Knowledge Nuggets

‘Sports foods’ play a crucial role in meeting an athlete’s body’s energy needs during exercise. These nutrients serve various functions such as protecting cartilage, improving muscle quality, controlling weight, and much more.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how crucial sport brands can be in supporting fans’ mental health. This study, involving 770 sport fans, found that being involved with sport brands helps reduce feelings of emptiness and increases well-being.

Does mental toughness make a difference in sport performance? This review dove into research and found that athletes with higher mental toughness consistently perform better, especially in combat and individual sports.

Motor skill training doesn’t just improve performance, it rewires the brain! Athletes develop fewer but stronger brain connections through training, boosting focus and reaction time and giving them a mental edge.

Curious about your muscle type? This study suggests that the number of reps you can do at 80% of your maximum weight (1RM) reveals whether you have more fast-twitch or slow-twitch muscle fibers.

Nutritional strategies tailored to an individual’s genetic profile can significantly impact physical performance. Despite general guidelines, personalized nutrition for athletes considers genetic differences in nutrient absorption, metabolism, and utilization. Research in the fields of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics suggest that sports professionals should increasingly focus on personalized dietary plans to optimize athletes’ health, body composition, and...

If you’ve heard the expression, “It’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it,” then you know that emotional expression plays an important role in how others perceive what you say and do. Research shows that coaches’ emotional expressions influence athletes’ experiences in different ways depending on how emotions are socially and culturally...

Sailing athletes are constantly adjusting to weather conditions, risking injuries to the knee and lower back due to the sport’s dynamic nature. Customized training addressing vulnerable areas and a tailored nutrition plan, including timely macro- and micronutrient intake and supplements, have been shown to drastically reduce injuries and enhance performance in sailing.

Although there are known variations between female and male physiology, training protocols in female sport are largely based on research with male athletes. The hormonal variability experienced by women across the menstrual cycle, as well as the menstrual cycle variability between women, adds complexity to research on female athletes. A better understanding of the unique...

Chronic alcohol misuse causes muscle weakness and atrophy, while problematic drinking impairs muscle function and athletic performance. This study shows that alcohol consumption hinders muscle recovery and function, potentially reducing sport performance, especially in men.