Science for Sport Podcast

337: Structure, Pacing and Recovery in Fight Preparation

September 14th, 2026  |  33 mins 3 secs

athlete preparation, athletic performance, boxing, brazilian jiu-jitsu, colin byrne, combat sport conditioning, combat sports, conditioning, conor mcgregor, elite sport, endurance training, fatigue, fight preparation, heart rate, interval training, mcgregor fast, mma, nate diaz, one-round principle, overtraining, pacing, performance coaching, performance data, power output, recovery, repeat efforts, rowing, shinobi academy, skill acquisition, sports science, strength and conditioning, training load, ufc, wattbike

Performance coach Colin Byrne joins Richard Graves to discuss why many combat athletes train too much without preparing specifically enough. Drawing on seven years working with Conor McGregor, Colin explains the conditioning changes made after the first Nate Diaz fight, the importance of separating skill work from physical preparation and why recovery between intense efforts can decide contests. He also introduces his “one-round principle” and explains what combat sports can learn from cycling’s measurement-led approach.

154: How To Improve Mental Performance While Avoiding Burnout and Overtraining

March 13th, 2023  |  19 mins 37 secs

burnout, mental health. sport performance, mental performance, overtraining, sport psychology, sport training, wellbeing, wellness

Come with us as we delve into the mysterious and exciting world of sports science…

This entertaining podcast explores:

• The science behind the world’s best athletes.
• Current issues and events in the world of sport.
• How to master the art and science of coaching.

Every Monday, Matt Solomon chats with various experts to uncover the science and secrets behind what makes the best athletes in the world so damn good at what they do. They’ll also dive into global issues and events effecting the world of sport, such as COVID-19 and gene doping.

Though anyone is welcome to join us on this journey, this podcast is primarily for:

• S&C coaches/sports scientists
• Physiotherapists
• Nutritionists/Dieticians
• Physical education teachers
• Sports enthusiasts
• Knowledge-seeking athletes

If you’re any of the above, we challenge you to listen to an episode and not fall in love with this laugh-out-loud, brain-swelling podcast.