SIRC’s Knowledge Nuggets provide a daily source of insight, leveraging the latest in research findings, promising practices, relevant news and practical resources.
Ketogenic diets are gaining attention in elite endurance sports for their ability to boost fat burning, potentially transforming performance. However, concerns linger about their impact on glycogen use and high-intensity exercise, with mixed results among athletes.
Stress can significantly impact an athlete’s well-being and sport performance, but social support from teammates, coaches, and support staff can positively influence how athletes perceive and adapt to stress. Recent research shows that for social support to produce positive effects, having a shared social identity and the knowledge and expertise to provide sufficient support is...
Every athlete deserves a safe and welcoming environment in sport. And while athletes from equity-owed groups may be more likely to experience harm, a recent study revealed that these athletes often perceive Safe Sport as an unrealistic and unattainable ideal. These findings suggest that integrating principles of equity, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to safeguarding...
Did you know you can easily and quickly assess your hydration status? A systematic review shows that urine color is widely used to determine hydration levels in various populations, including athletes. The darker the urine, the less hydrated you are!
There is limited research on pregnancy and postpartum impacts on elite athletes’ training loads and performances. A recent study followed 42 elite runners during and after pregnancy and found that study participants returned to 80% of pre-pregnancy training volumes by 3-months postpartum, and close to half improved performance post-pregnancy. The authors encourage individualized, cautious, and...
Parents play an important role in their children’s sport experiences. A recent study highlights 4 things that parents can do to make their children’s sport experiences more enjoyable: 1) show that you care about your child’s sport by facilitating and prioritising participation, 2) listen and learn from your child to ensure you can engage in...
Sport climbing is a new Olympic sport set to debut in Paris and is demanding on its own. However, it can also act as a complement to other athletic activities: a Romanian study found it can be a an effective cross training tool for youth soccer players. Over a 14-week trial, junior soccer players increased...
Did you know that within the sport performance literature examining female athletes and women’s sport, only 32-37% of research participants are female? Research on female athletes’ physiology and performance lags behind, with limited understanding of how hormonal variations during the menstrual cycle impact performance. Standardizing research practices and considering menstrual cycle phases can offer insights...
Skateboarding is often seen as a fun way to pass the time, and it will soon be known as an Olympic pursuit when it debuts at the Paris 2024 Olympics. It can also be a way to commute with important benefits. For example, one study found that teens who skateboard for transportation report higher levels...
Relative Age Effect (RAE) suggests that there may be performance advantages to athletes who are born earlier in the calendar year as they may be physically, cognitively, and emotionally more mature than younger peers in the same age grouping. However, early research on the new Olympic sport of surfing reveals it may be one of...