The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Everyone is talking about Zone 2 training, but few understand the real science behind it. But thanks to a new scientific review, Much Ado About Zone 2: A Narrative Review Assessing The Efficacy of Zone 2 Training for Improving Mitochondrial Capacity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in the General Population, the real benefits of Zone 2 training are clear - it's not the regime that many believe is the secret to better fitness and improved fat oxidation. The team speak to the co-author of the review, muscle physiologist Prof. Brendon Gurd from the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University in Canada, who explains how the review was done and the conclusions that were reached.LinksThe narrative review from guest Brendon and his teamThe Meixner study showing how variable Zone 2 is depending on the metrics used to identify itThe Inglis study discussed briefly on the show, where moderate, heavy, severe and extreme exercise intensities were compared when overall energy expenditure was matched. VO2max increased more with higher intensity training, but not at moderate intensitiesSystematic review of studies comparing exercise at low or moderate to high and sprint intensity on mitochondrial content and capillary growth

Join DiscourseWeigh in on these and other stories by becoming a Science of Sport Discourse member with a small monthly pledgeShow notesThis week on the Spotlight, we dive into the latest Discourse Digest, unpacking talking points in the news.We begin with the Tour de France Femmes, where Pauline Ferrand-Prévot sealed a dominant win, and then her open discussion about intentional weight loss to improve climbing performance sparked wider conversation. Ross and Gareth explore the science and the risks, contrasting PFP’s short-term approach with Demi Vollering’s “health first” philosophy. We learn from other athletes about "body composition periodization" and share some caution, but also recognition, that elite athletes do "go there" for performance.In track, a new teen sensation has arrived: Cooper Lutkenhaus, just 16, stunned the world with a massive U16 World Record to finish second at the USA 800m trials. He is already the real deal, but that's no guarantee that he's not another star whose flame might flicker. We talk performance trends, hype, and the pitfalls of early stardom.There’s also some heat on the track—of a different kind—as sprinters Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek engage in a bit of spicy back-and-forth. Genuine beef or PR play? Either way, it’s getting people talking.Then we turn to IV drips—vitamin infusions marketed as wellness boosts. Ross and Gareth aren’t buying it, calling out the pseudo-science, health risks, and the doping red flags. We also tackle criticism of World Athletics’ SRY gene screen for eligibility in women's athletics. Ross breaks down what the critic got wrong and why women’s sport deserves constructive criticism and alternative solutions rather than unproductive, false dismissals of proposed solutions. A lively disagreement ensues - let us know your thoughts!And finally—smelling salts banned in the NFL. Players are upset, but should other sports follow? Tune in for all this and more.LinksPFP and Vollering talk about weight, performance and healthTrent S' paper on body composition periodization - how to do it: short term, controlled and fully aware of the risk factorsLetsrun recap of the US TrialsThe article critical of the SRY screen. Let us know what you think, constructive or destructive criticism?The IV drip discussion on Discourse, for members only (join now!)The NFL bans smelling salts (fineprint here - teams can't provide them, players can still use)

Multiple African Champion, Commonwealth Games medallist, Olympian, multiple Giro Rosa podium finisher and one of the most experienced riders in the women's World Tour, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio has seen it all. In a pro career that has spanned over 15 years, Moolman Pasio has been a force in virtually every format, from Grand Tours to one-day classics and in e-sports racing, where she was world champion in 2020. In the aftermath of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, Moolman-Pasio weighs in on the current status of women's cycling, explains how so much has changed in her time on the tour, how Zwift competition is regulated to ensure fairness, why the UCI's rules around bike weights doesnt work for women, how having an holistic approach to rider welfare at pro level will ensure better results and why the Covid pandemic proved to be a blessing for the women's sport.Discourse is our VIP community, where listeners gather around to chat more about the topics we cover on the show, the sports news, and anything else that has grabbed their sports science attention. If you want to be part of that community, and get way more value from The Real Science of Sport, you join by becoming a Patron on the show for a small monthly donation! We hope you'll support the show, and join the Sports science conversation!

Join DiscourseJoin Daisy and hundreds of others who comment, discuss, or read what has grabbed the interest of our listeners! For a monthly pledge, you can support our show, and get a whole lot more value!Show notesIn this episode of the Real Science of Sport Spotlight, we start with a Discourse Digest that looks back at a men's Tour de France that fizzled out, with tactical inertia exposing the gulf in performance and power to a dominant, ultimately barely challenged winner. We unpack race highlights, where it dwindled, and why the drama never truly arrived. Meanwhile, the Women’s Tour is heating up, despite Demi Vollering’s crash grabbing headlines The GC battle remains alive as tensions rise between rival teams over safety and entitlement.Concussion is in focus again (22:37), from both cycling and rugby, with Gary Ringrose’s self-withdrawal from Lions selection earning praise. We explore what this means for the culture of player welfare, how common this behaviour actually is, and how instrumented mouthguards could shape the future of concussion management.In Center Stage (35:46), we revisit our recent episode on fitness and training load, fuelled by great listener questions from our Discourse community. From the impact of life stress to the limitations of single-metric monitoring, we explore the complexity of training management, and why triangulation, not for the first time, is key.That theme continues in Listener Lens (55:07) with a dive into a fascinating listener question from John: why does heart rate drop when we’re fatigued? The answer lies in the the balance between two parts of our nervous system, and a brain that might not let us activate muscle. This opens up paradoxes around efficiency and fatigue, and how we react to early signs of overtraining.And Finally (1:05:13), we discuss the hype and hazards of young athletic prodigies, inspired by a 12 year who nearly won a medal at the Swimming World Champs. But cautionary tales about. We end by asking whether 10,000 steps a day is really necessary—or if Gareth’s dad can get by with 7,000? You'll find that...it depends!Links to stuff we spoke about!The war of words between FDJ and Visma after the Vollering crashEllen van Dijk's retirement announcementDiscourse members only: Discussion about Ringrose concussion, and Ross' discussion about the IMG use for such cases in futureHere is Discourse Member Gerald's outstanding post on fitness scores and training stress. Originally on Discourse, I've put this in the public, just for everyone's benefit, and as a teaser to see how fab and smart our listeners are! For more of the same, you know what to do!12 year old nearly reaches World Champs podium

TSS, Relative Effort, Fitness Score... Confused by all the numbers and what they mean? Mike and Prof. Tucker delve into the details of what defines fitness, how it is measured, the factors that influence fitness and how apps like Strava utilise metrics to provide a fitness score. But what do all the numbers mean, and how can we use them to understand our training better, get fit and peak just at the right time for an event? DiscourseJoin Discourse now, and become part of the growing community whose stories and testimonies inspired much of the content of this (and other) podcast! You do so by making a small donation here on Patreon, and then the world of sports science insight and opinion will be yours!

Join Discourse: you know what to do - small monthly pledge, and the community is yours!This week's Spotlight kicks off on the roads of France with a fast-paced Discourse Digest. Remco Evenepoel’s withdrawal sparks a discussion about whether he's fully healthy, or if affected preparation and fuelling challenges might account for his underperformance. Jonas Vingegaard seems to have narrowed one gap to Tadej Pogačar, only to find another expanding on the high-altitude climbs. Ross explains how their previously complementary strengths and weaknesses have evolved into a straight race with, so far, one winner. We also tackle Quinn Simmons’ controversial claims about motorbikes aiding Tim Wellens' stage win—ungracious perhaps, but correct and backed by aerodynamic science.In Center Stage (29:20), we dive into doping, the media, and trust in sport. Ruth Chepngetich’s diuretic case prompts a wider debate: what are media entitled to ask, and what responsibility do they bear in keeping sport honest? Is asking about doping unfair, or essential? A lively debate on Discourse spills over into the Spotlight!In Ross Replies (55:56) we take on Discourse member Larkim’s question: should sports equipment be modified for women? From volleyball to athletics, we explore where it already happens, and why more sports might benefit from doing the same. But what do women think, and how should sport consider the sometimes conflicting opinions on this issue?And Finally (1:07:20) a study of over 5,000 runners reveals that injury risk spikes after a single big jump in distance—not a gradual increase—reshaping how we think about training load.LinksQuinn Simmons on motorbikes and Tim Wellens' responseThe Aerodynamic paper on motorbikes and cycling performanceArticle translating the aerodynamic paper for a lay audienceDiscourse members only - discussion about Chepngetich, as featured in Center StageThe paper on single session running distance as an injury risk factor

In this episode, we dive into the intersection of the menstrual cycle and athletic performance—a topic often surrounded by strong opinions but surprisingly limited evidence. Joined by Dr Kelly McNulty, researcher and practitioner, and Sarah Massey, experienced coach, we break down the key phases of the cycle, highlight when ovarian hormone levels rise and fall, and explore the popular theory that certain types of training should align with these hormonal shifts. But does the science actually support that idea? Together, we take a critical look at the research—what’s known, what’s still unclear, and where the gaps are. More importantly, we focus on practical, athlete-centered approaches: being symptom-led, being "your own scientist", using tracking tools effectively, and how to open the conversation—especially with younger athletes—in a way that empowers and informs.Whether you're a coach, practitioner, or athlete yourself, this episode offers a grounded and positive perspective on managing training around the menstrual cycle without falling for the hype.Join DiscourseJoin Sarah Massey and hundreds of others on the best sports science chat community in the world! Discourse access is yours for a small monthly pledge, which you can make hereLinksOne of Kelly's papers that summarizes the literature and shows a trivial impairment during the early follicular phasePaper showing that the anabolic response to resistance training is unaffected by menstrual cycle phaseKelly's study on symptoms experienced during menstruation and their perceived effects on training and performanceResearchers raise the bar for studies on the menstrual cycle by calling for measurement, not guesswork"No influence of influence of women's menstrual cycle phase on acute strength performance or adaptations to resistance exercise training"Another of Kelly's papers, this one summarizing the literature on the effect of oral contraceptives on exercise performanceDeveloping a tool for ovarian hormone profile classificationKelly's educational resource, Period of the Period

Join Discourse - a small monthly pledge gives you access to the best sports science and sports insight community on the interwebs (yes, we are biased). Pledge here and join the conversation!In this emergency bonus episode, Ross reacts to the bombshell news: Kenya's Ruth Chepng’etich, who stunned the world with her record-breaking marathon in Chicago last year, has been provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit after testing positive for a banned diuretic in March. The performance shocked the running community at the time — questions and doubts sparked a parliamentary inquiry in Kenya after a journalist’s pointed question at the press conference. We even released a podcast titled “Too Good To Be True?” analyzing the run.Now, that skepticism feels vindicated. Ross breaks down why the doubts were justified despite the usual defenses ("she's always been talented", "she worked hard"). He explains what a diuretic does, why this kind of doping bust leaves him cold and underwhelmed, and how it fits a familiar pattern in elite sport. We also explore the shadowy roles of agents and coaches — and ask why it's always the athlete left holding the bag?Finally, Ross reflects on the cycle of hope, hype, and heartbreak that defines modern sport — from the marathon course to the Tour de France, can we trust what we see? Why should we, when the characters and incentives remain the same? Same script, different stage.LinksThe AIU statement on Chepng'etich's provisional suspensionThe timeline as posted by Chris Chavez on XOur podcast on the performance at the time - we were highly, highly skepticalThe Discourse thread at the time of that performance - members onlyThe Discourse thread that is growing now, out of the announcement last night - members only

Join Discourse by making a small monthly pledge, to double your Science of Sport experience!In a packed episode of Spotlight, we kick off with a Discourse Digest that begins on the grass of Wimbledon, where Jannik Sinner and a dominant Iga Świątek took home the titles. Then it’s to the rugby fields of South Africa, where the Springboks—led by the ever-innovative Rassie Erasmus—have once again found a tactical edge. But is it genius strategy or a rule-bending loophole?In Center Stage (17:10), the Tour de France is in focus. Jonas Vingegaard's muscle has matched Pogacar on short, punchy climbs, but can he hold his own as the race hits the high mountains? We also break down Remco Evenepoel’s pre-race cooling technique - placing hands and forearms in ice water - to explore what the science says about its effectiveness. Plus, we revisit the ongoing issue of concussions in cycling to explain the paradigm shift that is needed to buy space and time for better concussion identification.In Ross Responds (52:07), we revisit the topic of cramp and sodium loss, answering a listener question about 'salty sweat' with a dive into how our bodies prioritize the regulation of sodium concentration, and why sweat testing is nothing more than a measure of the body's systems working to defend physiological 'normal'. In Listener Lens (1:00:10), Tim is looking to break a barrier over 10km, and our Discourse community zeros in on the key to unlock that performance: pacing. We offer some advice to help him nail it.And finally (1:06:53), a Zwift racing series has Ross questioning the platform’s 'fairness'. Are the game's efforts to simulate equipment and drafting creating more distortion than accuracy?LinksArticle on South Africa's innovative midfield maul set upStanford study that finds that palm cooling (with a vacuum device) improves performance in bench press and pull ups. Too good to be trueConversely, study showing that palm cooling does not improve interval running performanceAnd conversely again, study showing that immersing the hands and forearm in cold water improves sprint performanceHealy's power numbers from the day, the trigger for our IF discussionCycling's concussion policyFor Discourse members only, Tim's question about his 10km quest and discussions on improving pacingDiscourse members talk cramp