This week in the world of sports science, here’s what happened…
- Poor sleep can nearly double injury risk for runners!
- Are gi rows a good exercise for combat athletes?
- The importance of understanding peak height velocity in youth sport
Poor sleep can nearly double injury risk for runners!
Running is one of the most popular recreational activities around the globe, with an estimated 620 million people regularly lacing up their running shoes. However, many overlook the crucial role that sleep plays in their performance and health.
A recent study involving 425 recreational runners examined their sleep patterns and classified participants based on sleep quality. The findings revealed that individuals with poor sleep were 1.78 times more likely to report injuries compared to those who enjoyed good-quality sleep. In fact, they faced a 68% chance of sustaining an injury over 12 months.
This research highlights that for recreational runners, sleep shouldn’t be seen as an “extra”; it’s an essential component of recovery and a vital tool for preventing injuries!
If you are trying to improve your sleep, consider checking out our relevant blog, 8 Powerful Tips To Help Your Athletes Sleep Better and our course by Dr. Hugh Fullagar, Sleep (here).
Are gi rows a good exercise for combat athletes?
There’s a growing trend among combat athletes to incorporate their gi into workouts, performing exercises like rows while gripping the fabric. The idea is that this approach makes the exercises more sport-specific, potentially boosting grip and pulling strength.
However, a few months back, renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu S&C coach Charles Allan Price shared insightful thoughts on this topic in an Instagram reel. Price argues that combat athletes should focus on using the gym to develop general physical qualities. He believes that attempting to make gym workouts more sport-specific can actually lead to a lower training stimulus. For instance, adding a gi to a rowing exercise can significantly limit the weight you can row and limit your gripping capacity.
Price emphasises the importance of using gym equipment for its intended purpose to build physical qualities, which leads to combat athletes becoming stronger, more robust, and resilient to injuries, resulting in improved sports performance. As he puts it, “let the gym be the gym and let the sport be the sport.”
So, we’re giving the gi row exercise a definite thumbs down!
The importance of understanding peak height velocity in youth sport
Peak height velocity marks the peak of growth during maturation, but the age at which it occurs can vary significantly. Despite this variation, many sports academies still categorise children based solely on their chronological age.
A recent narrative review revealed valuable insights regarding maturity timing, status, and growth rate in relation to injuries among youth football players. This review analysed 26 eligible studies conducted between 2007 and 2025. Some notable findings indicate that early maturing athletes are more prone to soft tissue injuries compared to on-time or late maturing players. Additionally, more growth-related injuries tend to occur around the period of post-height velocity rather than pre- or post-peak height velocity. Also, experiencing rapid growth (≥ 7.2 cm per year) significantly raises the risk of injury.
For anyone currently working with young athletes, this review is definitely worth a read. It certainly highlights that bio-banding children based on their biological age may be the best approach in youth academies. If you would like to learn more about bio-banding and peak-height velocity, check out our courses, Bio Banding and Peak Height Velocity. Also, our free peak height velocity calculator can be accessed here.
From us this week:
>> New course: Fundamental Movements in Youth
>> New podcast: Building Better Athletes. Michigan’s High-Performance Approach with Lew Porchiazzo
>> New infographic: Core Training
>> New article: Hydrotherapy
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