Sports science, distilled.
Summaries and analysis of key research papers in sports science, velocity-based training, and performance measurement.
Training Volume Landmarks for Hypertrophy: MV, MAV, MRV Explained
Evidence-based guide to Minimum Volume, Maximum Adaptive Volume, and Maximum Recoverable Volume — with specific per-muscle set ranges and how to apply them
Type I vs Type II Fiber Hypertrophy: Do Slow Fibers Grow?
Can slow-twitch Type I fibers hypertrophy as much as fast-twitch Type II? A research-based analysis with training prescriptions for both fiber types.
Blood Lactate Threshold and Endurance Performance
Physiological significance of LT1 and LT2, step-test protocols, threshold training zones, and how to apply lactate data to endurance programming.
Cold Water Immersion Recovery Debate: Does It Blunt Gains?
Latest research on whether cold water immersion blunts hypertrophy and power adaptations, with evidence-based protocols for timing CWI around training goals.
Creatine Supplementation and Strength: Systematic Review
Systematic review of creatine monohydrate effects on strength, power, and hypertrophy — dosing protocols, responder variability, and VBT insights.
Joint Angle-Specific Strength Gains: Isometric Implications
How isometric training produces joint angle-specific strength gains, carryover ranges, and how to program partials and isos for full-range performance.
Mechanical Tension: The Primary Driver of Hypertrophy?
Research review: how mechanical tension drives muscle hypertrophy through mTOR signaling, mechanotransduction, and titin-based pathways — and what it means
Mind-Muscle Connection: Internal Focus and EMG Research
What EMG research reveals about internal focus attention and muscle activation. When mind-muscle connection helps hypertrophy and when it hinders power output.
Muscle Memory and Myonuclei: Do Muscles Remember?
Deep dive into myonuclear domain theory, epigenetic muscle memory, and what the latest research means for athletes returning from detraining.
Repeated Bout Effect: Eccentric Muscle Damage Adaptation
Why one eccentric bout dramatically reduces subsequent muscle damage. The repeated bout effect explained with mechanisms, timelines, and training implications.
Sleep Extension Effects on Athletic Performance Research
What the research actually shows about extending sleep beyond 8 hours: reaction time, sprint speed, and power output in elite and collegiate athletes.
VBT vs Percentage-Based Training: Which Is More Effective?
Head-to-head research review: velocity-based training vs percentage-based training for strength, power, and fatigue management.