Healthy Sleep Hygiene

Research clearly demonstrates the negative effects of sleep deprivation on athletic performance, including reduced reaction time, accuracy, submaximal strength, and endurance. Cognitive functions such as judgment and decision-making also suffer. Check out this infographic for tips on healthy sleep hygiene.

Motivational Language

Research shows the type of language used by instructors during group training sessions is important. Cues that focused on function (e.g. “this exercise will help you prevent injuries and build strength”) rather than appearance (e.g. “earn your dream body”) resulted in greater mood and body satisfaction amongst female participants.

Cold-Weather Exercise Intensity

Research from the University of Alberta finds intense cold-weather exercise makes it harder for the lungs to warm and humidify the air, causing airway lining to dry and, in some cases, become irreparably damaged. When temperatures plunge below –15 C, researchers recommend athletes decrease the intensity of outdoor exercise to protect their lungs.

2020 Fitness Trends

Looking to make a change to your training routine in 2020? A large-scale survey of health and fitness professionals predicts wearable technology, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and group training will be the top three worldwide fitness trends for 2020.

External Focus of Attention

Endurance athletes use a number of strategies to distract themselves and manage their performance. For example, athletes can manipulate their attention, focusing either internally (e.g. on the running movement, internal body signals) or externally (e.g. on the environment, music). Research reported in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Physiology measured running economy to confirm the…

Gratitude

Gratitude is not only good for health but may also boost performance. Researchers found that giving thanks was associated with improvements in mood, overall well-being, and an enhanced ability to adapt to the physical stress of training.

Concussion Newsletter – December 2019

It might be surprising to hear concussions are a serious risk in the sport of volleyball, but research revealed 1 in 10 youth athletes will sustain a concussion on the court this year. Learn how Volleyball Canada is using the evidence to inform policy and practice relating to equipment and drills in the SIRC December…

How data informs Volleyball Canada’s concussion strategy

It might be surprising to hear concussions are a serious risk in the sport of volleyball. But data collection from Volleyball Canada—dating back to 2016—has revealed exactly that. “Our research has shown that about 1 in 10 youth athletes in Canada will sustain a concussion while playing club volleyball each year.” said Kerry MacDonald, Director,…

Champion Article – Volleyball

Policy change is one way Volleyball Canada is striving to improve athlete safety on the court. Changes include warm-up drill practices discouraging athletes from going under the net to retrieve the ball – an area with a high risk for concussions. Learn more in the SIRC Blog.

Outrunning Death

It may be possible to out-run death, at least for a little while, according to a recent study. The meta-analysis of more than 230,000 participants found that even the most casual runners (as little as a slow jog once a week) had a 27% lower risk of death than those who did not run at…