SIRC articles provide evidence-based and actionable insights from sport researchers, athletes, coaches, sport organizations and thought leaders to advance sport in Canada.
Team Unbreakable: The transformative power of running for youth mental health
Mental health challenges among Canadian youth are a growing concern. It is estimated that up to 20% of children and youth in Canada, which is more than 1.2 million young individuals, are affected by a mental health disorder. Addressing the mental health needs of these children and youth lays a crucial foundation for their lifelong…
Childhood obesity rates in Canada have been increasing over the last three decades. Establishing a healthy lifestyle for your child can help combat obesity and maintain a healthy weight. A great way to maintain a healthy weight is to eat...
Every athlete can benefit from strong hip flexors; however hip flexor strengthening is very seldom included in athletic training regimens. The hip flexors are the group of muscles that allow you to lift your knees toward your chest or bend...
Athletes deal with many adverse situations ranging from injuries, to coping with pressure, to dealing with mental lapses that can derail their ability to concentrate on performing. Being able to bounce back from setbacks or situations that cannot be controlled...
Recovery is paramount to attaining peak performance and minimizing the chances of overtraining. For athletes who carry out repeated bouts of high intensity workouts, the ability to recover between the repetitions and the days between these sessions can improve performance....
For most people daily exercise is dictated by when they can fit it in during their busy schedules. We all know that physical activity has many health benefits and doing the recommended minimum has a better outcome than being inactive....
As an athlete, taking some time off from your sport is an essential part of the training process. After a long season your body needs time to recover. Getting away from your sport for a while also helps rejuvenate that...
If you’re planning on running your first marathon this year, before you start your training, it’s important to create a training plan. Your training program should include answers on how much you are willing and able to train, your experience...
Athletes practice and train to be able to duplicate what they have learned from these sessions come match time. Being instinctive during a game allows for consistency and proper execution. To be able to compete at your best, an athlete’s...
“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” Arthur Ashe. Athletes devote many hours of training over a season with a support team consisting of coaches, trainers and doctors to ultimately get the chance...
Athletes train to be able to perform with confidence during competition. They prepare both physically and mentally for all sceneries but there are situations that athletes cannot control on competition day such as weather, the venue or their opponents. Sometimes...