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PODCAST

The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Professor Ross Tucker and Mike Finch

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

sports

All Episodes

1:15:28

Sport and Skin Cancer: How Big is the Risk?

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/06/17

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: you smear it on from a young age!) and the breakthrough treatments that are not yet available

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1:00:37

Spotlight: Carbs vs Fat in Comrades Champions? /...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/06/11

Join the DiscourseA 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 hereShow notesThis 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 Chebet’s near-world record 5000m is not a miss, just a delay. Then we shift to the French Open, where Carlos

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1:20:46

The Science of Recovery

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/06/09

The science of recovery is more complex than you may think. When do you know you have recovered? What does recovery look like? How much do you need to recover? Mike and Ross delve into the subject to discuss the physiology of recovery, the most effective researched recovery methods, what science reveals about the numerous recovery products on the market, and how to utilise the right recovery protocol to enhance performance, long-term motivation and overall ability.LinksSystematic review on Recovery

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1:13:41

Spotlight: Yates’ Giro Raid, Boxing’s Line, and a...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/06/04

Join DiscourseThe Spotlight is inspired and informed by our Discourse community. If you want to be part of that, sharing insights and inspiration with listeners, you can become a Patron of the Podcast here, make a monthly pledge, and the VIP room is yours to explore! It won't cost you even 2% of what the Enhanced Games are charging, and our advice actually works, and is safe!Show notesAt 1:09. In the Discourse Digest news roundup, Gareth and Ross tackle three stories where science and policy

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1:20:25

Spotlight: Breaking the Physiological Bank in...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/05/28

Join DiscourseGareth Davies, Mayor of The Real Science of Sport, is ready to welcome you as a citizen of our VIP community! To join the conversation, make a monthly pledge at Patreon.com and get access to the shared expertise and passion of fellow listenersShow notesIn this week’s Spotlight, we tackle an intriguing training question from a listener in our Discourse community: do short surges during easy or moderate training days undermine the training benefit? To explore this, we look to the current

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1:11:37

INTERVIEW: Conquering the 400km Cocodona Trail Run

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/05/28

The Cocodona 250-mile (402km) trail run is one of the toughest endurance challenges in the world as athletes battle the distance, sleep deprivation, nutritional challenges, muddy trails and 12,500 m of elevation. Trail legend Ryan Sandes finished second in 2025 and takes us through his motivation for competing, his training regimen, and his experience competing in this extreme challenge.NOTES:Check out more the Cocodona 250 HERE Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for

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1:27:24

Spotlight: Peril, Pills, Promises & Potential:...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/05/21

Join DiscourseNutrition tips, training insight, performance debates, sports opinions — if you’re into it, we’re talking about it. Become part of the “Science of Sport” Discourse community via Patreon.Show notesThis week on Spotlight, we take a tour through some of the big stories in sport and sports science right now—from race tactics and concussion protocols to doping ethics, expert credibility, and how we identify and develop talent.We start with a lively discussion on the Giro d’Italia and that

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1:19:26

Spotlight: High Carbs, High Speeds, High Times…and a...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/05/07

Become a Discourse memberEnjoy the pod? Support us with a small monthly donation on Patreon and unlock access to our exclusive Discourse community—deep dives, hot takes, and smarter sport talk await!In this week’s Spotlight, we dive into the science behind an eye-watering nutrition number: 200 grams of carbohydrate per hour. That’s what elite Ironman Cameron Wurf reportedly consumed during a record-breaking bike leg in Texas. But does the body actually use it all—or is there a ceiling to sugar

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1:11:08

Spotlight: Talent, Trust and Testing Transparency

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/04/30

Join The Discourse CommunityIf you enjoy the podcast, you’ll love our Discourse community. Become a member of “The Science of Sport” community by joining with a small monthly pledge on Patreon — and be part of the conversation behind the conversation.Show notesIn this week’s Spotlight, we open with a brisk roundup of major stories from the world of sport and policy. We look at new developments following the UK Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act, including the first tangible policy response. We

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1:34:59

MARATHON SPECIAL: London & Boston Round-Up /...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/04/29

In this round-up of the two big spring marathons—Boston and London—Mike and Ross rate the performances of the top athletes while debating whether pacesetters should be used in major marathon events. The team then delve into the ultra-competitive world of shoe tech, where Mike gets to do a running economy test in a pair being touted as the world's fastest running shoes.SHOW NOTES:Results of the testing done by the University of Massachusetts Amherst on Puma's Fast-R 3Study on how shoe mass affects

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1:43:50

Spotlight: The Birds & the Bees of Sports Science...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/04/24

Join our Discourse CommunityThe Science of Sport is more than a podcast — it’s a growing community of curious, thoughtful people in sport and sports science. Join our Discourse by pledging on Patreon and tap into the deeper conversations.Show NotesWhere do scientific papers come from?In this week’s Spotlight, our main focus is a “birds and bees” conversation of the scientific world. Ross walks Gareth through how a research paper is conceived, conducted, and eventually delivered into the world

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1:49:35

Spotlight: The UK Supreme Court and Implications for...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/04/17

We’ve got a blockbuster episode of Spotlight for you today.We kick things off with an important discussion around women’s sport and transgender athlete policies, following a landmark ruling from the UK Supreme Court on the legal definition of “woman” in the Equality Act. We know this topic won’t be for everyone, so if you'd prefer to skip ahead to the sports performance and race insights, you can jump straight to that action at about 1:07:12 in the podcast.For those looking for insight on this

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1:11:43

Spotlight: Fatigue as a Risk, a Requirement and a Red...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/04/10

In this Spotlight episode, Ross and Gareth tackle a provocative question: should sports embrace fatigue to make the show better? We kick off with rugby union, where fresh legs off the bench and player welfare are fuelling debates about injury risks. But things quickly get philosophical. Some sports are basically designed to test how much fatigue you can take. Others are compromised when fatigue creeps in — skills drop, mistakes rise — yet fatigue also cranks up the drama and emotion. So, which

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1:39:27

Heat, Hydration and 'Bum Clinics': The Science of...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/04/08

Join the team as they dive into the complex world of event sports medicine with guest Dr Darren Green. The team talk about the complexity of setting up a medical facility for major sporting events while tackling the challenges of extreme weather, hydration, injuries and cardiac incidences. Dr Green explains how medical teams work with event organisers to ensure competitor safety and gives practical advice on how participants should look after themselves to ensure they don't end up in a medical tent

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59:13

Spotlight: Matters of the Heart / Heart Health in...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/04/03

It's a heart-to-heart on Spotlight today, as Gareth and Ross kick off by discussing a Discourse question about whether running marathons is bad for your heart? Ross describes five cardiac "risks" that have been documented, giving context and a bit of reassurance in response to theory that excessive endurance training is damaging to heart tissue. We then talk about maximum heart rate, and why it's an imperfect anchor for training prescription and a poor comparison between people. We shift from heart

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1:54:49

Spotlight: A New IOC President / A New Tool To...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/03/27

It's a bumper Spotlight in a bumper week of big sports news. To cover it comprehensively, Ross & Gareth are joined by Sean Ingle of The Guardian to discuss the election of Kirsty Coventry to lead the International Olympic Committee. We explore her path to victory, enabled by Thomas Bach's support, and how she might lead the organization through looming challenges, including the integrity of the IOC's bid/host city selection process, and women's sport. On the subject of women's sport, Sean also

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1:07:25

Spotlight: Teen Sprint Phenoms Accelerate / Talent...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/03/20

In this Spotlight, Gareth and Ross kick off by looking back at teen sprint phenom Gout Gout's latest performances, which continue to project a spectacular yet unknowable future. Across the Ocean, a young South African put down a teen-sprint marker of his own with a sub-10s performance, and we use those performances to discuss the nuanced, fluid and undefinable element of super-talents in sport. What matters, what doesn't, what is required for entry into the elites, and what makes a difference once

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1:21:39

Spotlight: Physiological "Frugality", Power and Speed...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/03/12

In this week's Spotlight, we swing the light from cycling to doping, via trans news updates and some success stories from our Discourse members. We kick off with a chat about whether we've been too obsessed with power numbers, and not talking enough about speed, as pointed out by Christoph Roodhooft of Alpecin's pro-cycling team. We discuss what it means to be an "economic cyclist", which allows Gareth to propose the concept of "physiological frugality", which we are 100% sure will take over from

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1:12:18

Spotlight: The Science of Improving Human...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/03/05

On today's Spotlight, we ask why runners are racing faster than ever? The same could also be said of cyclists, and we use an intriguing article by Amby Burfoot to explore and discuss the possible contributors, ranging from super shoes to the "Bannister effect". It leads us back to ground we've covered before (shoe tech, carbs), some areas we have yet to cover in detail (bicarbonate), and down some dark alleys that may contain the future (and possibly present) of doping methods.We also talk about

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1:05:44

Spotlight: A Women's Sub 4-minute Mile? / A Tale of...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/02/28

In this Spotlight, Ross and Gareth become "bros" to discuss and critique a recent paper that forecasts a sub-4 min mile in women (specifically, Faith Kipyegon) if drafting strategies were improved. Ross explains his skepticism and reaction to straw man arguments in media about the paper, and the framing of the seven second improvement required as a "mental barrier". This ushers in a new segment for the show, "Grinds my Gears!".We also learn from a Discourse member, @pauliuspeciura, about how to

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277 results

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