Sports science

Sports science (also sport science) is a discipline that studies how the healthy human body works during exercise, and how sport and physical activity promote health from cellular to whole body perspectives. The study of sports science traditionally incorporates areas of physiology (exercise physiology), psychology (sport psychology), anatomy, biomechanics, biochemistry and biokinetics. Sports scientists and performance consultants are growing in demand and employment numbers, with the ever-increasing focus within the sporting world on achieving the best results possible. Through the study of science and sport, researchers have developed a greater understanding on how the human body reacts to exercise, training, different environments and many other stimuli.

Origins of exercise physiology

Sports Science can trace its origins to ancient Greece. The noted ancient Greek physician Galen (131–201) wrote 87 detailed essays about improving health (proper nutrition), aerobic fitness, and strengthening muscles. Assyrian Hunayn ibn Ishaq translated Galen's work, along with that of Hippocrates, into Arabic which lead to the spread of Greek physiology throughout the Middle East and Europe. Between 776 BC to 393 AD, the ancient Greek physicians planned the training regimens and diets of the Olympic competitors.

Sport Science (TV series)

Sport Science is an ongoing television series that explores the science and engineering underlying athletic endeavors. Originally filmed as a 12-part series that was broadcast on FSN from September 9, 2007, to April 20, 2008 (Series 1), the second series (2009) also appeared on FSN. Series 3 (2010) was picked up by ESPN. ESPN, who has changed the name of the series to SportScience, has yet to air new episodes. Instead, the network has chosen to air various SportScience vignettes during programs such as SportsCenter. Sport Science is a spinoff of its predecessor Fight Science on National Geographic. Season 1 of Sport Science is currently available for streaming from TVNZ OnDemand.

The series is filmed inside a Los Angeles airport hangar or on location using a mobile laboratory. Each episode on series 1 focused on testing certain aspects of athletics (such as human flight and reaction time), while series 2 either poses more questions from previous episodes, or tries to re-analyze sporting moments or trials and tribulations, puts a human against animals or machines, or even checking against other sports or challenging the odds with data gathered using motion sensors and accelerometers. Professional athletes are featured prominently and are used to test the limits of the human body. In addition, host John Brenkus also participated in cases where an "average Joe" was required.