TRAINING121 BLOG

A BEAcON OF CLARITY

The Training121 Blog aims to be a beacon of clarity amidst the often confusing online health and nutrition space. While a lot of our articles focus on nutrition, the blog spans a range of topics, including exercise, sleep, and behaviour change. We craft our articles to be easy to understand, to be useful, and to impart a critical thinking mindset to the reader. Best of all, our articles are free to read and always will be. Join our mailing list below to stay informed and never miss out on valuable insights.

Health and Nutrition Science Communication Officer at Training121

Patrick Elliott, BSc, MPH

Snus Use in Football: What are the Health and Performance Effects?

Snus use is rife in football—but at what cost? While it’s generally accepted that snus use is lower risk than smoking cigarettes, its use...

Hot vs. Cold Baths for Muscle Recovery

It seems like everyone and their mother is talking about the benefits of ice baths, while hot baths don’t get much attention. However, a...

Why Nutrition is Important in Football

Football is a physically and mentally demanding sport. As such, it makes sense that nutrition is important for football performance. But...

The Role of Fat in an Athlete’s Diet

Dietary fat often stands in the shadow of carbohydrates and protein when it comes to sports nutrition recommendations. Despite this, fat...

Can Napping Improve Football Performance?

Certain cultures around the world have a tradition of taking a short daytime nap, or siesta. Is it possible that this tradition could...

High-Carb or High-Fat Diets: What's Best for Endurance Athletes?

Sports nutrition guidelines have always recommended high-carbohydrate diets for endurance performance. However, some researchers claim...

Does Beta-Alanine Improve Exercise Performance?

Beta-alanine is a core component of many pre-workout supplements, and is marketed to improve exercise performance. But is this true? And...

Cooling the Hype on Post-Workout Ice Baths

Ice baths are very popular in the health and fitness space; however, new research suggests that they may be detrimental for muscle...

Overdoing Protein: When More Isn’t Better

Protein is an important component of an athlete’s diet. But as with all nutrients, there seems to be a ceiling to its benefits....

Should You Use Electrolytes?

When we exercise, we lose electrolytes in our sweat. But does this mean we need to take electrolyte supplements? Introduction As you’ll...

‘Carbohydrate Fear’ in Women’s Football

Recent reports suggest that female footballers are not meeting carbohydrate recommendations. ‘Carbohydrate fear’ is a likely culprit....

Top 3 Supplements for Exercise Performance

There are tons of supplements on the market, but which are the most effective? In this article, we give you our top three...

Does Drinking Coffee Cause Dehydration?

We all love a cup o’ Joe. But is this popular beverage causing dehydration? Introduction We have all likely been told that drinking too...

The Biggest Problem With Sports Supplements

While certain sports supplements can provide an edge for performance, there’s one major issue with sports supplements that you ought to...

The Performance-Enhancing Effects of Beetroot Juice

Have you heard that beetroot juice can improve performance? In this article, we tell you how it does and how much you need to take to see...

How to Improve Your Sleep

One of the often forgotten pillars of good health and performance is sleep. In this article, we explain why it’s important and give you...

When NOT to Train

While commitment and mental toughness are characteristics of high performers, sometimes these traits can have a negative impact on...

The Off-Season: A Window of Opportunity

The off-season period is a time to rest and recover, but also to rebuild for the coming season. Don’t let it pass you by. Introduction...

Processed Foods for Athletes

In the realm of sports nutrition, processed foods are not a boogeyman, and can be a helpful tool to help athletes meet their dietary...

Can Vegans Match Omnivores for Muscle Gains?

New research has questioned the common claim that animal sources of protein are superior to plant sources for muscle and strength gains....