The Scoreboard 💯

Where the action happens: A spotlight on this week's top sporting moments.

Jannik Sinner Soars to No. 1 in ATP Rankings

Italian tennis sensation Jannik Sinner is rocketing to the top, set to become the new No. 1 in the ATP Rankings on June 10th.

At just 22, Sinner makes history as the first Italian man to ever reach the top spot, joining an elite club of only 29 players in history.

A dominant 2024 season

Sinner’s climb to the top has been nothing short of spectacular.

His breakout moment came with a Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open, followed by a win at the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami.

He also impressed with semi-final finishes at Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo.

Earlier this year, he surpassed Adriano Panatta for the highest ranking ever achieved by an Italian male player. His stellar 14-3 record against Top 10 opponents in the past year includes notable wins over tennis legends like Novak Djokovic (3 times), Carlos Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev (5 times).

Since last August, Sinner has amassed six titles, including:

•  Grand Slam: Australian Open

• Masters 1000: Toronto, Miami

• ATP 500: Beijing, Vienna, Rotterdam

Eyes on Roland Garros

Currently the second seed at Roland Garros, Sinner is gunning for his first clay-court major title, adding more excitement to his incredible year.

A new era in tennis

Sinner’s ascent signals a changing of the guard in tennis.

He’s the second player born in the 2000s to reach No. 1, following Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner joins the ranks of active No. 1s like Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Medvedev, and Alcaraz.

This is a monumental achievement for Sinner and a proud moment for Italian tennis. With this young star leading the charge, the future of tennis looks brighter than ever.

The Recovery Room 🔋

Insights and tips for keeping your body game-ready and resilient.

Ultimate Recovery Checklist

Despite being one of the most fundamental steps in enhanced performance, recovery is still highly overlooked by most athletes.

While intense workouts get the spotlight, effective recovery practices maximize performance.

If you're new here, we’re all about optimizing every part of our training routine.

Let’s dive into key recovery strategies to ensure you have all the tools for peak performance.

What is myofascial release?

Targeting the fascia, myofascial release techniques like foam rolling and massage guns improve muscle recovery, increase circulation, decrease tension, and enhance tissue mobility.

This is the first thing athletes should do when approaching recovery.

Tools for home use:

• Foam roller

• Tennis ball

• Myofascial release ball

• Massage gun

Routine:

• Perform 3-6 times per week.

• Focus on quads, shins, calves, hamstrings, glutes, and back with foam rollers.

• Use massage guns for neck, traps, pecs, and forearms.

Yoga and stretching:

Enhance mobility and flexibility with yoga and stretching a few times a week. Use slow, controlled movements and focus on breathing.

Epsom Salt Baths:

Soak sore muscles and reduce swelling with Epsom salt baths.

The magnesium helps with cramping and improves sleep quality.
Soak 1-3 times per week for 20-30 minutes.

Active rest:

Incorporate low-intensity activities like walking, yoga, or foam rolling into your routine to promote recovery without additional strain.

Hydration:

Drink half your body weight in ounces of water daily, plus 30 ounces for every hour of intense activity.

Add electrolytes to optimize body chemistry and muscle function.

Nutrition:

Fuel your body with high-quality carbs (50%), protein (20-30%), and fats (20-30%). Avoid inflammatory foods and consult a sports nutritionist for personalized advice.

Game day nutrition:

• Eat 1-1.5 hours before warm-ups.

• Have a snack 30 minutes before the game.

• Stay hydrated with water and electrolytes.

• Refuel post-game with a recovery drink, meal, and magnesium-rich foods.

Sleep

Get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Sleep is crucial for muscle repair, strength restoration, and nervous system reset. Establish a calming pre-sleep routine.

Deep breathing:

• Stimulates the vagus nerve to downregulate the nervous system.

• Start with 5 minutes per day and increase gradually.

These are just some of the main tips you can follow to jumpstart your recovery and performance journey.

By integrating these recovery strategies, you’ll enhance performance and stay at the top of your game.

The Training Ground 🏋️

Your go-to for innovative workouts and strength-building secrets.

Should You Fix Your Running Form?

Despite all the online advice about this, fixing your form is still a debated topic.

Look around, and you’ll see countless running experts urging oyou to “fix your form”.

But before diving into those tips, chances are this might actually alter your mechanics and damage your performance.

A 2017 study in the International Journal of Exercise Science examined stride lengths in both experienced and inexperienced runners.

Inexperienced runners seem to naturally choose an optimal stride length that minimizes oxygen usage, similar to their more experienced counterparts.

Forcing them to adopt the stride of seasoned runners only made them less efficient.

As runners gain more miles, their stride adjusts to reflect changes in body weight, composition, muscle strength, and power.

These adjustments can’t be rushed.

The primary limiting factor for endurance athletes is the perception of effort. You slow down when running feels too difficult, not when your body physically can’t continue. Focusing on consciously changing your form can increase this perceived effort, making running feel harder and potentially decreasing performance.

Also, your body is great at making instinctive tweaks to enhance efficiency.

For example, when running into a headwind, most runners naturally lean forward to reduce drag. These subconscious adjustments vary from runner to runner based on individual biomechanics.

Some takeaways:

• Trust your instincts: Your body knows how to find the most efficient form for you.

• Run more: The best way to improve efficiency is through consistent practice, not forced changes.

• Listen to your body: Let your natural adjustments guide you.

• Avoid overthinking: Consciously changing your form can make running feel more difficult.

For athletes, the key is to focus on consistent running and let your form evolve naturally. It’s how you run more efficiently and enjoy your training without unnecessary adjustments.

The Fuel Station 🥗

Elevating your game with the best news in nutrition.

New Study Upends Protein Consumption Wisdom

A new study just went full-on wrecking ball through one of the most sacred nutrition commandments - the idea that our bodies can only handle so much protein in one sitting before it gets shown the porcelain throne.

This could legit revolutionize how we approach protein intake, especially for the gym rat crowd.

The old protein gospel

For years, we've been indoctrinated with the belief that the key to maximizing muscle protein synthesis is spreading your protein intake out in perfectly timed, bite-sized servings throughout the day.

The textbook bro wisdom?

Don't dare exceed 25-30 grams in one meal, lest you waste all those precious amino acids.

But now, a fresh-off-the-press study published in the prestigious Cell Reports Medicine is questioning this age-old dogma.

The scientists behind it drew inspiration from animals like snakes that can scarf down massive protein-loaded meals, yet sustain elevated protein synthesis levels for days.

Their big think?

Maybe, just maybe, us humans have been selling our bodies short.

To put this theory to the test, the researchers recruited 36 athletes who crushed an intense lift session.

Afterwards, they were randomized into three groups:

• The unlucky placebo squad

• The 25g protein shot posse

• And the absolute madlads ingesting 100 grams of milk protein all at once.

For the next 12 hours, these lifters had their amino acid levels and muscle protein synthesis rates monitored.

Results that broke expectations

Here's where things got juicy. That 100g mega-dose crew?

They weren't just showing elevated amino acid availability - their protein synthesis rates were through the roof, up to 30% higher over that 12-hour window compared to the 25g group.

Basically, evidence that our bodies might be a lot better at capitalizing on those bigger protein loads than we gave them credit for, just over a longer timeline.

The context you need

Now before you go adding a bucket of whey to your morning shake, let's pump the brakes.

This is just one study, and it used a specific type of protein (milk).

We need more research to validate these findings across different protein sources, age groups, activity levels, and genders. Not to mention, we still don't know the long-term impacts of chronically overshooting your protein intake.

While it's too early to completely overhaul your protein game plan, this study does open up some tantalizing possibilities around timing and flexibility.

Maybe you don't need to be so anal about hitting that 25g every 3 hours.

Or perhaps you can strategically splurge on a higher protein meal here and there without wasting it all.

The bigger picture?

This is a reminder that even the most established nutrition principles can be upended by new research.

The relentless march of science, constantly poking holes in our assumptions and bro-science.

One thing's for sure - we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for any more shake-ups coming our way in the wonderful world of protein.

This Week’s Champion

Jannik Sinner is set to become the first Italian man to reach No. 1 in the ATP Rankings on June 10th.

At just 22 years old.

Sinner's rise has been phenomenal, marked by a Grand Slam win at the Australian Open and a victory at the ATP Masters 1000 in Miami.

He also reached the semi-finals at Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo.

With a stellar 14-3 record against Top 10 opponents, Sinner has beaten legends like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev.

Can Sinner's incredible year continue with a win at Roland Garros?

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