The Locker Room
Training, nutrition and recovery, explained simply. Short reads you can use in your next session.
TrainingLand training for young swimmers: what one review of 37 studies found
A new review compares core, plyometric and resistance training for developing competitive swimmers. All three showed positive average effects, but the strength of evidence varied.
TrainingDoes adding nutrition to exercise help frail older adults? One review says the evidence is unclear
A new review of trials in older adults finds structured exercise consistently helps frailty, but whether nutrition adds anything on top is still an open question.
NutritionCreatine, training and sleep in perimenopause: what one new study found
A small study tracked women in perimenopause who combined creatine with strength training. Brain oxygen levels and sleep consistency looked better than with placebo, but the evidence is early.
TrainingSprints plus heavy squats may beat sprinting alone, one study suggests
A new study compared sprinting alone with sprinting plus three styles of strength training. Heavier squats stood out, but this is a single exploratory study.
RecoveryPre-bed protein or carbs didn't disrupt sleep in one study of female college athletes
One new study tested a pre-sleep drink in young female athletes. Sleep and recovery held steady across all four drinks, including the placebo.
NutritionDoes protein add extra strength to lifting? One new review says maybe
A new meta-analysis of young adults found that protein alongside weight training was linked to small strength gains, but the benefit depended on several factors.
Everyday activityTiny bursts still count: one-minute efforts in daily life
Among US adults who didn't exercise, a few short bursts of vigorous everyday activity were linked to lower risk of death, though the authors urge caution.
StrengthThe new strength training guidelines, in plain English
The American College of Sports Medicine updated its resistance training advice for the first time in 17 years. The headline: the best programme is the one you'll stick with.
TrainingMix it up: why exercise variety may help you live longer
In two long-running studies of more than 111,000 adults, people who did the widest mix of activities had a 19% lower risk of early death, even at the same total amount of exercise.
StrengthHow many sets do you really need? The training dose, explained
A meta-analysis of 67 studies shows more weekly sets build more muscle and strength, but with diminishing returns. Here's how to use that in your plan.
TrainingWeekend warriors: do one or two active days still count?
Device data from almost 96,000 adults suggests that fitting your weekly activity into one or two days may protect your health about as well as spreading it out.
RecoveryCan exercise help you sleep better?
A review of 200 trials found exercise improved sleep quality, with walking, qigong and interval training among the stand-outs, and the biggest gains for poor sleepers.
StrengthStrength training and a longer life: the 90-minute sweet spot
Following more than 147,000 adults for up to 30 years, researchers found that about 90 to 120 minutes of strength training a week was linked to lower risk of early death.
WalkingYou don't need 10,000 steps: why 7,000 may be enough
A large review of step-count studies suggests most of the health payoff from walking arrives well before the famous 10,000 mark.