Evidence Strong | Weightlifting Science

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/154060814 🏋️‍♀️Strength testing is gaining popularity in many sports nowadays. With wider availability in measurement technologies, strength testing is also becoming fast and easy. But the thing is, sometimes it is too much data to handle. You could be testing hundreds of tasks, but you probably shouldn't. Dr. Mary Claire Geneau compared back squat and jump tests (loaded and unloaded) to see if one can be eliminated but still deliver the information coaches need.Mary Claire (MC) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the University of Victoria and Canadian Sport Institute-Pacific, and is a sport scientist with the Professional Women's Hockey League in Vancouver, BC. MC has over a decade of S&C and sport science experience, working with several Canadian national teams, including soccer, volleyball, rowing, freestyle skiing, field hockey, and triathlon. MC’s PhD research focused on the analytical and practical aspects of lower-body strength diagnosis using force platforms, and her current research focuses on leveraging wearable and microsensor technologies to quantify athlete load and performance.Enjoy!Original research paper(s):Geneau MC, Carey DL, Gastin PB, Robertson SJ, James LP. Relationships Between Loaded Countermovement Jumps and 1-RM Back Squat: A Discrete Metrics and Waveform Analysis. Biomechanics. 2026 Jan 1;6(1):3.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7078/6/1/3❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Mary Claire Geneau:🔹 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-claire-geneau-60a74b93/🔹 https://www.instagram.com/mcgeneau/🔹 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mary-Claire-Geneau💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-deal-with-153127993 🏋️‍♀️Choking under pressure is one of the most frustrating experiences in sport, but it is not random. In this conversation, Chris Mesagno breaks down the psychology behind choking, the role of anxiety and perfectionism, and how to build strategies to reduce it.Christopher Mesagno is an Associate Professor in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. With over 25 years of research expertise in anxiety, attention, and concentration skills, Christopher has successfully developed theory-matched interventions to improve performance for highly anxious and "choking-susceptible" athletes. Christopher maintains a robust academic research profile with 75+ research articles and book chapters, and has given various conference and keynote presentations at national and international conferences.Enjoy!Original research paper(s):- Gröpel, P., & Mesagno, C. (2019). Choking interventions in sports: A systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 12(1), 176–201.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1750984X.2017.1408134❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Chris Mesagno:🔹 https://x.com/CMesagno🔹 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christopher-Mesagno?ev=hdr_xprf🔹 https://researchers.vu.edu.au/24494-christopher-mesagno💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/eye-health-and-152561923 🏋️‍♀️There are very few health risks related to Olympic weightlifting when the training is reasonable. Are eye problems one of the issues that may develop? Feliciana Menna comes on the Evidence Strong Show to discuss her newest study on eye health in Olympic weightlifters. Feliciana Menna is an ophthalmologist and clinician-scientist with expertise in retinal diseases, glaucoma, and multimodal ocular imaging. She has trained and worked across Italy and Switzerland and is currently involved in both clinical practice and research. She has recently focused on the investigation of intraocular pressure variations, particularly in relation to physical activity and different sports disciplines, with relevant implications for glaucoma risk assessment.Enjoy!Original research paper(s):Menna F, De Luca L, Lupo S, Meduri A, Vingolo EM. Variations in Intraocular Pressure Among Athletes Across Different Sports Disciplines. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025 May 6;14(9):3211.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/14/9/3211❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Feliciana Menna:🔹 https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciana-menna-226636197/🔹 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Feliciana-Menna/research💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/perfect-jumps-152354506 🏋️‍♀️What is an optimal jump between the first and the second lift in the powerlifting competition? What is the best jump between the second and the third?Dr. Ian Darragh has analyzed 90 thousands of competition records to establish what the successful jumps should be between bench, squat, and deadlift attempts in competition.Ian Darragh holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology and has recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in data science and biostatistics. He is a former junior international weightlifter and has over 15 years of lifting and 10 years of coaching experience. He has an interest in physiology, performance, and health research. He currently works as a research fellow in orthopedics and sports medicine at the Geisinger Health System in northeast Pennsylvania.Enjoy!❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Ian Darragh:🔹 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ian-Darragh🔹 https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-darragh-001287125/🔹 https://www.instagram.com/beanswole/💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/underperforming-152008960 🏋️‍♀️Have you ever heard of “choking”, when a lifter is unable to perform on the platform what should be an easy lift? Hilary Galvin devoted her undergraduate thesis to this phenomenon, researching choking in Irish weightlifters.Hilary Galvin is a personal trainer, weightlifting coach, and psychology graduate with nine years of experience in the sport as an athlete, fan, and technical official. A former nurse with ten years of clinical experience, Hilary recently transitioned into coaching and brings a strong background in health and psychology to her practice.She is passionate about helping lifters and everyday people improve their confidence, resilience, and performance through evidence-informed coaching.Enjoy!❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Hilary Galvin:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/hilary.weightlifting💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/overtraining-for-151419281 🏋️‍♀️Overtraining can be a serious problem for any athlete. In this conversation, Dr Andy Fry explains how coaches can monitor, detect, and prevent overtraining to protect athlete health and performance.After a long career in academia, including directing the Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory at the University of Kansas, Andy launched Fry Sports Performance, LLC. Drawing on his experience as a coach, teacher, and researcher, Fry Sports Performance focuses on helping athletes maximise their potential. Andy also served as Vice President of the National Strength & Conditioning Association and received the NSCA’s Boyd Epley Award for Lifetime Achievement.Enjoy!❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Andy Fry:🔹 https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-fry-a3a21137a/🔹 Fry Sports Performance LLC | Athletic Performance💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/normative-values-150647943 🏋️‍♀️If you’ve ever wondered how well your youth lifter is progressing, this interview is for you. Zack analysed data from the IWF Youth World Championships (2019–2023), examining percentile rankings, sex differences, and weight class differences. You can compare the snatch, clean & jerk, or total directly (in kg) or using scaled values.Zack Gillen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Mississippi State University, where he directs the Resistance Exercise Performance Lab. His lab researches non-invasive assessments of musculoskeletal adaptations to training, with a primary emphasis on resistance training. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Exercise Physiology at Midwestern State University, and his PhD in Exercise Physiology & Nutrition at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He has also competed in Olympic weightlifting and has several years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach at both the collegiate and youth levels.Enjoy!Original research paper(s):Gillen Z. Percentile Rankings and Normalization of Performance for Youth International Weightlifting Federation World Championships Competitors. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning. 2025 Aug 15;5(1).https://journal.iusca.org/index.php/Journal/article/view/404❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Zack Gillen:🔹 www.linkedin.com/in/zmgillen🔹 https://www.instagram.com/zmgillen/💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/anabolic-and-150216092 🏋️‍♀️How do anabolic androgenic steroids actually work? What do we know from human studies versus animal models? And do steroids alter gene expression in skeletal muscle?In this episode, Luke Pelton breaks down the science behind anabolic androgenic steroids—separating evidence from speculation—without hype or exaggeration.Dr. Pelton is an Assistant Professor of Exercise Science and Human Performance Lab Coordinator at Springfield College, where his teaching and research focus on neuromuscular physiology, reproductive endocrinology, and resistance training. His work bridges clinical research and applied performance, and he also serves as Head of Coaching Education at Strong for Life Co., an online strength-training platform.Enjoy!❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Luke Pelton:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/dr_lukey_lifts/🔹 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luke-Pelton🔹 https://springfield.edu/directory/luke-pelton💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.

🏋️‍♀️ Extended version of this interview: https://www.patreon.com/posts/performance-in-148171612 🏋️‍♀️What does the performance of youth Olympic weightlifters depend on? And does this relationship differ between girls and boys? In this episode, Bartosz Malak and his team discuss findings from their study of young lifters across six weightlifting clubs in Poland.Bartosz Malak is a weightlifting coach, neurobiologist, and entrepreneur. He currently works with LKS Budowlani-Kucera and the Polish Junior Weightlifting National Team, and is the head of the weightlifting coaching program at the Poznań University of Physical Education. He is also the founder of the Institute of Sport and Science.Enjoy!Original research paper(s):Bartkowiak S, Kozieł S, Krzykała M, Karpowicz K, Konarski JM, Malak B. Are Sex Differences in Youth Weightlifting Performance Explained by Fat-Free Mass? A Controlled Analysis. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2022 May 9:10-519.https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2026/01000/are_sex_differences_in_youth_weightlifting.8.aspx❤️ Join Evidence Strong Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/evidencestrong▶️ Watch the episodes on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9L-_m0WGD_7xV0sf87Zy7oMVDdtqR3bG🖼️ Weightlifting research infographics:https://evidencestrong.com✉️ Follow Bartosz Malak:🔹 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bartosz-Malak🔹 https://budowlani-kucera.pl💪 Follow Evidence Strong:🔹 https://www.instagram.com/evidence_strong🔹 https://x.com/EvidenceStrongAll the content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical, nutritional, coaching, or financial advice, nor does it substitute for advice from your health care professional/provider. Any actions you will take, changes you will make to your nutrition, training or health care, are on your own responsibility and not mine.