Science and Understanding
Research Galore!- Summary of 2013 ACSM research
Each year for the biggest sports science conferences, I try and go through all of the abstracts being presented. It’s the second best option, since attending isn’t an option due to my schedule. Besides seeing the new research that is out there, you get to notice trends. It gives you a good idea on where…
Read MoreNeuro-Doping: The intersection of neuroscience and performance
I’m a science junkie. For the past few months, my interest has been on neuroscience in particular, partly due to the fact that exercise, fatigue, and performance is increasingly being seen as an issue that needs to be looked at from a neuroscience perspective. A few months ago I was reading a book on the…
Read MoreInflammation nation- Is inflammation good or bad?
Over the past year or so, the idea of making sure not to inhibit the training effect has risen in popularity. The old concept was that as soon as the workout was done, everything possible was done to recover for the next workout. In practicality, this made sense, as if we could recover for the…
Read MoreGenetics of sport- Does Doping change genes?
Genetics of sport- Are we searching in the wrong places? The topic of genetics of endurance sport is a fascinating one. For as long as I’ve been a competitive runner, the question of whether nature or nurture gave rise to the pocket of dominating distance runners in East Africa has been around. Researcher Yannis Ptisliadis…
Read MoreA Scientific look at Viagra enhancing endurance performance? No, not that kind, actual running performance…
Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall made a little bit of noise in the news when he said: “I know guys, it’s such competitive league and guys try anything just to get that edge…I’ve heard of guys using Viagra, seriously, because the blood, it’s supposed to thin . I don’t know. Some crazy stuff. It’s…
Read MoreA bunch of Scientific research from ACSM conference
Last week was the big American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting. I wasn’t in attendance as I was at the Prefontaine classic. So instead I had the pleasure of browsing through the 3,500+ abstracts that were presented at the conference. There were a lot of interesting studies to pop up, so I figured I’d…
Read More10-20-30 workout- Research flaws and Why there are no secret workouts.
Every once in a while a scientific studies simple concept crosses over the main stream and explodes in the exercise world. A decade ago it was Billat’s famous 30/30 which consisted of 30sec at supramaximal speeds with 30sec jogging. It was supposed to be the secret workout that improved VO2max and lactate threshold at the…
Read MoreWhy timing matters
Why timing matters Knowing what to do or what supplement to take doesn’t cut it anymore. Knowing what and why is great but there’s another dimension that is often neglected and that is to ask the question of when. While it is easy to get lost in the minutia that is increased knowledge of genetic…
Read MoreStress, Caffeine, recovery, and the immune system
I just started writing articles for Competitor.com and the first one went up today. In it I take a look at the negative side of taking Caffeine pre-race or workout. Caffeine is generally thought of as only a performance enhancer, which it does well, but there are drawbacks if you chronically use it. In the article…
Read MoreMeasuring Galvanic Skin Response….say what?
Galvanic Skin Response….say what? If you read letsrun.com and look up anything about me I’ll be branded as some science only nut who relies on too much science and forgets the “old school” way. If you were at my coaching presentation the Distance Summit put on at Queens University, after my “science” presentation you would…
Read More