Knowledge Nuggets

Is weight training appropriate for children and youth, or does it risk damaging growth plates and stunting growth? A review of the literature in the SIRCuit provides parents, coaches and athletes with the facts.

We flunked! The new ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults assigned us a ‘D’ grade in “overall physical activity.” Only 16% of adults living in Canada are active enough to meet the recommended guidelines of at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping physical activity each week. Read the full report here.

The development of physical literacy is essential to life-long participation in sport and physical activity. Learn how teachers and parents (and program leaders, coaches, and others!) can be allies in ensuring students develop the “motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life” in the...

Sleep loss reduces physical performance, eye-hand coordination, and attention span. Chronic sleep loss contributes to higher risk for cancer, heart disease, dementia and depression. A recent article from ESPN examines the impacts of competition and travel schedules on the sleep patterns, and ultimately the health, of NBA athletes.

Physical literacy is a central component of physical education curricula across the country. But the concept may be unfamiliar to many parents. Today’s SIRC blog helps demystify the concept so parents can be allies with teachers in supporting student success.

Interested in updating your workout regime with the latest strength and conditioning science? A new massive open online course (MOOC) from McMaster University launches today, designed to provide insight and practical tips to apply evidence-based techniques to achieving your health and fitness goals. Learn more about Hacking Exercise for Health.

Healthy school lunches provide children with essential vitamins and minerals for healthy growth and development, and the energy and nutrients they need throughout the day for learning and active play. Health Canada recommends engaging children in planning their meals to make it more likely that they eat and enjoy their food. Looking for tips? Check...

Are you a teacher looking for new ideas to activate your students during class, recess or after school; or a coach looking to refresh your practices? The Playworks Game Library and Active for Life Activity Database let you search activities by age, skill, group size, and more!

While many professionals look forward to summer as a time for relaxation, for many in the sport sector, work demands are heating up! As stress levels increase, leaders and staff alike can take steps to ensure their stress isn’t “contagious.” These include pinpointing your true stressors, changing your reaction to the workload, creating pockets of...

The Government of Canada recently announced investments to expand the use of sport and physical activity programming as a means to improve social development in Indigenous communities. The application process for projects designed to improve health, improve education, reduce at-risk behaviour, and improve employability, is now open. The deadline for applications is July 19, 2019.