Knowledge Nuggets

SIRC’s Knowledge Nuggets provide a daily source of insight, leveraging the latest in research findings, promising practices, relevant news and practical resources.

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Showing 11-20 of 408 Results

Mental fatigue and sport performance

October 31, 2024
Mental fatigue is common among many athletes due to the high cognitive demands of sport. Mental fatigue in athletes has been shown to significantly impair both endurance and technical abilities, such as passing and shooting accuracy.

Impact of circadian rhythms on sports performance

October 30, 2024
Biological rhythms are becoming a hot topic in sports science. The time of day has been shown to have a significant impact on athletic performance, with athletes often performing best in the late afternoon. This review looks at how our internal clocks affect performance and suggests that training schedules should match each athlete’s natural rhythms.

Mental health and performance in elite tennis players

October 29, 2024
Elite athletes often grapple with keeping their mental health in check while striving for peak performance. Digging into the experiences of Swedish elite tennis players and exploring how they manage this up and down balancing act of mental health and performance throughout their careers shows the importance of support from sports psychologists.

Children’s swimming education

October 28, 2024
Aquatic safety is important, especially for youth looking to play water-based sport. Children’s swimming education programs have demonstrated significant improvements in aquatic readiness and motor coordination through assessments conducted before and after sessions. Children who focused on basic skills development exhibit enhanced aquatic competence, underscoring the value of personalized swimming instruction.

Motivating players though the pre-game talk

October 23, 2024
In team sports, the pre-game talk is a pivotal moment intended to motivate players before they step onto the pitch. According to recent research, coaches who balance game strategy with messages that support athletes’ autonomy (for example, facilitating athlete choice or opinions) and competence (for example, praising past performance) can enhance player motivation.

Body composition in sport

October 18, 2024
Athletes’ body composition results from a mix of genetics, sport demands, diet, and training. Metrics like fat and muscle mass play a significant role in athlete health and performance, influencing factors such as injury risk and recovery.

Social support in disability sport

October 17, 2024
Social support, for example, from coaches and teammates, has many benefits for athletes with disabilities. Research shows that athletes with disabilities with greater support systems have higher levels of engagement in their sports and are better able to deal with adversity. With that in mind, it is important to prioritize supportive environments in disability sports.

The impact of stretching on muscles

October 11, 2024
Stretching is a common practice among athletes across sports. Long-term daily stretching has been shown to have a significant impact on gains in muscle strength, size, and flexibility, with research suggesting it may offer similar benefits to other forms of strength training.

Parental education to support youth athletes

October 9, 2024
Parental involvement is crucial for youth athlete participation and enjoyment. Education programs for parents can enhance support for youth athletes by equipping them with a range of skills and knowledge, enabling them to better support their children.

Fostering positive development in elite youth sport

October 9, 2024
A new review of the academic literature shows that positive engagement and development in elite youth sport hinge on supportive environments, strong relationships, and age-appropriate training. Remember, even top performers need developmentally appropriate activities that focus on overall well-being, ensuring they thrive both in and out of sport.
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