Around the world, the way that young talent is identified is often done without an understanding of how young athletes develop. We talk to Norwegian researcher in the field, Eirik Halvorsen Wik, PhD, from Cape Town's Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine at Stellenbosch University, for a close look at the challenges faced by young sporting stars, why there may be a better way to make selections at youth level and how to ensure the best athletes are given the best chance at long term success. Wik has previously worked at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre.
SHOW NOTES: A news story on the Ultra runner who took a car trip for 2.5 miles mid race
The paper in which coaches are revealed as not being all that good at spotting good running economy
Our guest Eirik Wik’s study on injuries in adolescent athletes
Another paper published by Dr Wik, describing different injuries with age in elite adolescent footballers:  Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why How We Select Young Sporting Talent Is Probably All Wrong

World-renowned sports scientist Professor Ross Tucker and veteran sports journalist Mike Finch break down the myths, practices and controversies from the world of sport. From athletics to rugby, soccer, cycling and more, the two delve into the most recent research, unearth lessons from the pros and host exclusive interviews with some of the world's leading sporting experts. For those who love sport. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sports

Today we introduce the Science of Sport Spotlight, a category of podcast that we intend to use to round up all the big sports stories with a sports science angle, and then share those insights with you. Today, we discuss the news that transgender swimmer Lia Thomas has lost a case brought against World Aquatics' transgender guidelines at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But it's not entirely as it seems - the case was dismissed because Thomas is not eligible to bring the case as Thomas is no longer a member of US Swimming. In this Spotlight episode, Professor Ross Tucker explains why that is frustrating for World Aquatics and other sports, and why the Thomas case would have made an interesting test in the court.
Notes: 
Sean ingle's article on the decisionThe research paper by Senefeld that analysis Thomas' performance changes with testosterone suppression, alluded to in the showAnother research paper, on which I am a co-author, which explains why the IOC Guideline on the trans issue is so misguidedPatrons only: The discourse thread that mentions the Ultra cycling race won by a trans woman this past weekend
 You can join the ongoing sports science conversation, and support our work, by becoming a Patron member at this link.
That Patron membership gives you access to our Discourse channels, where like-minded enthusiasts discuss sports science and news Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Science of Sport Spotlight 1: Lia Thomas loses case against World Aquatics

With 50 days to go to the Paris Olympics, it's all systems go for athletes, coaches, and media. Sean Ingle will be covering his 7th Olympic Games, and he joins us from Rome's European Track and Field Championships to talk about some of the themes we expect to make the news at these Paris Games. They include tech's pervasive and unavoidable influence on performance, a simmering feud in the world of anti-doping, and the evolution and relevance of the Olympic Games in the face of both external and internal pressures. We also present The Official Science of Sport surveys in which you get to vote for your favourite event of the Games, and our ambitious consensus project to classify the Olympic Sports by their physiological and psychological demands. A busy period of great sport starts here!
Show notes:
Here is where you sign up to become a Patron and get access to our awesome and informative Discourse community
The Discourse page, for those who are already Patrons of the pod (you sign in with your Patron log-ins)
If you want to join our survey to rate the Olympic sports for their athletic components, here is the link to the once-off survey
Our 'bracket' challenge to pick your most engaging, popular specific event
We spoke of tech in cycling on the show, and here's an announcement from Team GB/Lotus about their track bikes for their Paris campaign
Here's the paper with Kenenisa Bekele has a co-author, that recognizes that the new era performances, powered by super shoes, and aided by wavelights, need an asterisk alongside them
Follow Sean Ingle on Twitter/X

 Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

50 Days to Go: Let the (build up to the) Games begin

Join host Mike Finch, co-host Prof. Jill Warner and Dr Dale Rae, Director at Sleep Science and a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Physiological Sciences at the University of Cape Town, as they discuss what good sleeping habits look like, what constitutes a good sleep routine, catching up on sleep, the effects of sleep deprivation and why sleep dictates mood regulation, body health and even weight gain.  
 Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Habits of Good Sleep

Dr Nick Tiller literally wrote the book on it, The Skeptics Guide to Sports Science (available from Amazon HERE). As an exercise scientist at Harbour-UCLA in the US, columnist, writer and author, Tiller challenges many of the claims made by marketers and others, in the name of sport science. With the team Tiller delves into the details of questionable sports science, how to spot the good from the bad and the areas where sports science is most vulnerable.
Follow Nick:  Web: www.nbtiller.com Instagram: @nb.tiller X: @NBTiller Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Sceptics Guide To Sports Science with Dr Nick Tiller

The team is joined by Professor Stuart Phillips from the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University and one of the leading experts on resistance training. Phillips is the Director of the Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE), the McMaster Centre for Nutrition, Exercise and Health Research and Lab Lead for the Exercise Metabolism Research Group. In this episode Phillips explains the amazing benefits of weight training, why even a little can reap big benefits for everyone and what sort of training suits best depending on your age, sport and goals.
SHOW NOTES:
Join us on Patreon for more content including access to our Science of Sport Discourse platform, and join the conversation!
Follow our guest Prof Stuart Phillips on X
Stuart's recent paper on the coming of age of resistance training as a primary form of exercise for health
A previous article on Stuart's resistance training research from his university
A few of the specific papers on strength training that were discussed on the show: 
Resistance exercise load does not determine training-mediated hypertrophic gains in young menTraining for strength and hypertrophy: an evidence-based approachLow-load high volume resistance exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis more than high-load low volume resistance exercise in young menEffects of once- versus twice-weekly eccentric resistance training on muscular function and structure in older adults: a randomised controlled trial
 Instagram handle for Avery Faigenbaum, Professor of Pediatric Exercise Science, who Stuart mentioned as a good source of information





 
 Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why How We Select Young Sporting Talent Is Probably All Wrong

Download our free app to listen on your phone