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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

1:11:43

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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1:52:14

Rethinking Polarised Training with Dr Stephen Seiler

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/02/27

Dr. Stephen Seiler is arguably the world authority on endurance training, and popularized the concept of polarized training. But a new paper has revealed some fresh insights into training polarization which suggest that the training structure may only be suitable for certain types of athletes. Enjoy this deep dive into one of the most-discussed endurance topics as we break down the theory, look at the results of this ground-breaking systematic review, discuss how the results can inform training

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50:28

Spotlight: World Records Galore as Running's...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/02/20

This week's spotlight turns to the indoor tracks and roads of the world, as we discuss the continuing recalibration of running performance. Every USA Men's Indoor distance record was broken in the course of a week, with two world records among the performances. One of those world records didn't last the week, as Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke it in France. Then on the roads, Jacob Kiplimo took the half marathon into a new galaxy with a sub-57 performance. The two-hour marathon is now clearly within reach

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1:28:10

Can You Trust Your Sports Watch?

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/02/19

Dr Joe Warne is a former international athlete and the key instigator of the Sports Science Replication Centre at the Technological University in Dublin. Having also worked as a performance coach Warne has spent hours both testing and working with modern tech devices with a key interest in finding out how reliable and trustworthy the data is. In this interview, the team discusses the metrics you can best trust, how to interpret the data you get correctly, and what the future of wearable tech and

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24:23

Spotlight: Janik Sinner Banned For Three Months

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/02/15

Tennis star Janik Sinner has accepted an immediate three-month suspension for his 2024 clostebol positives. In this emergency Spotlight, Gareth and Ross discuss the agreement between Sinner and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and explain why both parties would have been incentivized to reach a settlement rather than go to arbitration at CAS in mid-April. We offer insights and early thoughts on whether, as claimed by Nick Kyrgios, this is "a bad day for tennis", or whether a three-month ban is

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1:26:51

Spotlight: Protecting Women's Sport - Update on New...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/02/12

In this Spotlight, we address some noteworthy recent developments in the regulation and protection of women's sport. In the most significant of these, World Athletics have announced proposals, still in consultation, that would compel elite female participants to undergo a screening test that looks for the SRY gene as an eligibility requirement. Ross explains why this step, inevitable and necessary for women's sport to deliver on its purpose, may be the most important one taken by any sport in the

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1:25:15

The Science of Mind Coaching in Sport

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/02/11

From international cricket to chess, boxing and hockey, Paddy Upton has helped the best sportspeople in the world achieve through his role as a performance coach. The team dig into how Upton has helped create the right performance mindset and explains how the best in the world handle mental pressure. Along the way Upton shares some remarkable success stories, explains how he went from a fitness instructor to a mind coach and whether BMT is really a thing. Upton's approach focuses on four core human

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1:05:07

Science of Sport Spotlight 4: News Roundup /...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/02/05

We have a news-heavy Spotlight for you this week, with stories from athletics, cycling and Rugby League to discuss. Shelby Houlihan's return from a doping ban has Gareth wondering about second-chances and forgiveness for dopers? Cycling's authorities met at the Cyclocross World Champs in Lievin and agreed to regulate the use of carbon monoxide and to prevent its misuse for performance enhancement. We talk about that decision and its details, and how it's a positive step, despite some recognized

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1:25:05

CRICKET SPECIAL: Is The Futue of Test Cricket Under...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/01/31

Former South African top-order batsman Gary Kirsten is one of the most respected voices in the modern game. After playing 101 Tests and 185 one-day internationals, Kirsten went on to a successful career as a coach. From 2008 to 2011 he coached India that included their win at the 2011 World Cup. Later in 2011 he was appointed coach of the South African team until August of 2013 and also had a brief stint with Pakistan in 2024, along with numerous coaching appointments in other formats including

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1:07:40

Science of Sport Spotlight 3: You Are Not Simon...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/01/29

In this episode, Simon Yates, carbohydrates and the applicability of sports science research to the masses are in our Spotlight. In an interview earlier this week, pro cyclist Simon Yates described a paradigm shift that has changed nutrition and training in the sport. Instead of five hour rides on "two eggs" and "water in the bottles" leaving him feeling exhausted, he talks about 120g/h of carbohydrates in training and racing leading to less fatigue, greater enjoyment, and significantly better

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1:39:02

The Role of the Modern Physio: Lessons from the Royal...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/01/17

Richard Hales has spent the last 22 yearsfixing Royal Marines at the Command Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) Lympstone in the UK and is the Clinical Lead within theirbespoke Exercise Rehabilitation Centre.So he knows a thing or two about the role of physiotherapy in a pressurised physical environment. The team delve into the role of a physiotherapist in both prevention and recovery; explains how data drives much of the research, why old-school physio techniques are questionable and whether

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57:49

Science of Sport Spotlight 2: Can We Trust Experts in...

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/01/15

Can we trust "experts" in the fitness and health industry? We put this question under the Spotlight this week, inspired by a combination of Gareth's fell running exploits and virus scare, his quest to replenish carbohydrates after racing, and a fascinating insider Discourse chat about the credibility of the fitness industry. How can fitness, health and sports enthusiasts know who to trust, and can they ever be assured of credible, effective advice from personal trainers and fitness influencers whose

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1:27:25

What Will Sport Look Like in 2050?

The Real Science of Sport Podcast ·

2025/01/09

A lot has changed since 2000 in sport but not everything predicted at the start of the Millennium has happened by 2025. So what may sport look like in 2050? Hosts Mike Finch and Prof. Ross Tucker - along with the Chief Sports Writer of The Guardian, Sean Ingle - look back at what was predicted in 2000 and what could happen 25 years from now. From age-defying world beaters to astonishing tech and the likely future and popularity of sporting events, sport looks set for some radical changes in the

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285 results

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