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The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Professor Ross Tucker and Mike Finch
Doping
Cycling
Olympics
Sports Science
Winter Olympics
Athletics
Tour De France
Swimming
Paris 2024 Olympics
Tokyo World Championships
VO2 Max
Olympic Games
Kenya
Women's Sports
Transgender Athletes
Biathlon
Tennis
Talent Identification
Zone 2 Training
Janik Sinner

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 spor... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes361Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Sports

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Artwork for The Real Science of Sport Podcast

Latest Episodes

Become a Supporter for less than the price of one lactate gel a month, and get ad-free shows, a members-only Applied show every week, and Discourse. We promise it is a better investment than the lactate gel, and it won't cause gut issues either!

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SHOW NOTES

From the evidence on early specialisation to the formula most likely to produce a champion sportsperson, talent specialist Stuart Armstrong breaks down the science and data on identifying and developing young talent. For parents everywher... more

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Become a Supporter for ad-free shows, a members-only Applied show every week (durability, this week), and Discourse, where Ironman collapses and other topics are being explored with insight and experience!

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This week, why Solveig Løvseth ... more

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Become a Supporter for ad-free shows, a members-only Applied episode every week, and Discourse, where Steve Hennings asked one of this week's best questions!

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This week, the UCI's Future of Cycling report, why people believed Tigst Assefa... more

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Key Facts

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Contact Information
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Stuart Armstrong
Managing director of Future Coach and talent development specialist; formerly worked at Sport England
Future Coach
Episode: How To Raise a Champion in 2026
Ian Gallen
Consultant physician, endocrinologist and diabetologist
Episode: Diabetes in Exercise and Sport
Sean Ingle
Sports journalist at The Guardian
The Guardian
Episode: Inside the Mind of Jakob Ingebrigtsen: The Guardian's Sean Ingle on Talent, Obsession and a Record-Breaking Track Season
Joe Warne
Previous guest on the show, involved with MetaStudent initiative
MetaStudent
Episode: How Jakob Ingebrigtsen Was Beaten on the Roads / Why Sprinters Love Altitude and Milers Don't / Pacing the 800m / A 13-Year-Old Asian Games Champion
Peter Swoboda
Consultant cardiologist and researcher
University of Leeds, British Heart Foundation funded program
Episode: The Athlete's Heart: Can You Really Exercise Too Much?
Josh Kerr
Elite middle-distance runner
British track and field athlete
Episode: Ultimate Championship Day 3 Recap / Jefferson-Wooden in 21.47 / Kerr in Control / Dos Santos Delivers / Broadcast Underperformances
Gareth Davies
From Wales
Episode: Incentives, Toxic Cultures and Doping in School Sport / “Cowards” and “Losers” on Track / It’s Too Damn Hot at the Vuelta
Tony Davies
Producer with two decades in sport TV; worked on FIFA World Cup, Rugby World Cup, Olympics, etc.
Trans World Sport (TWOS)
Episode: Inside The World of Sports Broadcasting
Ross Hemingway
GP in sports and exercise medicine; Royal Marines medical adviser; founder of Nereus Medical; co-founder of Thermo Elite Health Ltd.
Ministry of Defence; Commando Training Centre for the Royal Marines; Nereus Medical; Thermo Elite Health Ltd
Episode: FEATURE: How To Beat the Heat

Hosts

Ross Tucker
Host and professor of sports science with a focus on translating research into practical performance guidance.
Gareth Davies
Co-host providing expert questioning and media-savvy framing, with Wales-based sporting commentary.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.5k ratings
  • The Best of the Best

    This podcast is a must for any aspiring recreational athlete who is interested in improving health, performance, mental resilience and just to quench curiosity.

    Ross and Gareth is bitterly witty, sharp, informed and intelligent yet possess of the rare ability to take science and make it palatable for the layman.

    Ross and Mike have an amazing ability for getting most out of their guests in a way that is both fun to listen at and be super informative.

    There are several episodes that I re-listen... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Marius Kieck
    South Africa3 months ago
  • One small flaw

    My favorite podcast. Consistently the one I can listen to all the way through. I would enjoy the interviews more if you didn’t structure every question as “tell me your thoughts on this, because my thoughts are blah blah blah…”

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RonaTD
    United States3 months ago
  • Brilliant

    Brilliant and highly informative. I use it all the time for my teaching

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TomM1982
    France4 months ago
  • Love this, so interesting

    Surprised by this recent find. So interesting and entertaining. Have really enjoyed hearing their take on cross country skiing which is under-covered in general. Keep it up!

    Addendum…disappointed you’re putting content behind a paywall. I’d rather listen to a couple of ads and keep this available to all to learn from

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Hazzabear
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Ultra Ultra Marathons ( 250 miles )

    Love the podcast and am especially interested in your take on the female who blew away all comers in the recent 250 mile event in Arizona. Apparently woman are better equipped and better than men at this kind of distance. Can you explain why . ? I find this fascinating and am curious about your view.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    outsider1960
    United Kingdom6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality guests and data-driven discussions are common strengths.
Paywall criticisms recur among some listeners who want more open access.
Experts explain complex science accessibly, great for practitioners.
Some listeners crave broader topic variety beyond rugby focus.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#153
United Kingdom/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#130
Australia/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#6
South Africa/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#74
Ireland/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#107
New Zealand/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#149
India/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How To Raise a Champion in 2026
Q: What is the golden rule for encouraging a child in sport?
Armstrong says there is no universal rule, but recommends letting the child decide when and where to focus, while making clear that the parents support the choice. He also stresses avoiding the message that a child's worth or parental love depends on sporting performance.
How To Raise a Champion in 2026
Q: What does the research and data say about how specializing later on in life is better than doing it at an early age?
Armstrong says the evidence is nuanced and the right timing depends on the individual and their circumstances. Early specialization is not inherently harmful, but specializing to the exclusion of other activities is linked with greater injury risk, burnout and loss of interest.
Diabetes in Exercise and Sport
Q: What did the regime for Steve Redgrave look like, and how did you help him deal with it?
The doctor describes starting with a basal-bolus regime, then tailoring to massively variable energy expenditure and calorie needs, resulting in an asymmetrical insulin plan with much more rapid-acting insulin around meals and minimal basal insulin, enabling high-volume training and competition.
Diabetes in Exercise and Sport
Q: Is it fair to say that type 1 is your, you're born with it essentially, it's a genetic problem?
The guest clarifies that while genetics provide susceptibility, type 1 is an autoimmune destruction of islet cells, not a straightforward genetic destiny; there is a second hit required to trigger the disease, and management involves lifelong insulin replacement and monitoring technologies.
Diabetes in Exercise and Sport
Q: And what are the real challenges of being a sportsman when you're suffering from type 1 in particular?
The guest explains that type 1 adds complexity across training and competition, requiring three layers of preparation: training diabetes planning, event-day diabetes scheduling, and contingency plans for changes in race times or formats to maintain performance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Real Science of Sport Podcast

What is The Real Science of Sport Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Experts in sports science break down myths, practices and controversies across athletics, cycling, football, rugby, and more, using data-driven analysis and interviews with top researchers and practitioners. Recent episodes blend physiology concepts (FTP, VO2, pacing), anti-doping discussions, heat illness management, concussion sensors, and tactical sport insights, with guests ranging from clinicians to performance scientists and journalists. The show tends to feature rigorous, research-backed perspectives delivered in accessible terms, often pairing hosts' insights with real-world case studies and interviews. A standout is its consistent focus on translating lab findings into practical guidance for athletes, coaches and event organizers, ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Real Science of Sport Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Real Science of Sport Podcast:

1. Sweat Elite Podcast
2. Inside Running Podcast
3. Fast Talk
4. COFFEE CLUB: a running podcast about nothing
5. The CITIUS MAG Podcast | A Running + Track and Field Show

How many episodes of The Real Science of Sport Podcast are there?

The Real Science of Sport Podcast launched 7 years ago and published 361 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Real Science of Sport Podcast?

Recent guests on The Real Science of Sport Podcast include:

1. Stuart Armstrong
2. Ian Gallen
3. Sean Ingle
4. Joe Warne
5. Peter Swoboda
6. Josh Kerr
7. Gareth Davies
8. Tony Davies

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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