Knowledge Nuggets

Everesting is the latest fad sweeping the cycling world. The concept is easy – pick any hill, anywhere in the world, and complete repeats of it in a single activity on bike (or on foot or online), until you climb 8,848m – the equivalent height of Mount Everest. Current cycling record holders are two climbing...

Group norms represent a set of assumptions held by members of a group concerning acceptable and unacceptable behaviours, providing a glimpse into the inner workings of a group and insight into what members deem important. While some norms can be positive (e.g. expectations to show up on time and work hard), others can be negative...

Want to show staff and volunteers they are appreciated? Common mistakes include expressions of gratitude that are inauthentic or sweeping generalizations; neglecting standard company procedures such as annual reviews; letting employees feel isolated from coworkers or the larger organization; and sudden or unexplained shifts in your appreciation practices.

Longitudinal studies allow us to observe behavioural changes and identify patterns over time, providing unique insight on how behaviours are affected by life events. New research using data from the Monitoring Activities of Teenagers to Comprehend their Habits (MATCH) study, which followed nearly 1,000 children for eight years, describes how Canadian youth follow different trajectories...

The 2020 Summer SIRCuit in now available! Browse our newest collection of articles, offering timely and relevant research and insights relating to leadership, athlete development, and high performance sport.

High-top basketball shoes are often marketed for their ability to minimize the risk of ankle injuries, however this claim is not supported by the evidence. Instead, increased risk has been linked to prior ankle injuries. Experts recommend wearing whatever feels the most comfortable and supportive.

It’s not only winter sports that are at risk from climate change. Extreme weather conditions affected a range of sport events, including the 2020 Australian Open tennis (heat and smoke); the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan (Typhoon Hagibis); and the 2019 IAAF World Track and Field championships in Qatar (extreme heat). Event organizers need...

“Skills learned slowly are forgotten slowly” is an aphorism that should be used to coaches to inform practice structure. While a blocked practice structure may improve short-term practice performance, a randomized practice structure poses a greater challenge to learners resulting in enhanced motor learning and thus better long-term performance.

New research led by David Hardisty, professor at the UBC Sauder School of Business, investigates the science behind why we procrastinate and how excitement, anticipation, and dread factor into decision-making. To break the cycle of procrastination, Hardisty recommends changing the language of how you think about negative tasks. Instead of “having to” go for a...

As Canadians retreated to their homes to limit the spread of COVID-19, researchers from the University of the Fraser Valley launched a study to examine how life in lockdown would affect physical activity and wellbeing. Research results show those who became more active during the pandemic reported lower anxiety than those who spent less time in outdoor physical activity;...