The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Rower Drew Ginn is one of Australia's most decorated athletes with five world championships and three Olympic gold medals to his name. From 1995 to 1998, he was also a member of the famous Oarsome Foursome coxless four, which had dominated the sport for much of the 1990s. In this interview, Ginn explains why his own upbringing was the perfect catalyst for his success, what makes a good rower,...

In episode 20, celebrity author, columnist, and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell apologised for the way he had handled a debate on trans athletes at the 2022 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference with Real Science of Sport podcast co-host Prof. Ross Tucker. His statements ignited a media reaction that suggested Gladwell had done an about-face on the issue. But did he need to apologise and why did he fee...

Author, speaker, podcaster and columnist Malcolm Gladwell has sold over 25 million books, including titles such as  The Tipping Point ,  What the Dog Saw, Outliers,  and  Talking to Strangers. Many of the ideas and concepts featured in their pages have influenced everyone from business leaders to sports administrators, while his regular columns in The New Yorker since 1996 have...

Get with the Discourse, and share thoughts on the subjects we tackle - a small monthly pledge gets you into the VIP room for the "best content on the internet!". Plus, we really value the support! Don't forget you can also watch us on YouTube ! Show notes In this Spotlight , our news roundup begins with a look ahead to the Tokyo World Championships, via a rewind to the Diamond League finals in Zur...

The conversation begins, continues, but rarely ends, on Discourse ! As mentioned, you can become a member of our VIP community by donating a small monthly amount to show your support , and dive into sports science and opinion. We are also on YouTube now , for those who want to watch. Show notes In today's spotlight, our Discourse Digest looks back at some remarkable track & field performances...

Join Discourse Join Kona champions, beer mile WR holders, sports scientists, and sports enthusiasts who will add exponentially to the value of the show! Make a pledge at Patreon, and become a Discourse member to become part of the conversation. We are now also on YouTube - you can watch our Spotlights here ! Show notes Today on Spotlight , the Discourse Digest kicks off with two world records: one...

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 th...

Join Discourse Weigh in on these and other stories by becoming a Science of Sport Discourse member with a small monthly pledge Show notes This 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...

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 champ...

Join Discourse Join 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 notes In 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 t...

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 t...

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...

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...

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...

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 fo...

It's time to pour yourself some pickle juice and suck on a salt tab (or is it?) as we talk exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMCs) - one of the most complex, and common, afflictions facing athletes. Difficult to research and predict, the causes of EAMC's can be varied depending on the individual, as are the solutions to fix them. In this episode, Prof. Ross Tucker and Mike Finch break down the m...

Discourse - the best thing about this Podcast, is all yours for a small monthly pledge. No exorbitant fee, no toilet paper advert every 510min, and access to hundreds of listeners who share great advice, insight, training strategies and opinion. Join now! The show This week on The Real Science of Sport Spotlight world records fall and big questions rise. Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet lit up t...

Kevin Ullyett has won 34 career tennis titles - including two doubles (2001 US Open, 2005 Australian Open) and one mixed (2002 Australian Open) Grand Slams - and had a world ranking of 107th in singles. So he knows what it's like to fight his way through the ranks and play among the best. In this interview with Ross and Mike, Ullyett explains what it takes to make it to the top tier of professiona...

We kick off this Spotlight at the Western States 100, where much of the buzz centered on David Roche’s DNF. Roche, a polarizing figure who promised to “science the shit” out of the race, faced unfair criticism both before and after the race, and Ross reflects on how the scientific process often works best when the "hypothesis" fails, and why confronting failed hypotheses to explain under-performan...

Carbohydrates have always been part of the endurance equation—but how much, when, and which types remain hotly debated. In this listener-driven episode, we tackle those questions and more, exploring a new paradigm in performance fueling that’s reshaping how athletes think about energy during exercise. Dr. Jamie Whitfield, Senior Lecturer at Australian Catholic University’s Mary MacKillop Institute...

Join Discourse Discourse is our VIP community where listeners share insights, opinions and perspectives on the stuff we love to talk about. You can become a member by making a small monthly pledge here Show notes In a packed edition of Spotlight , we start our Discourse Digest segment with a dive into the men’s 5000m, where non-African athletes have taken control of the rankings and victories so f...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Joe Warne, founder of the Sports Sciences Replication Center (SSRC) and senior author of a landmark new study that should send shockwaves through the world of sports and exercise science. Joe and his team undertook an enormous replication effort—repeating the methods of previously published research to see if the results hold up. The outcome? Just 28% of the stu...

Join Discourse for more Discourse is the best Sports Science community on the internet, and yes we are biased. But if you want to see for yourself, membership is a monthly pledge away , and then you too can gain access to opinion, insight and analysis from The Real Science of Sport army! Show notes This week in Spotlight, we kick of with a Discourse Digest exploring the UCI's equipment rules — mos...

Most sport takes place outdoors, and with growing concerns around sun exposure, active people are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer than most. Dr Dagmar Whitaker, vice president of the World Melanoma Society and one of the leading authorities on the subject, breaks down the current trends, explains which countries present a higher risk, the most effective ways to prevent skin cancer (hint...

Join the Discourse A small monthly donation gets you access to Discourse, our VIP community that informs these Spotlights, and exponentially adds value to your experience! If you want to support, and learn, you can donate here Show notes This week on The Spotlight, we put big claims, bold performances, and comeback stories under the microscope. In Discourse Digest (00:00) , we discuss why Beatrice...