetMatters #MotorsportFitness #Resilience #LeadershipInSport #PerformanceOptimization

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Today’s speakers:

Dr Martin Buchheit https://martin-buchheit.net/    

Dr Pete McKnight https://www.linkedin.com/in/petemcknight/ 

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🚴‍♀️ RESILIENCE TO RESULTS IN  HIGH PERFORMANCE 💥

From the operating theatre to the Olympic start line: Rachel Neylan shows what TRUE high performance looks like 👏

In this episode of The Training Science Podcast, Paul sits down with Olympian, physiotherapist, and coach Rachel Neylan to explore how elite sport principles can reshape how we train, recover, and even perform in high-stakes professions like surgeons 🧠⚡

💪 The art of resilience and developing mental toughness through adversity
 🧩 Balancing data, intuition, and human connection in high performance
 🏥 Why surgeons are the “athletes” of medicine
 🚴‍♀️ Lessons from a lifetime in sport

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 #TrainingSciencePodcast #HIITScience #Cycling #Olympics #PerformanceScience #AthleteMindset #Resilience #MentalToughness #Coaching #AIinSport #SportsScience #HighPerformance #Physiotherapy #CoachingPsychology #Recovery #HealthAndPerformance

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Today’s speakers:

Prof Paul Laursen  https://www.paullaursen.com/   

Rachel Neylan https://rachelneylan.com/ 

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❤️‍🔥 HEART RATE, TRAINING ZONES & LOAD: Measuring what really matters in performance 📊

It’s time to bring HEART RATE back into the conversation ❤️

In this episode of The Training Science Podcast, Dr ‘Martin Buchheit sits down with Dr Ibrahim Akubat to unpack the real science behind HR, training zones/load, and dose-response adaptation, and why these principles still matter in modern coaching.

💓 The evolution of heart rate monitoring in sports science
 📈 Understanding TIME in zone as a significant parameter
 ⏱️ Finding the minimal effective dose for adaptations (30 min/week!)

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#TrainingSciencePodcast #HIITScience #HeartRateMonitoring #TRIMP #TrainingLoad #ExercisePhysiology #SportsScience #PerformanceMonitoring #InternalLoad #ExternalLoad #TrainingAdaptation #Rehabilitation #CoachingScience #PerformanceMetrics #SportsPerformance

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Today’s speakers:

Dr Martin Buchheit https://martin-buchheit.net/    

Dr Ibrahim Akubat https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ibrahim-akubat-168b0151/ 

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References:

New HR monitoring and dose-response paper:
https://sportperfsci.com/revisiting-dose-response-relationships-between-heart-rate-zones-trimps-and-aerobic-related-physiological-and-performance-markers-in-elite-team-sports/ 

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