Physical Activity Researcher

Caring Coaching – Dr Colum Cronin (Pt2) – Meaningful Sport Series

"Coaches have a duty of care that moves beyond protection and involves the development of caring relationships with athletes". This is the position advanced by Dr Colum Cronin whose recent work has advanced care theory and research in sport coaching. But what do caring relationships look like and is it realistic to expect that these relationships manifest also in the world of elite sport, that is often described as ruthless, short-termist and uncaring?
This is second part of our episode with Colum. The first part focused on phenomenological essences of sport coaching, and care was identified as one of these essences. In this episode, the discussion moves from phenomenological ideas about care (as concern) to feminist perspectives on care.
Dr Colum Cronin is Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Physical Education at Liverpool John Moores University and serves as an associate editor for Sports Coaching Review. In his doctoral research, he drew on a phenomenological approach to explore the meaning of coaching. His later work has focused on caring relationships in sport coaching and he is the co-editor of the book Care in Sport Coaching: Pedagogical Cases (together with Kathleen Armour). In his research, he uses a range of qualitative methodologies.

What are ISPAH’s Eight Investments That Work for Physical Activity? (Pt2) - Dr Reece & Mclaughlin

Dr Reece & Mclaughlin (Pt2) – PA | Promotion | Policy | Investments
What are ISPAH’s Eight Investments That Work for Physical Activity?
What is ‘advocacy’ and why is it so important?
What can be learned from other public health wins?
What resources are available for listeners?
https://ispah.org/resources/key-resources/8-investments/
Dr Lindsey Reece and Matthew Mclaughlin
Matthew is doing his PhD at the University of Newcastle, Australia related to health service delivery in large physical activity program in schools. He is the Chair of the Communications Committee at ISPAH.
Lindsey holds a PhD in Health and Medical Psychology and is working as Principal Researcher at University of Sydney. Lindsey has extensive experience in applied research and evaluation, specialising in Physical Activity, Sport and Public Health.
Within her current role as Research Fellow at the University of Sydney’s Prevention Research Collaboration, she is the Director of the SPRINTER (Sport and Active Recreation Intervention & Epidemiology Research) group - an innovative research partnership with the Office of Sport, NSW government. 

What are ISPAH’s Eight Investments That Work for Physical Activity? (Pt1) - Dr Reece & Mclaughlin

Dr Reece & Mclaughlin (Pt1) – PA | Promotion | Policy | Investments
What is ‘advocacy’ and why is it so important?
What can be learned from other public health wins?
What resources are available for listeners?
https://ispah.org/resources/key-resources/8-investments/
Dr Lindsey Reece and Matthew Mclaughlin
Matthew is doing his PhD at the University of Newcastle, Australia related to health service delivery in large physical activity program in schools. He is the Chair of the Communications Committee at ISPAH.
Lindsey holds a PhD in Health and Medical Psychology and is working as Principal Researcher at University of Sydney. Lindsey has extensive experience in applied research and evaluation, specialising in Physical Activity, Sport and Public Health.
Within her current role as Research Fellow at the University of Sydney’s Prevention Research Collaboration, she is the Director of the SPRINTER (Sport and Active Recreation Intervention & Epidemiology Research) group - an innovative research partnership with the Office of Sport, NSW government. 
 

Stories of Sport in Ancient Greece (Pt2) – Petter Kukkonen – Meaningful Sport Series

This is the second part of our discussion with Petter Kukkonen, a former Nordic combined athlete and Finnish national team head coach. His search for the next big thing in his life following athletic retirement led him to write a 750-page novel about one athlete's story in Ancient Greece. Almost 15 years of research and writing recently came into completion when his book was published (in Finnish) with the title "Oliivipuut eivät koskaan kuole" (Olive trees never die). This fascinating book forms the main part of our discussion, while we often also switch to discussing the story behind the book.
In the first part, Petter talked about his athletic retirement and the emptiness following it, as well as how he found his new 'thing' in studying history and writing. In this second part, we discuss various things including philosophy, how the main character in the book might reflect Petter's own views on life, what might have happened to athletes in the Ancient world when they retired, and how writing the novel changed Petter as a person.
You can follow Petter on Twitter @PetterKukkonen.

Health Effects of Strength Training That You Did Not Know? Dr Juha Hulmi (Pt2)

Part 2. Dr Juha Hulmi - Strength Training | Health | PA Recommendations
 
What are the health effects of strength training?
How physical activity recommendations should be changed?
 
Dr Juha Hulmi is an associate professor in exercise physiology and science writer. He holds PhD in exercise physiology
Main research interests
Muscle hypertrophy
Muscle atrophy/wasting/cachexia
Sports nutrition
Exercise physiology
Muscle metabolism and signaling
Strength training
Muscle medicine
Weight loss / fitness
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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---
Physical Activity Researcher Podcast have created a ‘Purchase Guide for Researchers: Accelerometer-based Activity Trackers’. You can download it from here.---

Can MMA Provide a Context for Cultivating Stoic Virtues (Pt2)? Michael Tremblay – Meaningful Sport Series

In their writings, Stoic philosophers have many references to sport. But how did the Stoics think about happiness, good life and meaningful life? What role might sport have in all this? How can we cultivate stoic virtues when we are practising sport?
This is the second part of our episode with Michael Tremblay. In the first part, we focused on exploring central ideas of Stoic philosophy and their relevance for sport. We explored the key differences between stoicism and existentialism, and ideas of happiness, meaning and purpose. In this episode, you will hear about Michael’s work on Stoicism and Mixed Martial Arts, and how MMA can provide a context for philosophical education to practitioners.
Michael Tremblay is a PhD Candidate in Philosophy at Queen’s University, in Ontario, Canada. His research focuses on Ancient Greek Philosophy, particularly Stoicism, and what it can teach us about how to live good lives and become better people. Beyond philosophy, Michael is passionate about martial arts and competes regularly in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling.
You can read more about Michael's exciting work at https://www.tremblaymichael.com/, including his interview with Georges St-Pierre about the Mindset of a Fighter. You can find Michael on Twitter @_MikeTremblay

Using Apps in Physical Education - Implications for Meaningfulness? Greg Dryer (Pt2) – Meaningful Sport Series

The second part of our discussion with Greg Dryer explores to the role of using apps and other ways of measuring our physical activity and how they might shape how we think and feel about movement, or even how we find meaning in it. We explore Greg’s project of developing and launching the miMove app that aims to help practitioners to support young people in developing a physical activity habit and to provide the data for schools to monitor impact, review and celebrate their work in PE. We will explore the phenomenon of activity tracking from various angles and the ways that Greg has sought to address some of the problems that might come with it.
Greg Dryer is founder and Director of the Centre for Physical Education, Sport and Activity that sits in the School of Education at Kingston University. The Centre’s mission is to make physical education, sport and physical activity, meaningful, relevant and wonderful for all young people by aligning excellent teaching, research and practice. Before moving into higher education, Greg was Head of PE at 3 large inner London schools during the course of a 17-year teaching career. 
Away from university, Greg launched miMove in 2019. miMove is an app that allows practitioners to support young people in developing a physical activity habit and provides the data for schools to monitor impact, review and celebrate their work in PE and Sport. For more information go to https://mimoveapp.com/
Greg and his team are always looking to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organisations as they believe this is the only route to sustained progress.
You can follow Greg on Twitter @Greg_Dryer

What Is the Best Wearing Location for an Accelerometer? Dr Alexander Montoye (Pt2)

Part 2. Dr Alexander Montoye - Accelerometry | Machine learning | Sedentary behaviourDr Alexander Montoye is working as an Assistant professor of Clinical Exercise Physiology at Alma College, Michigan, U.S. His main research area involves physical activity monitoring devices. He studies the accuracy and reliability of various physical activity monitors and also uses them as intervention tools to help individuals become more physically active.
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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---

How Does Gender Inform Meaning in Sport (Pt1)? Dr Anna Kavoura – Meaningful Sport Series

Sport is a very gendered institution. Although there has been a lot of effort to tackle gender-based inequalities in the past few decades, a lot of work remains to be done. This episode explores how gender informs meaning in sport. How does gender identity intersect with athletic identity? What discourses are dominant in sporting spaces, and how do these impact participant experiences, and especially those who are unable or unwilling to accept or live according to those discourses?
We also exploring the possibilities of alternative meanings and practices in sport, and finally discuss whether and how sporting practices that are not based on a binary understanding of gender can be organised, as well as the ethical imperative to organise sporting spaces that are inclusive and safe for all.
Dr Anna Kavoura completed her PhD in Sport Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, which explored women’s identity negotiations in competitive judo cultures. After defending her PhD, she continued working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Jyväskylä in a project that focused on tackling discrimination against gender and sexual minorities in sport and physical education contexts. She then moved to the School of Sport and Service Management at the University of Brighton and currently works as a postdoctoral researcher in a project titled "Transforming Gender Boundaries in Sport" which is funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.

The Dark Sides of Meaningful (Sport) Work – Dr Michael McDougall (Pt2) – Meaningful Sport Series

The second part of our episode with Dr Michael McDougall focuses on culture, meaningful work and management of meaning. While it is very intuitive to think that aiming to create more meaningful work (or sport) is a worthy goal in organisations, so-called 'management of meaning' can be problematic in many levels.
Our guest will ask critical questions and challenge us to think about the ethics around interventions aimed at culture change and meaningful work, and reflect on his own professional practice around these themes.
Dr Michael McDougall has completed his PhD focused on a critical examination of organisational culture research in sport at Liverpool John Moores University and teaches psychology at Keystone College in the US. He is conducting research on various topics including cultures in sport and organisational contexts, meaningful work, craftsmanship, and well-being. And while his work is certainly critical and thought provoking, he also engages in consultation work and puts this thinking into practice in organisational contexts.

Using Machine Learning in Physical Activity Research - Dr Alexander Montoye (Pt1)

Dr Alexander Montoye (Pt1) - Accelerometry | Machine learning | Rehabilitation
Dr Alexander Montoye is working as an Assistant professor of Clinical Exercise Physiology at Alma College, Michigan, U.S. His main research area involves physical activity monitoring devices. He studies the accuracy and reliability of various physical activity monitors and also uses them as intervention tools to help individuals become more physically active.
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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---

Adventure, Outdoor Education and 'Dwelling Well' – Prof Simon Beames (Pt1) - Meaningful Sport Series

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been accompanied by the shift from gyms and indoor exercise to nature-based movement activities, it can be seen as an intensification of a broader trend of a growth of interest in nature-based sports and adventures.
Can ‘going back to nature’ help us solve some of the big problems such as alienation, disconnectedness and environmental crisis? How can we dwell well in our places? Or can outdoor activities be just as unsustainable as many other areas of our lifestyles? How and why do outdoor activities have the potential to contribute to authentic living?
Simon Beames is Professor of Outdoor Studies at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Before this, he was at the University of Edinburgh for almost 15 years and still retains a .2 position there. Simon is interested in understanding the role of outdoor activities or frilufstliv in addressing the big questions of our societies: sustainability, health and well-being, and diversity and equality issues.
Simon has published five books, including Adventurous Learning and Adventure and Society, which form a basis of discussions in this podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @beamingsimon.

Stories of Sport in Ancient Greece (Pt1) – Petter Kukkonen – Meaningful Sport Series

Petter Kukkonen is a former Nordic combined athlete and current Finnish national team head coach whose search for the next big thing in his life following athletic retirement led him to write a 750-page novel about one athlete's story in Ancient Greece. Almost 15 years of research and writing recently came into completion when his book was published (in Finnish) with the title "Oliivipuut eivät koskaan kuole" (Olive trees never die).
This episode explores both the story in the book and the story behind the book. Petter talks about his athletic retirement and the emptiness following it, as well as how he found his new 'thing' in studying history and writing. He talks about how he organised his life in training camps and competition seasons to include times of concentrated writing, and the joy of completing the story in the book that occupied him for over a decade. We also explore the context of his book, the main character, and similarities and differences in the cultural significance and practices of sport in Ancient Greece and today.

Can MMA Provide a Context for Cultivating Stoic Virtues (Pt1)? Michael Tremblay – Meaningful Sport Series

In their writings, Stoic philosophers have many references to sport. But how did the Stoics think about a good life and a meaningful life? What role might sport have in all this? How can we cultivate stoic virtues when we are practising sport?
The first part of our episode with Michael Tremblay focuses on exploring central ideas of Stoic philosophy and their relevance for sport. We explore the key differences between stoicism and existentialism, and ideas of happiness, meaning and purpose. We discuss the ways that sport brings artificial obstacles to our lives and makes life more difficult, and our guest shares several examples of how sport features in Stoic philosophy.
Michael Tremblay is a PhD Candidate in Philosophy at Queen’s University, in Ontario, Canada. His research focuses on Ancient Greek Philosophy, particularly Stoicism, and what it can teach us about how to live meaningful lives and become better people. Outside of Philosophy, he is a competitive martial artist, having a competed internationally in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and professionally in mixed martial arts. 
You can read more about Michael's work at www.tremblaymichael.com and follow him on Twitter @_MikeTremblay.

Is Fun a Necessary Part of 'Good' Physical Education – Greg Dryer (Pt1) – Meaningful Sport Series

Is fun a necessary part of good physical education, or are there other, more profound experiences that might be more important for young people? Today’s episode continues explorations meaning and value of physical education in young people’s lives.
The discussion is shaped by a critical perspective, and we ask questions about privilege, marginalised identities and the taken-for-granted ideology of sport as promoting positive youth development.
Greg Dryer is founder and Director of the Centre for Physical Education, Sport and Activity that sits in the School of Education at Kingston University. The Centre’s mission is to make physical education, sport and physical activity, meaningful, relevant and wonderful for all young people by aligning excellent teaching, research and practice. Before moving into higher education, Greg was Head of PE at 3 large inner London schools during the course of a 17-year teaching career. 
Away from university, Greg launched miMove in 2019. miMove is an app that allows practitioners to support young people in developing a physical activity habit and provides the data for schools to monitor impact, review and celebrate their work in PE and Sport. For more information go to mimoveapp.com
Greg and his team are always looking to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organisations as they believe this is the only route to sustained progress.
You can follow Greg on Twitter @Greg_Dryer

What has Skydiving to do with Authentic Existence? Prof Gunnar Breivik (Pt2) – Meaningful Sport Series

What has skydiving to do with authentic existence? Can we become more authentic through high-risk sport? And why are discontinuities and breakdowns important when we try to understand meaning in human life?
In the second part of our discussion with Professor Gunnar Breivik, we delve deeper into Heidegger' philosophy and key ideas including being-towards-death, authenticity, breakdown, and temporality and think about these concepts in relation to the sporting human being. Professor Breivik does a wonderful job in explaining complex ideas in a very accessible language and shares his stories about researching and doing skydiving as well.
Gunnar Breivik is Professor Emeritus in Sport Social Sciences at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, where he was Rector of the School 1999-2005. His pioneering work in philosophy of sport over several decades has covered a range of areas including studies of intentionality, knowledge, skills, and other aspects of human experience and action in sport. Moreover, he has conducted many empirical studies in sport and physical activity from psychological and sociological perspectives, including studies on personality in high-risk sports.

Is ‘Hyper-sedentary' Office Work a Relic of the 20th Century? Dr Robert Bridger (Pt1)

Robert (Bob) Bridger is a writer, consultant and teacher in Human Factors. He has a Ph.D in functional anatomy and biomechanics, an MSc in Ergonomics and a first degree in Psychology. His academic expertise is recognised in key areas of HFE including system safety and accident investigation, occupational biomechanics, work stress and Human Factors Integration. 
He has moved comfortably between the world of academia and industry throughout his career and has published over 200 research papers, popular articles and official reports. He is Director of his own company, ‘Knowledge Sharing Events, Ltd’ and helps organisations and universities to develop their expertise and programmes in Human Factors and Ergonomics.
He is sole author of the textbook ‘Introduction to Human Factors and Ergonomics', now in its 4th edition and offering a comprehensive instructional support package including an Instructor’s Manual, a Tutorial Guide and over 500 powerpoint slides. His newest book is: ‘A Guide to Active Working in the Modern Office: Homo Sedens in the 21st Century’. He also has Level 3 Fitness Instructor/Personal Trainer qualification. You can contact Dr Bridger via his website www.rsbridger.com.
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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---

What has Covid-19 Revealed about the Meaning of Sport in Our Lives (Pt2)? Dr Mark Nesti - Meaningful Sport Series

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought uncertainty concerning the future of sports, but also led some of us to reflect more deeply on the meaning of sport in our lives. In the second part of the discussion with Dr Mark Nesti, we explore applied sport psychology with athletes during the pandemic, the value of an existential approach for psychology in sport, and the meaning of sport in Mark's own life.
Dr Mark Nesti has pioneered the application of existential psychology in sport. He recently stepped down as Reader in sport psychology at Liverpool John Moores University and is now working as a British Psychological Society Chartered sports psychologist with the first team players and staff at Yorkshire County Cricket club and Aston Villa.
Mark has written extensively on existential psychology, spirituality in sport, and applied work with elite and professional athletes. 

Meaningful Physical Education – Drs ‪Déirdre Ní Chróinín‬ and Tim Fletcher (Pt2) – Meaningful Sport Series

While all PE teachers most likely aim to facilitate meaningful movement experiences, it does not happen automatically. How can teachers intentionally design their lessons to foster meaningfulness? Does sport have a role in PE? Should we aim for breadth or depth of movement experiences?
This is the second part of the episode. It continues explorations of meaningful PE and the findings of our guests' pioneering work in this area.
Déirdre Ní Chróinín and Tim Fletcher have spent several years on developing and implementing the Learning About Meaningful Physical Education (LAMPE) framework which educates teachers to prioritise meaningful experiences in physical education.
Dr Déirdre Ní Chróinín is a Senior Lecturer in physical education at Mary Immaculate College in Ireland, and Tim Fletcher is an Associate Professor in physical education pedagogy in the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University in Canada.
More information about the LAMPE project can be found at meaningfulpe.wordpress.com. And remember to follow them on Twitter: @meaningfulPE.

Expert opinion - Qualitative research (Pt2) | Højbjerre Larsen | McDougall | Williams

What are the most interesting advances in qualitative research in sports and physical activity science? Three qualitative researchers share their views!
Dr Signe Højbjerre Larsen is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark. Her research focuses on play and lifestyle sports in the fields of philosophy of sport, sociology of sport and cultural analysis. Her work explores how cultural analytical approaches can contribute to a critical understanding of bodies and lifestyle sports and their societal significance. 
Dr Michael McDougall is an Assistant Professor at Keystone College, US. His research has focused on organisational cultures in elite sport, but he is also exploring people’s experience of work, sport and well-being more broadly.
Dr Toni Williams is a Senior Lecturer at Leeds Beckett University, UK. Her research explores the factors that facilitate and constrain a physically active lifestyle for people with spinal cord injury. Her research interests also include narrative inquiry, disability studies, psychology of injury and rehabilitation, and qualitative meta-synthesis. She is a founding member of the International Society of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise.

Mental Health in PhD Students and ECR's - Richard Tahtinen

There is growing research evidence that academics are struggling. For example, the majority of university staff find their job stressful. There is more burnout in university staff than in general working populations. Some studies show that a third of doctoral candidates are at risk, or have developed, mental health issues.
In this episode, we focus on mental health of doctoral candidates and early career academics. We discuss emerging research on factors that contribute to challenges in the doctoral research journey, including problems in the supervisory relationship, unwritten rules, work family conflict and uncertain career prospects.
Richard Tahtinen is a clinical psychologist, a doctoral candidate at Liverpool John Moores University researching mental health in athletes, and a lecturer in Akureyri University. In this episode, he shares reflections on his research and personal journey as a PhD candidate and offers his thoughts on what can be done to support doctoral researchers in their journeys.