Knowledge Nuggets

Vitamins are an important yet often overlooked part of athlete nutrition. Taking Vitamin D3 supplements has been shown to aid in increasing strength and power regardless of dosage in recreational male combat athletes. Additionally, 50,000 IU (International units) of vitamin D per week for 6 weeks could be beneficial for combat athletes’ endurance.

High performance athletes confront many mental health challenges throughout their career. According to a recent consensus statement, these challenges vary across distinct phases of the Olympic and Paralympic journey, and can impact athletes in the lead up to, during, and after the Games. This underscores the need for heightened mental health awareness as well as...

Regular physical activity is crucial for children’s health, but it often declines during out-of-school periods like summer holidays. Children aged 6 to 9 years, experience a significant decrease in overall physical activity during summer holidays, which persisted even after the holidays ended. This underscores the importance of addressing summer holiday trends in physical activity to...

Retirement from sport poses challenges for athletes’ identity and mental health. A recent study of Canadian athletes highlights the importance of support from friends, teammates, and family in facilitating career transition planning. Collaborative efforts by sport organizations and staff can educate athletes on how to foster supportive environments, leading to improved performance, prolonged careers, and...

High intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is a widely used form of training to improve cardiac performance. Research shows that a 5-week HIIT program improved aerobic capacity and sport-specific skills for athletes.

Self-esteem plays a crucial role in both daily life and sports. This study finds that athletes in individual sports generally exhibit higher levels of self-esteem compared to those in team sports.

A study exploring how mothers who run marathons navigate dual roles as both caregiver and athlete found that “marathon moms” employed various strategies to manage time constraints and alleviate the guilt they experienced when spending time away from their families. Practicing self-compassion, seeking social support, and establishing a flexible training schedule helped the mothers achieve...

Many high-performance athletes scrutinize their own performances and often aim for perfection. A recent study delved into how perfectionistic athletes view success and failure in sports. Through interviews and season-long diaries, researchers found that an athlete’s ability to deal with failure depended on the type of perfectionism they exhibited.

Diet is important in various aspects of athlete health and well-being. This recent study highlights the role of nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns in maintaining bone health. Researchers found that bone mineral density, microstructure-estimated bone strength, and trabecular and cortical microstructure are positively linked to total protein intake.

Did you know that coaching style can significantly impact athletes’ well-being and their decision to stay in sport? For instance, a study with male soccer players revealed that a controlling coaching style was linked with player burnout. This finding underscores the importance of fostering autonomy-supportive coaching styles to enhance athletes’ wellbeing and mitigate the risk...