In this episode of the Decoding Excellence Show, I am joined with Professor of Sports Physiology and Performance at Leeds Beckett University and Research & Innovation manager at the Rugby Football League, Dr. Ben Jones.
Ben's primary research involves investigating the training load, match demands, fatigue responses and recovery profiles, physiological adaptations, nutritional requirements, injury and illness occurrences and the physical development of youth athletes. Ben's research involves working with National Governing Bodies, professional sports teams and schools to help inform policy and practice around the optimal player development pathways.
Ben also holds a well-developed and successful consultancy portfolio. He holds experience in professional football, and currently still consults to professional rugby league and rugby union teams. He has also worked with numerous international teams and athletes. Ben is also involved in many different research projects exploring: thermoregulation in occupational settings, nutritional supplementation for weight loss, carbohydrate use during ultra-endurance cycling and multi-disciplinary sports science support for athletes to name a selected few.
On the show, Ben & I discuss A LOT:
• Background into his research/practitioner background.
• Roles in university, governing body, and club.
• Applying (or translating) the laboratory to the playing field.
• How to better connect professionals on the same team.
• The genesis behind his intense thirst for knowledge.
• How to formulate better questions during the research process.
• Influential mentors, and lessons learned, in his professional journey.
• The power of observing how others work.
• Why bravery is important in the research process.
• The critical skill of communication that improves sport-science.
• How to get the right research into the right hands.
• Is it better to professionally pursue depth or breadth? Or both?
• How to avoid distractions that keep you from your best work.
You can catch up with Dr. Ben Jones on Twitter at @23BenJones
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