For those who have worked with me, you might recognize my habit of starting with 'I've been reading again.' It's a preface I use to introduce new ideas I've encountered and want to apply to our training. I enjoy exploring a wide range of topics, and here are a few I've found particularly intriguing and relevant to share.
Is SpaceX’s Raptor engine the king of rocket engines?
I have been inspired by the SpaceX Starship Launches, now 3 launches in (a blistering pace of development and production). The powerplant, the Raptor Engine is a marvel of engineering. This article discusses SpaceX's Raptor engine, designed for their Starship spacecraft. It is a full-flow, staged combustion engine using liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The engine is crucial for SpaceX's reusable rocket system, aimed at missions to Mars. The article details Raptor's innovative design, including its use of methane, and its potential impact on future space exploration.
Nothing works in isolation even in recovery. The metabolic recovery of marathon runners.
I've always enjoyed reading work by Alex Hutchinson, ever since I picked up his book in 2011, I have been hooked since. I highly recommend subscribing to his Sweat Science newsletter.
One of the topics he often discusses is the complexity of recovery aids, and how the results are rarely as clear-cut as we or the marketing machine would like. Recently, he outlined an article about recovery after a marathon, and it included a metabolic map (pictured above). It served as a reminder of just how intricate our body's systems are in training and recovery. It's a good reminder to approach bold claims or stances on any single supplement or aspect of this process with caution. Focus on the fundamentals like sleep, hollistic quality nutrition upgrades and therapeutic exercise that can improve the physical and mental stress of big events. Experiment and explore value propositions that make sense for your lifestyle.
Understanding Joint Interaction and Dysfunction Adaptation: Insights from Research.
This video summary of a research paper vividly demonstrates how our body adapts to dysfunction by illustrating the interaction between joints. It's fascinating to note that despite the nearly identical distances jumped (97%) between the affected and non-affected sides, the methods used to achieve this differed at each level (ankle, knee, or hip). When viewed in reverse, it becomes apparent how compensation in one area of the chain could lead to overuse injuries, as another area upregulates to compensate for the dysfunction.
Who we spend our time with infographic from Sahil Bloom
6 Key Lesslons:
Family time is limited, cherish it.
Friend time is limited, priorize the real ones.
Partner time is significant, never settle.
Children time is present, be present.
Co-worker time is high, find energy.
Alone time is the highest, love yourself.
Two practical research insights for female athletes.
Respiratory function may become compromised with ill fitted running bras.
Cool small study from Shayla Kipp, an olympian and standout distance runner from the famed Colorado Buffaloes distance program.
Menstrual Cycle Phase has no Influence on Performance-Determining Variables in Endurance-Trained Athletes: The FENDURA Project.
A lot of work goes into research like this from Madison Taylor: "Well after 3 years, 700+ hours in the lab, 220 ovulation kits, 158 blood samples and the cooperation of 5 test centers across Norway". As someone who trains alot of female athletes this kind of research can really help athletes navigate their performance.