The Real Science of Sport Podcast

91

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. Get bonus content on Patreon


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Recent Episodes
  • Spotlight: The UK Supreme Court and Implications for Women's Sport / A Tour of World Records, Paris Roubaix and Discourse Achievers
    Apr 17, 2025 – 1:49:35
  • Spotlight: Fatigue as a Risk, a Requirement and a Red Herring / Grand Slam Track Reactions / New Olympic Sports
    Apr 10, 2025 – 1:11:43
  • Heat, Hydration and 'Bum Clinics': The Science of Event Medicine
    Apr 8, 2025 – 1:39:27
  • Spotlight: Matters of the Heart / Heart Health in Marathon Runners / Max HR / Concussion and Coaches
    Apr 3, 2025 – 59:13
  • Spotlight: A New IOC President / A New Tool To Protect Women's Sport / A New Power Metric
    Mar 27, 2025 – 1:54:49
  • Spotlight: Teen Sprint Phenoms Accelerate / Talent Difference Makers / Community Rugby Concussion Insights
    Mar 20, 2025 – 1:07:25
  • Spotlight: Physiological "Frugality", Power and Speed / Discourse Fuelling Success / Trans Sport Update
    Mar 12, 2025 – 1:21:39
  • Spotlight: The Science of Improving Human Performances / Technological Advances in Sport / Talent Scouting Through Zwift
    Mar 5, 2025 – 1:12:18
  • Spotlight: A Women's Sub 4-minute Mile? / A Tale of Textbook Heat Adaptation
    Feb 28, 2025 – 1:05:44
  • Rethinking Polarised Training with Dr Stephen Seiler
    Feb 27, 2025 – 1:52:14
  • Spotlight: World Records Galore as Running's Recalibration Resumes / A Final Jannik Sinner Discourse
    Feb 20, 2025 – 50:28
  • Can You Trust Your Sports Watch?
    Feb 19, 2025 – 1:28:10
  • Spotlight: Janik Sinner Banned For Three Months
    Feb 15, 2025 – 24:23
  • Spotlight: Protecting Women's Sport - Update on New Developments and Policies From Around the World
    Feb 12, 2025 – 1:26:51
  • The Science of Mind Coaching in Sport
    Feb 11, 2025 – 1:25:15
  • Spotlight: News Roundup / Forgiveness for Dopers? / Carbon Monoxide Banned / Yellow Cards For Head Injuries Only
    Feb 5, 2025 – 1:05:07
  • CRICKET SPECIAL: Is The Futue of Test Cricket Under Threat? / The Dying Skill of Fast Bowling / Coaching The Best From School To Elite
    Jan 31, 2025 – 1:25:05
  • Spotlight: You Are Not Simon Yates. But You Can Learn From Him
    Jan 29, 2025 – 1:07:40
  • The Role of the Modern Physio: Lessons from the Royal Marines
    Jan 17, 2025 – 1:39:02
  • Spotlight: Can We Trust Experts in Fitness and Health?
    Jan 15, 2025 – 57:49
  • What Will Sport Look Like in 2050?
    Jan 9, 2025 – 1:27:25
  • Spotlight: Festive feedback
    Jan 8, 2025 – 49:27
  • The 2024 Sports Year In Review
    Dec 19, 2024 – 2:10:21
  • Elite Sport's Race to the Bottom, and Anti-Doping's Scramble for Higher Ground
    Dec 16, 2024 – 1:02:09
  • Exclusive: Is Australia's New Sprint Sensation the Next Usain Bolt?
    Dec 13, 2024 – 1:11:33
  • What Tennis' Latest Scandal Teaches Us About Doping
    Dec 5, 2024 – 58:04
  • Science of Sport Spotlight 9: To Torque or Not to Torque, energy demands from the Women's Tour, and topical doping debates
    Nov 28, 2024 – 1:01:33
  • How Far Can You Push the Human Body? Lessons from a Royal Marine Doctor
    Nov 26, 2024 – 1:37:51
  • Is the Credibility of Sports Science's Most Respected Journal Under Threat?
    Nov 15, 2024 – 1:10:02
  • Chepng'etich's Marathon World Record Analysis: Too Good To Be True?
    Oct 18, 2024 – 1:23:32
  • DISCOURSE SPECIAL: Is Elite Cycling Safe Enough? / Rugby's Smart Mouthguards / Is Sinner Guilty of Doping? and Much More
    Oct 3, 2024 – 1:53:17
  • How David Roche Used Science To Dominate One Of The World's Biggest Trail Races
    Aug 29, 2024 – 1:37:05
  • Science of Sport Spotlight 8: A Guilty or Innocent Sinner? And Tragedy at the Crossfit Games
    Aug 22, 2024 – 1:10:11
  • Does Talent Need Trauma To Succeed? A Sports Psychologist Weighs In
    Aug 20, 2024 – 1:26:52
  • Paris 2024 Recap Bumper Show: Highlights, Lowlights, Stats and Final Insights
    Aug 14, 2024 – 1:57:34
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 16 - Hassan makes History, Track Triumphs for Kipyegon and Ingebrigtsen
    Aug 11, 2024 – 1:29:53
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 15 - A Magnificent Marathon and a Night of Redemption on the Track
    Aug 10, 2024 – 1:23:45
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 14 - Tebogo claims the 200m, McLaughlin-Levrone breaks a WR, and Holloway gets his gold
    Aug 9, 2024 – 1:28:11
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 13 - Men's 400m and Steeplechase golds, and a weight loss controversy
    Aug 8, 2024 – 1:15:41
  • Paris Special: The Art and Science of Sport Climbing
    Aug 7, 2024 – 47:49
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 12 - How Cole Hocker Became an Olympic 1500m Champion in a Race for the Ages
    Aug 7, 2024 – 1:10:33
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 11 - Hodgkinson delivers under pressure and 5000m controversy
    Aug 6, 2024 – 1:04:03
  • Bonus Episode: Why test the sex of an athlete? The IOC seem confused. We offer some reasons
    Aug 5, 2024 – 16:16
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 10 - How Noah Lyles became Olympic 100m Champion by 5/1000th of a second
    Aug 5, 2024 – 1:14:05
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 9 - Julien Alfred: Olympic 100m champion. Plus cycling, swimming & relay analysis
    Aug 4, 2024 – 1:09:51
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 8 - Cheptegei wins 10000m gold, and a French 1-2-3
    Aug 3, 2024 – 1:18:16
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 7 - Biles soars, Women's boxing controversy and the Track programme begins
    Aug 2, 2024 – 57:08
  • Science of Sport Bonus Short: Biles beats rivals and "the Twisties". Insights from performance psychology
    Aug 2, 2024 – 11:52
  • Paris 2024: Males Are About To Fight in Women's Boxing. How Did We Get Here?
    Aug 1, 2024 – 47:00
  • Paris 2024 Daily: Day 6 - Marchand Marches on, Triathlon Analysis and the Psychology of the Twisties
    Aug 1, 2024 – 1:24:03
Recent Reviews
  • Notacricet
    Great info thanks
    Great information guys are awesome
  • AHoffert4890
    Another -1 for misogyny and anti-trans & DSD rhetoric
    Had to stop listening because the misogyny is just too pervasive. This unfortunately goes hand-in-hand with their borderline targeted obsession with trans and DSD athletes, particularly around Paris 2024. Their ideological and often accusatory and hateful commentary about these athletes and lack of nuanced discussion regarding such a complex topic (something that a sports science podcast SHOULD really be about and why I came to listen in the first place) is just disappointing and a further veil and excuse for their continued misogynistic attitude and comments. I hope you read these reviews and find a way to communicate and do better - especially for female and/or DSD athletes who may be listening.
  • A cellular phone user
    Amazing podcast
    Rare for me to give a podcast a 5 star but this podcast delivers. Absolute experts who are willing to discuss the issues and facts. I work in sports and consider myself very informed about sports, but I always come away with new knowledge gained.
  • Murry Lunetta
    Best coverage on fairness in women’s sports
    Thank you for sharing your analysis of the topic of sex testing. Super smart and well balanced with facts and advocating for fair and effective policies and practices. Appreciate this coverage, it’s been a major challenge to come by unbiased, critical thought. Keep it up! 🏆
  • Pipfored
    Science of sport
    Great show when it talks about performance science. Could we please move past the undeniably contentious issue of gender identity? I believe you have devoted enough time to a question which affects competition structure. Does this directly impact training and performance technique for most pro and amateur athletes?
  • NicolasAJD
    Too much rugby?
    I like this podcast. I discovered it during Tour de France. I’ve enjoyed discussions of cycling, athletics, records, fatigue, altitude, training, nutrition, sleep. But I really hope it doesn’t become a rugby podcast or I’ll just stop listening. I can only take so much talk of mouthguards, refereeing, and other niceties of rugby, thank you.
  • DocLouIowa
    SB
    Love the show. If you want to watch the Super Bowl in person, expect to pay over $5000 for one ticket. Luis Iowa.
  • mvelasco07
    Highly recommend!
    I recently discovered the Real Science of Sport podcast and have been consistently impressed by the wealth of knowledge and insights shared in each episode. I truly learn something every time I tune in. Highly recommend giving it a listen!
  • The Real CRP
    Wonderful
    Great, scientific discussion of sport. It’s unfortunate that people negatively rate this podcast and claim no science is referenced when the topics discussed involve Trans and DSD athletes; that is simply untrue and people dismissing studies that don’t support the outcomes they desire. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, in my opinion, the approach of this podcast is fair and respectful when analyzing these tough issues. Sport inherently requires a balance between safety, fairness and inclusion, particularly in protected categories of sport, and this podcast isn’t afraid to deeply dive into those issues.
  • KB____________________
    The misogyny gets tiring
    Had to stop listening
  • Mmmmmmmbbq
    Leave out the misogyny
    Interesting topics and clear discussion, but frequently colored with misogyny.
  • Ltbeasy
    Fantastic
    Clear, concise, and up to date on scientific evidence. New favorite podcast!
  • In Science We Trust
    Lacks nuance / Straw man arguments hide behind “science”
    Was excited to learn more about science of trans athletes. Disappointed to have host openly admit his bias and lament he had to use an athletes pronouns in order to participate in Sloan panel. Can’t seem to grasp or use basic terminology like cis vs trans when discussing male and female athletes. No discussion of what guidelines should look like for trans athletes who go on puberty blockers or cross hormone therapy before puberty. No mention of history of cis women being excluded from open Olympic sports when they outperformed cis men, only to have Olympics create gendered competition to protect cis men. No discussion of how trans men should be included in sports. No discussion of intersex individuals or if elite athletics should have guidelines on naturally occurring hormone levels or chromosomes. If we want to find a solution that is fair and inclusive, we need fewer voices like this that ignore any nuance, can’t catch up on basics of the topic, and openly admit their bias.
  • tessyuh
    Misinformed and transphobic
    Tries to tackle the discussion of trans athletes but rarely cites the data they’re referencing and doesn’t discuss it’s limitations, biases, and funding sources. It’s this type of bigoted scientific analysis that was used for eugenics. So disappointing when “science” is used to promote bigotry.
  • Gnome chopper
    Trans cis
    Terrific and reasonable discussion about trans athletes. Totally sensible and logical discussion with out the hyperbole and rancor. Impressive!
  • Speedhouse
    Straight to the Point
    These gentlemen cut the noise surrounding the science of sport. No fluff, just no-nonsense fitness information on a variety of subjects.
  • Dalajo
    Informative without any BS
    Ross Tucker and Mike Finch are two brilliant human-beings. They discuss controversial issues in a real way. No sugar coating or taking sides. Thank you for your time and sharing your knowledge with us.
  • Tesboston
    Love the athletes participation
    My US ear/bias make this podcast an interesting learning experience. Listening to discussions based around cricket, which I know little about, made me think a bit. I really liked the 2 pods where athletes were being interviewed and participated in the discussion. It was a very open dialogue. Keep it coming.
  • MatthewSA007
    Great topical insights
    This is a great podcast for any sport fan who is interested in the science behind high performance and sport in general.
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