Sports science, distilled.
Summaries and analysis of key research papers in sports science, velocity-based training, and performance measurement.
Cluster Sets Power Output Study
Straight sets lose velocity rep after rep. Cluster sets add short rest instead — see what research shows about speed saved and how to program it.
Compression Garments for Recovery: What the Evidence Actually Shows
Compression sleeves promise faster recovery, but the pressure-gradient science is more nuanced than marketing suggests. See the data on lactate and DOMS.
Concurrent Training Interference Effect: What the Research Actually Shows
Mixing cardio and lifting isn't automatically counterproductive, but the interference effect is real for some goals. Here's its size and how to avoid it.
Eccentric Hamstring Nordic Curl Study: Mechanisms, Protocols, and Injury Prevention Outcomes
Eccentric hamstring Nordic curl research: injury-prevention outcomes, dose-response data, and neuromechanical mechanisms, with a ready-to-run protocol.
Flywheel Training Research Review: Eccentric Overload, Mechanisms, and Evidence
Flywheel devices promise bigger eccentric overload than free weights. Here's what the research shows on hypertrophy, power, and injury prevention outcomes.
Hamstring Injury Prevention: What the Clinical Research Shows
Nordic curls cut hamstring injury rates up to 51% in RCTs. See the eccentric strength deficit and velocity-based screening that predict real risk.
Heat Acclimation and Athletic Performance: Mechanisms, Protocols, and Field Application
Which heat acclimation protocol actually works in-season? This review covers plasma volume expansion, sweat rate adaptation, and cardiovascular drift.
Mental Fatigue and Physical Performance: Research Summary
Cognitive fatigue quietly drains sprint times, force output, and endurance capacity. See the mechanisms, effect sizes, and how to monitor it objectively.
Motor Learning and Skill Acquisition: Research Review
Feedback every trial speeds early gains but wrecks retention versus summary feedback every 5 trials. See what the research says about timing and transfer.
Periodization Models Compared: Linear, Undulating, and Block Designs
Linear, undulating, and block periodization compared by effect size across athlete populations, with practical criteria for picking the right model.
Relative Strength and Sport Performance: Research Review
Absolute strength numbers look impressive but often fail to predict field performance. Force per kilogram of bodyweight tells a different story entirely.
Sleep Extension and Athlete Performance: Evidence Review
Most athletes chronically undersleep by 2+ hours. Mah's Stanford study found extending sleep to 10 hours lifted sprint times 5% and free-throw accuracy 9%.