Physical Activity Researcher

Athletic Retirement: A Transition to A Physically Active Lifestyle? Dr Erin Reifsteck (Pt 1) - Meaningful Sport Series

Athletic retirement is a much-studied topic, but only recently have researchers started to explore whether sport and physical activity remains part of retired athletes' lives. Do athletes still find sport and physical activity meaningful pursuits, and if so, how do they change their practice and relationship with them? What kind of identity changes are required? And importantly, if some athletes require support in the transition in relation to these questions, how can sport psychology practitioners and others around them help them?
Dr Erin Reifsteck is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her research has made a substantial contribution to understanding and supporting athletes’ transition to physically active lifestyles.
In this first part of our conversation, we explore the story behind her research and key theoretical constructs that have informed her work. The second part will be focused on the intervention that she has developed with her colleagues to support athletes in transitioning to a physically active lifestyle.
The research discussed in the episode includes:
“Athletes” and “exercisers”: Understanding identity, motivation, and physical activity participation in former college athletes.
Journey From Control to Liberation: Exploring Student-Athletes' Physical Activity Perceptions and Experiences in the Transition Out of Collegiate Sport
"Moving On!" - Transition program for student-athletes moving to a physically active lifestyle can be found here: https://athletesmovingon.org/

Development of a Family-based Wearable Intervention Using the Behaviour Change Wheel - Dr Amy Creaser (Pt1)

Amy has an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Leeds, who undertook a work placement year at BiB in 2017, working on the ‘Primary School Years’.Amy is currently a PhD Student, working with the JU:MP team and Loughborough University. Her PhD will focus on developing and implementing an intervention to increase physical activity in children and adolescents, using wearable activity trackers (such as Fitbits). Her PhD will take a mixed-methods approach (qualitative and quantitative methods) to investigate intervention impact and assess feasibility and acceptability of the intervention within the community.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
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Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

How is Work, Life and Activity of an Olympic Team Coach? - Petter Kukkonen (Pt1) - Practitioner‘s Viewpoint Series

Day-to-day Work of Olympic Coach 
 
Petter Kukkonen is a Finnish combined skier who has finished his career and is the current head coach of the Finnish combined team. He represented in his career Lieksa Ski Club. Kukkonen competed in his career in four World Cup competitions in 2000 . The best ranking was 47. In the World Youth Championships, Kukkonen won gold in sprinting and team competition.
Kukkonen started his coaching career at Vuokatti Sports College in 2005 . He coached the Estonian combined and hill jumping national teams for five years until he was appointed to the Finnish combined national team as head coach in April 2012 . Currently, he is the Head Coach of Finnish Nordic Combined Team.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
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Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

Purpose in Life, Physical Activity and Sport (Pt2) - Dr Ayse Yemiscigil - Meaningful Sport Series

In this second part of our conversation with Dr Ayse Yemiscigil, we explore how purpose in life and physical activity might relate to one another. The conversation draws on Ayse's recent article (co-authored with Ivo Vlaev) "The bidirectional relationship between sense of purpose in life and physical activity: a longitudinal study" showing that involvement in physical activity is positively associated with a sense of purpose in life in the future (while controlling for the previous level of purpose in life). In the conversation, we explore possible whys behind this finding and new avenues opened up for future research.
Dr Ayse Yemiscigil is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University. Her research has explored the relationship between work and well-being,  sense of meaning and purpose in work and physical activity, and the impact of retirement on purpose in life. In the meaningful sport podcast, she also reflects on her own sporting life and how athletes might find more meaning from sport.

Avoid These Common Mistakes in PA Measurements with Children - Dr Matteo Crotti (Pt2)

Dr. Matteo Crotti has got his PhD from the Liverpool John Moores University. He has been involved in various research projects concerning children’s physical activity, motor skills and health. Furthermore, he conducted a study concerning the relationship between play behaviours and motor skills in preschool children.
His early career researcher was in the field of Sports Sciences and his key research focus on physical activity promotion, physical activity assessment, physical education and coaching.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
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Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

How to Integrate Technology to Your Coaching Practices? CEO Tuuli Pirttiaho (Pt3) - Practitioner‘s Viewpoint Series

As a coach Pirttiaho supporting people’s self-intelligence, empowerment, mental fitness and physical recovery and potential, leadership and communication abilities and meaningful being - as a person, entrepreneur or leader.
Pirttiaho is a development and business oriented CPCC, PCC coach with 30 years experience in business and management as well as communication, HR development, service design and coaching. More about my services at www.thewind.fi / www.clues.fi / @thewindconsulting / @thewindcoaching / @cluescoaching
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
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Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

How to Do Longitudinal Research Designs That Get You Funded? Dr Olli Tikkanen - Bonus episode

In this bonus episode we are covering new possibilities in research designs that are now possible with advances in sedentary behaviour and physical activity measurement technology. With the new IoT – Internet of Things devices – longitudinal data collection becomes considerably easier. More accurate data makes studies better in many ways and enables investigation of new things possible. These all can provide an edge when applying for competitive research grants.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
---
Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

Purpose in Life, Physical Activity and Sport - Dr Ayse Yemiscigil (Pt1) - Meaningful Sport Series

Today’s episode explores purpose in life and how it can relate to physical activity and work-life. We ask: How are meaning and purpose different? How is purpose in life connected to well-being? And how does socio-economic status influence who has access to meaningful experiences in work-life, and why is it perhaps related to meaningful leisure?
Dr Ayse Yemiscigil is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University. Her research has explored the relationship between work and well-being,  sense of meaning and purpose in work and physical activity, and the impact of retirement on purpose in life. In the meaningful sport podcast, she also reflects on her own sporting life and how athletes might find more meaning from sport.

Why Students Should be Taught to Create Misinformation? Prof Melanie Trecek-King (Pt2)

Melanie Trecek-King is an Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College in Massachusetts.
Her passion for science education led her to create Thinking Is Power to provide accessible and engaging critical thinking information to the general public.
In addition to her work in the classroom, Prof. Trecek-King is the Founder and Chair of Massasoit’s Sustainable Landscaping Committee, which uses environmentally responsible landscaping practices to conserve natural resources, reduce and prevent pollution, benefit wildlife, and enhance ecosystem functioning. 
Trecek-King has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry and a Master of Arts in Ecology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she studied prairie ecology, succession, the role of fire in ecosystems, and habitat restoration.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
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Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/
 

Body not Brain: Behaviour Transformation through Awe Moments - CEO Tuuli Pirttiaho (Pt2) - Practitioner‘s Viewpoint Series

As a coach Pirttiaho supporting people’s self-intelligence, empowerment, mental fitness and physical recovery and potential, leadership and communication abilities and meaningful being - as a person, entrepreneur or leader.
Pirttiaho is a development and business oriented CPCC, PCC coach with 30 years experience in business and management as well as communication, HR development, service design and coaching. More about my services at www.thewind.fi / www.clues.fi / @thewindconsulting / @thewindcoaching / @cluescoaching
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
---
Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

Mindfulness - What for (Pt2)? - Drs Dev Roychowdhury & Maria Luisa Guinto - Meaningful Sport Series

This is the second part of our conversation on the use of mindfulness in sport psychology, and what has been gained and lost when mindfulness migrated to the west. Mindfulness has become a panacea for well-being and performance in sport psychology, and many studies have documented its benefits for athletes. What is the problem, then?
In the conversation with Dr Maria Luisa Guinto, an Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and Dr Dev Roychowdhury, a researcher and practitioner based in Melbourne, Australia, we explore the migration of mindfulness and how it has been appropriated to Western audiences. We discuss the practical sport psychology work, the importance of intercultural dialogues on the meaning and practice of mindfulness, and how researchers might want to consider the critiques of mindfulness in their work. 
The conversation draws on our co-authored article that focuses on the transnational migration of mindfulness in sport psychology. Further resources to explore the topic can also be found in Dev Roychowdhury's blog.

Sobering Amounts of Sedentary Behaviour in Children during Lockdown - Dr Liezel Hurter (Pt1)

Liezel Hurter currently works at the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University. Liezel does research in children's sedentary behaviour measurement and mental health and wellbeing
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
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Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

Current Health Messaging Does Not Motivate Many People - Mika Fisk (Pt2) - Practitioner‘s Viewpoint Series

Mika is a business coach and a sales and marketing professional. He is helping companies to grow and reach their full potential. He has previously said that he is on a mission to make life feel better for everybody.
We are talking about sales and marketing in the health and fitness business. 
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
---
Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

Mindfulness - What for? - Drs Dev Roychowdhury & Maria Luisa Guinto - Meaningful Sport Series

Mindfulness has become a panacea for well-being and performance and is widely used in workplaces, schools... and sports. Many sport psychology studies have documented its benefits for athletes and it has become one of the main topics of sport psychology conferences.
Despite all these benefits, many scholars and writers have expressed their reservations about how mindfulness is taken up and used in Western countries. Two scholars who have long hed these reservations are Dr Maria Luisa Guinto, an Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman, and Dr Dev Roychowdhury, a researcher and practitioner based in Melbourne, Australia. I had the opportunity to get to know them a couple of years ago and work together on an article that focuses on the transnational migration of mindfulness and what was gained and what was lost when mindfulness became mainstream in sport psychology. In today's episode, we will explore some of the arguments and share some stories behind the research.
Further resources to explore the topic can be found in Dev Roychowdhury's blog.

What‘s Wrong with How We Teach Science? Prof Melanie Trecek-King (Pt1)

Melanie Trecek-King is an Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College in Massachusetts.
Her passion for science education led her to create Thinking Is Power to provide accessible and engaging critical thinking information to the general public.
In addition to her work in the classroom, Prof. Trecek-King is the Founder and Chair of Massasoit’s Sustainable Landscaping Committee, which uses environmentally responsible landscaping practices to conserve natural resources, reduce and prevent pollution, benefit wildlife, and enhance ecosystem functioning. 
Trecek-King has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry and a Master of Arts in Ecology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she studied prairie ecology, succession, the role of fire in ecosystems, and habitat restoration.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
---
Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/
 

Wellness Coaching: How to Achieve Behaviour Change with Hermeneutical Approach? CEO Tuuli Pirttiaho (Pt1) - Practitioner‘s Viewpoint Series

As a coach Pirttiaho supporting people’s self-intelligence, empowerment, mental fitness and physical recovery and potential, leadership and communication abilities and meaningful being - as a person, entrepreneur or leader.
Pirttiaho is a development and business oriented CPCC, PCC coach with 30 years experience in business and management as well as communication, HR development, service design and coaching. More about my services at www.thewind.fi / www.clues.fi / @thewindconsulting / @thewindcoaching / @cluescoaching
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
---
Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

”The Olympics is a Disaster for People who Live in Host Cities” - Drs Mac Ross & Michael McDougall (Pt2) - Meaningful Sport Series

Why should people lose their homes for a hockey game to happen? The Olympic Games has been celebrated as a way of bringing people together and providing inspiration for the spectators. However, it is rarely mentioned that in many host cities, hundreds if not thousands of people have been displaced from their homes for the Games to take place. As our guests have argued in their article in Washington Post, "The Olympics is a disaster for people who live in host cities". This episode examines this statement and whether there is hope for a better future.
In this second part of our conversation with Drs Mac Ross and Michael McDougall, we examine the serious human rights issues that have accompanied the hosting of the Olympic Games.
Dr Michael McDougall is an Assistant professor of psychology at Keystone College, specializing in culture, sport and organizations,
Dr Mac Ross is an Assistant professor of kinesiology at Western University in London, Ontario, where he teaches history, sociology and management of sport.  
 

News | Using Apple Podcasts? Could You do a Small Favor which Makes a Big Difference to This Podcast: A Quick Bonus Episode

This is a short bonus episode, in which Olli Tikkanen explains about the current publishing schedule, and also asks for a small favor to review the episodes on Apple Podcasts.  
Publishing schedule
"Normal episodes" are published on Tuesday,
"Republication" are on Wednesdays,
"Meaningful Sport" episodes are on Fridays,  on Sundays
"Practitioner's Viewpoint" episodes are on Sundays 
 
How to leave a review and rating on the Apple Podcasts app:
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-leave-a-review-on-apple-podcasts
 
Physical Activity Researcher Podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1479340829
 
 

How to Choose the Right PA Assessment Method for Project with Children? Dr Matteo Crotti (Pt1)

Dr. Matteo Crotti has got his PhD from the Liverpool John Moores University. He has been involved in various research projects concerning children’s physical activity, motor skills and health. Furthermore, he conducted a study concerning the relationship between play behaviours and motor skills in preschool children.
His early career researcher was in the field of Sports Sciences and his key research focus on physical activity promotion, physical activity assessment, physical education and coaching.
-----------------------------------------
This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
---
Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

Behaviour Change Insights You Don‘t Want to Miss! MSc Jason Gootman (Pt2) - Practitioner‘s Viewpoint Series

Jason is a Mayo Clinic certified wellness coach; he has a Master´s degree in exercise physiology and a certification in sports nutrition and strength and conditioning.
 
How to coach someone who wants to improve their biometrics like blood-sugar levels, blood pressure, and blood-cholesterol levels and on top of that improve their overall well-being via lifestyle improvements.
Within that topic we are going to touch on the role of automatic affective evaluations and a reflective attitude in motivation to exercise and physical activity.
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This podcast episode is sponsored by Fibion Inc. | The New Gold Standard for Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity Monitoring
Learn more about Fibion: fibion.com/research
---
Collect, store and manage SB and PA data easily and remotely -
Discover new Fibion SENS Motion: https://sens.fibion.com/

The Olympics, Human Rights, and Management of Meaning in Sport - Drs Mac Ross & Michael McDougall - Meaningful Sport Series

The most recent Olympic Games in Tokyo were highly controversial for going forward despite the pandemic and resistance from the local community. Many debates have been held on whether those Games were a success or a failure, and importantly, for whom? The games were certainly exceptional due to the pandemic, but on the other hand, they were similar to previous games in many ways, such as by exceeding the budget and involving human rights concerns that are rarely mentioned in the ‘official’ Olympic narratives.
In today's episode with Drs Mac Ross and Michael McDougall, we will have a critical conversation of the potential dark sides of the Olympics. We start off by reflecting a bit on skateboarding as a new Olympic sport and the management of meaning that takes place when new 'sports' are included. We then ask about the impact of the Olympics on local communities and whether the Games are doing more harm than good, especially for the worlds most vulnerable populations.
Dr Michael McDougall is an Assistant professor of psychology at Keystone College, specializing in culture, sport and organizations,
Dr Mac Ross is an Assistant professor of kinesiology at Western University in London, Ontario, where he teaches history, sociology and management of sport.