The Real Science of Sport Podcast
Sports
About
World-renowned sports scientist Professor Ross Tucker and veteran sports journalist Mike Finch break down the myths, practices and controversies from the world of sport. From athletics to rugby, soccer, cycling and more, the two delve into the most recent research, unearth lessons from the pros and host exclusive interviews with some of the world's leading sporting experts. For those who love sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
- Sleeping Your Way to More EPO / Grand Slam Chaos / The UCI's Expensive Regulatory Defeat and a Weighing Scandal
Join The Real Science of Sport Supporters club for ad-free listening and our exclusive weekly Applied Science show ! A monthly donation is all takes! This week's Spotlight opens in Paris, where Roland Garros has delivered one of the most c…
- Roland Garros' Zombie Heat Apocalypse / The Death of the Diversified Elite Athlete / World Athletics Raises the Performance Bar
Get ad-free listening and exclusive shows by becoming a Supporter of The Real Science of Sport! In our Spotlight this week: The h eat wave in Paris is making life very difficult at Roland Garros, with Casper Ruud describing himself as "wal…
- Welcome to our PED Talk: Sean Ingle Reflects on The Enhanced Games
Become a member of our Enhanced Real Science of Sport community by becoming a member to get access to exclusive shows, ad-free content and our world class discussion forums. A monthly pledge is all it takes and you'll unlock all those bene…
- Caution for Contact Sport Athletes and CTE / Women's Rugby Six Nations and Smaller Balls / Worst Sport to be Elite at?
Become a Supporter of The Science of Sport , and as mentioned, get a bonus episode of Applied Science every week, access to our world class forums, and (we hope) ad-free listening soon! Show notes On the decks today: A new paper raises "su…
- A Huge Doping Bust in Georgia Rugby / Epic Climbs and Concussions in Cycling / Who is the Greatest Track Athlete of Them All?
This episode covers Operation Obsidian, a significant doping bust in Georgian rugby, and analyzes the 18-month ban of rugby player Asenathi Ntlabakanye. It also touches on cycling news including the Vuelta and Giro, discusses the scientifi…
- The Rise of Southern African Sprinting / London Marathon Pacing Blunders / Seixas to the Tour / Your Carb Questions Answered
This episode of The Real Science of Sport Podcast covers the World Relay Championships, London Marathon pacing statistics, the debate around innovation in sports like super shoes and the Enhanced Games, and Paul Seixas's move to the Tour d…
- Can You Trust AI For Health and Training Advice?
Dr. Nick Tiller discusses the reliability of AI for health and training advice, referencing a study he led that audited AI chatbots for accuracy and misinformation. The study found disturbing results, but Tiller provides advice on how to u…
- The Spotlight On The Sub-2: A Deep Dive Into Sawe's Marathon Masterclass
This episode of The Real Science of Sport Podcast examines Sebastian Sawe's 1:59:30 marathon world record, delving into the physiological and technological factors, race strategy, and historical context. Hosts Gareth and Ross discuss the p…
- The Sporting Mind: Overcoming Mental Barriers For Better Performance
Sports psychologist Dr. Josie Perry explores mental barriers in sports, discussing athletes' mental threats, characteristics of successful athletes, ADHD prevalence, the concept of mental toughness, and methods for overcoming mental blocks…
- 1:59:30! The Sub Two Hour Marathon Falls To Sabastian Sawe
Kenya's Sabastian Sawe has absolutely obliterated the two hour marathon barrier, winning the London Marathon in 1:59:30. In this emergency podcast, Mike and Ross talk about a truly historic day that saw two men go under two hours, We discu…
- Boston Bonanza - Course Record Analysis / Elite Runners Avoiding Carbs? / Acute Stress Anti-Doping Refusal
Become a Science of Sport Supporter and show your appreciation for the pod, while also having your say and correcting Gareth and Ross' errors! A small monthly donation is all it takes! Show Notes The Spotlight today is heavily focused on a…
- Cobbled Coronations in Roubaix / Benji Naesen vs UCI / Marathon Majors and Sawe's Doping Credibility Campaign
Don't spend millions on a podcast, like AI did recently. Rather spend the price of a coffee and become a Supporter of The Real Science of Sport. Click the link, make a monthly pledge , and get access to the conversations that happen before…
- The Norwegian Way: What We Can Learn From Their Success
Norway is one of the most advanced sporting nations in the world, thanks to a unique structure which allows athletes to access the latest science and coaching. The team speak to Oyvind Sandbakk, the Sports Director at the Norwegian School…
- Why Cobbles Cost Cyclists / Cheap Carbon Shoes Break Records / Doping Confessions and Cons
Become a Science of Sport Supporter by making a small monthly pledge . You'll show your support, help us stay "athletic-greens-free", and get access to our world-class discussion forums In this Spotlight, we start on the cobbled roads of B…
- Cycling, Game Theory and Group 2 Syndrome / Kerr's 222 Attempt / Teenage Phenoms Set up to Fail
Support the Science of Sport - become a supporter, show your support, keep us ad free, and you get access to the best sports science community around! Show Notes In this Spotlight, we kick off with cycling, and wonder whether we're seeing…
- How To Win One of the World's Toughest Mountain Bike Races
The Absa Cape Epic is a 700km, eight-stage, two-man team mountain bike race renowned as one of the toughest and most prestigious in the world. But what does it take to win this event against some of the world's best mountain bikers? We spo…
- REPEAT POD: Female-only Women's Sport: The IOC Announces New Policy On the Protection of Women's Sport
THIS IS A REPUBLICATION OF THE SAME PODCAST AS THURSDAY 26 MARCH ON THE IOC FEMALE SPORT POLICY With apologies for confusion, after we published our most recent podcast on the IOC's new policy for women's sport, we realized the original fi…
- Female-only Women's Sport: The IOC Announces New Policy On the Protection of Women's Sport
The International Olympic Committee, under its new President Kirsty Coventry, has announced new guidelines for eligibility in women's sport. The central decision is clear: the boundaries around women's sport will be protected, with no male…
- Banned But Allowed: Inside the World of Therapeutic Use Exemptions in Sport / Pogacar's Dominance / World Indoor Championships
Become a member, keep us ad free! Plus, you get access to our world-class community chat, and live sport chat groups. Become a supporter for a small monthly pledge at Patreon. Show notes Today the Spotlight falls on Therapeutic Use Exempti…
- How to Beat van der Poel in San Remo / A 2:10 Women's Marathon (again) / Sprinting to Cardiac Arrest
Join our Science of Sport Supporters Club , and get all the perks mentioned on the show, including access to our listener community and their great questions and insights, and also our Live Sport chat, which resume this weekend with the Mi…
- Is Rugby's Head Injury Process Working? / Hitting the Wall and Carb Depletion / Can Sexias Match Pogacar? / Should Doped World Records Be Reset?
The conversation continues for our Supporters! These Spotlights offer the first word, and then it's your turn. Become a Supporter of the Real Science of Sport by making a small monthly pledge , and get access to our world-famous, and very…
- Winter Olympics Review: Winners, Losers and Our Ice-Cold Takes
As mentioned, if you want to be a supporter of the podcast, and enjoy the insight that Gareth and I share with listeners on our world-best sports science forum, you can become a member by clicking this link to make a small monthly donation…
- Winter Olympics: Nutella "Doping" / Malinin's Traumatic Moments / Klaebo and Stolz Dominate / Ski Mo's Flop
Become a Supporter - it's worth it! Enjoying the Real Science of Sport? Show your support with a monthly pledge, become a Member of our Supporters Club, and get way more value from the discussions after the shows, in our world class commun…
- Inside the Mind of a Winter Olympian: The Science of Stoke
If you love the podcast, and want to show your support, a monthly pledge on Patreon is the way ! We'd be absolutely stoked if you did! Show notes Lesley McKenna is a pioneer in the world of action sports. A three-time Olympian (2002, 2006,…
- No Sports Advantage for Trans Women? / Khelif Defiant but in Denial / Bol's 800m debut
The conversation continues on Discourse, for our Science of Sport Supporters. Join now with a small monthly pledge for access to the best sports science discussion community around In the Spotlight this week, we revisit a recurring theme t…
- Winter Olympic Spotlight: Vonn('s gate) and risk / Cross Country Klaebo / Speed Skating Unfairness / Penis-gate
Become a Science of Sport Supporter, and get access to our Discourse chat community, and to our upcoming Real Science of Sport Live Chats . A small monthly pledge or donation on Patreon is all it takes The opening five days of the Milan Co…
- WINTER OLYMPIC SPECIAL: Speed Skating 101
Professor Florentina 'Fleur' Hettinga loves speed skating. Not only has she competed as an athlete in the discipline, but she has also researched many elements of the sport, from the physiology of the top athletes to the technical expertis…
- A VO2max of 101: Fantastical Physiology? / Australian Open Wrap / Contact Sport Dilemmas
Show Notes On the Spotlight this week, we wrap up the Australian Open where dramatic semi finals saw Alcaraz overcome cramp (to Zverev's dismay), Djokovic overcome Sinner (to Ross' prediction dismay), and then Alcaraz overpower Djokovic to…
- WINTER OLYMPIC SPECIAL: An Insiders Guide to Cross Country Skiing and Biathlon
Norwegian Oyvind Sandbakk is a specialist in the brutally tough world of cross-country skiing and biathlon. He is Sports Director at the Norwegian School of Elite Sports and a Professor II at the School of Sport Science at the UiT The Arti…
- WINTER OLYMPIC SPECIAL: The Beauty and Drama of Figure Skating
Figure skating is one of the most popular sports at the Winter Olympics as it combines world-class athleticism with dance, choreography and music. Jackie Wong is one of the world's leading experts on figure skating and takes us behind the…
- The Heat is On In Aus, But Whoop Is Gone / Noakes and a Low Carb Theory Full of Holes
On the show, we mention our Supporters Club a lot, and reference discussions of various sports science subjects that inspire and inform our own conversations. You can be part of that, by making a monthly pledge here, which gives you access…
- Alex Hutchinson: The Battle For Credibility
Journalist, author, and speaker Alex Hutchinson is passionate in his search for truth. As the author of three books (' Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights? , 2011; ' Endure', 2021 and 'The Explorers Gene' , 2025) and writer of the popular…
- The Rise of the Machines: Can AI Take Over Coaching? / Talent ID's Imprecise Guess
Become a Supporter of the Real Science of Sport podcast - a small monthly donation via Patreon is how you do it, and then you'll get access to our listener community who share insights, advice, and opinions of their own, all of which make…
- New Year Predictions: The Biggest Stories to Expect in 2026
Join Mike, Ross and the chief sportswriter at The Guardian, Sean Ingle, as we look ahead to the biggest events in 2026. From the Winter Olympics to the World Cup in football, 2026 will be packed with plenty of drama and, no doubt, controve…
- Festive Season Catch-up: What We Missed, Watched and Debated During The Holidays
There's a lot to catch up on today's Spotlight. Four weeks of Festive season sport means a range of topics from technology failures in the Ashes to the "Battle of the Sexes" debacle, thoughts on cyclo-cross dominance and excitement, Biathl…
- The 2025 Sport & Science Awards Show
As 2025 winds down, Gareth, Mike and Ross reunite to look back on a packed and fascinating year in sport and sports science in a bumper Year-end show! We pick through the highs and lows, heroes and villains, innovations and failures, revis…
- AIU's Brett Clothier: Catching Athletics' Doping Cheats
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) is the body established to oversee drug testing and other integrity issues within the sport of athletics and road running around the world.. Established in 2017 in response to the deepening credibility cr…
- Elite Athletes and Weight Worries - GLP-1 Debates and RED-s Warnings
Become a Supporter of The Real Science of Sport by making a small monthly pledge , and you also get access to our world-class community of experts and enthusiasts. Plus you get to explain sports like F1 and Squash to Gareth and Ross! Show…
- Are You Being Injured By Your Running Shoes? / Mondo Soars Again / Preventing Head Impacts / A $1400 Mattress That Does What?
Join the Real Science of Sport Supporters club, and get access to the sports science community where at least one person (usually many more) knows the answer to every question you can possibly ask! Plus, engage on news, training, diet, and…
- Mediocre Male Beats Strong Women, But Justice Prevails / Should XC Running Be In The Winter Games? / Concussion Prevention Illusions
Join The Real Science of Sport Supporters Club by making a small monthly pledge at Patreon.com . Think of it as buying us a cup of coffee before you listen to us opine on sports news and science! Plus, get access to the best sports science…
- US Anti-Doping Chief Travis T. Tygart: Inside The Politics and Fight Against Doping
Support us on Discourse Discourse is our "sponsorship", our sole source of income. But it's way more than that - it's a community of experts and enthusiasts who share knowledge on everything sports science related. To become part of that,…
- A Deeper Insider Look at Fatigue and Pacing / Why High Carbohydrate Intake Works - It's Not Fuel Depletion / A Heat Condundrum
In this Spotlight, we pick out some of the sports science topics that our listeners are sharing in our Discourse community. You can become a Real Science of Sport Supporter here , and a small monthly pledge gets you access to the community…
- Olympic Track and Field Schedule Surprises / Risk of Cardiac Events When Watching Sport / Rugby's Calendar Challenge
Become a member of The Real Science of Sport Supporters Club to show your support and have your say. A perk of membership is Discourse, our community that chats about training, sports science, physiology and news. Show notes A midweek whip…
- Will the Olympics Finally Protect Women's Sport? / Anti-Doping Antagonism and The Enhanced Games / Bracy-Williams Banned
Support us on Discourse Discourse is our "sponsorship", our sole source of income. But it's way more than that - it's a community of experts and enthusiasts who share knowledge on everything sports science related. Oh, and it also inspires…
- The Story (and Science) of Endurance
Endurance has been one of the most hotly debated topics in sports science for over three decades. From early research in the 1930s to the ground-breaking 1996 address by Prof. Tim Noakes to the American College of Sports Medicine, understa…
- Klecker Hits 175g/h Carbs in NYC / New York Racing Analysis / Ozempic Doping?
Join Discourse! A small monthly pledge gets you access to the best Sports Science community on the interwebs . For opinions, insights on sport, advice on training and diet, Discourse is the place to be. A Spotlight dedicated to the news, a…
- Is Exercise for Weight Loss a Waste of Time? / Doping Convictions, Conundrums and Coital Contaminations / Heat Stress Hacks
Discourse Support the show by becoming a Patron, which means a monthly pledge that is equal to buying us a cup of coffee! That gets you access to our Discourse community, where listeners share views and tips on sports science, health and t…
- Does Cardio Training Kill The "Gainz"? / Are Tennis Players Playing Too Much? / The True Prevalence of Doping? / Unlocking a New Performance Metric
Join Discourse! No pitch, just a link to sign up and show your support! In this week's show, we tackle intriguing physiological questions raised by listeners, explore whether different types of exercise interfere with one another to underm…
- The World's Most Famous Amateur Cyclist on Training and Racing
Forty-year-old lawyer Andrew Feather hit the news headlines recently when he 'beat' Tadej Pogacar in an exhibition handicap uphill cycle race. Even though Feather may not have actually ridden the Pogi challenge faster than the world number…
- Do You Need Only 10g per Hour of Carbs? Tim Noakes Thinks So / Pacing Implosions: When Regulation Fails
Support us on Discourse As Gareth mentioned, Discourse is our "sponsorship", our sole source of income. But it's way more than that - it's a community of experts and enthusiasts who share knowledge on everything sports science related. To…