Raffaele Mazzolari

My study on how different aerobic HIIT prescription approaches affect cardiorespiratory fitness and running performance has been accepted for the PhD Academy Award by the @BJSM_BMJ! Full paper coming soon. #PhDAward #HIIT #Running #SportsMed #Research bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/…

New research challenges a core belief in football medicine: does delaying return-to-play actually reduce reinjury risk? 📄 Full open-access paper in tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10… #SportsScience #FootballMedicine #ReturnToPlay #InjuryPrevention

We are now accepting applications. Apply here: i-med.ac.at/karriere/jobs/…

In about 4 weeks, our research group will be opening a new funded PhD position in sports medicine/sport science. Interested candidates are welcome to send pre-enquiries to: Anne.Hecksteden@uibk.ac.at Full details and the official application link will be announced soon.

Our research group is offering a fully funded, four-year postdoctoral position in sports medicine/sport science. German language skills are not required. Interested candidates are invited to send pre-application inquiries to: anne.hecksteden@uibk.ac.at lfuonline.uibk.ac.at/public/karrier…

And of course, our sponsor @unserlandtirol

My article is an Editor’s Choice at @_JSAMS — so grateful for the recognition! Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. @PatrickRod_PhD @sportaerztin #EditorsChoice sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

@DerekGriffin86 This is perhaps a suitable question for a non-inferiority design, provided there is solid evidence for the reference strength training intervention.

We know that strength training is associated with improved running economy. In this study, there was a 4% improvement with just doing heavy ISO calf raises. This is similar to interventions involving multiple exercises. Stuck for time? Do calf raises! royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.10…

Outstanding paper! Especially suited for non-statisticians who want to get started with relaxing linearity assumptions without resorting to dreaded categorization techniques ... @Statistics

Nice city. Nice experience.

@John__McT @brady_h *v∆50

@John__McT @brady_h 1:2 The final article has yet to be published. The physiological approach was based on 50% of the time to exhaustion at ∆50 (the speed halfway between the second lactate threshold and peak treadmill speed)

Is there a best way to prescribe interval training? In his PhD work, Raffaele Mazzolari (@RaffaeleM28) compared three distinct ways of prescribing high-intensity interval training for distance runners: one based on physiological thresholds, one based on race pace, and one standardized ("cookie-cutter") approach. Physiological: Athletes ran at the midpoint between the second lactate threshold (vLT₂) and their peak treadmill speed (Vpeak) with the interval duration tailored to 50% of their maximum sustainable time, and a 2:1 work-to-rest ratio. Race: Runners completed 1000-meter intervals at 110% of their 10k race pace with a 300m jog recovery (about 2 minutes). Standardized: All runners followed the same fixed HIIT protocol based on group averages from the Physiological group—no individualization was used. All groups were otherwise matched for HIIT volume and structure. • VO₂ max improved most with Physiological training—increasing the runner’s aerobic capacity by 5.0 ml/kg/min compared to RACE and 3.5 ml/kg/min compared to Standard. • RACE led to the biggest performance gain. Despite its inferior VO₂ max improvements, the RACE group improved their 10k speed by 0.4 km/h more than Physiological training. • Standard training underperformed on both fronts. Group-based prescriptions were the least effective in improving either VO₂ max or race pace. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2025-110186

@John__McT @brady_h 2:2 which resulted in an average interval distance of approximately 1 km, with moderate inter-individual variability (around 300 m). If I recall correctly, the average duration was slightly less than 4 minutes.

A monumental effort by a huge team to complete the first large replication project in sports and exercise science. Part 1 includes the results of the replication project: doi.org/10.1007/s40279… Part 2 includes reflections: doi.org/10.1007/s40279… @ExPhysStudent @JoeWarne1

🚨 Effects of different aerobic high-intensity interval training prescription approaches on cardiorespiratory fitness and performance in distance runners 🏃‍♀️ ❤️ NEW #PhDAcademyAward 🏆 Read ➡️ bit.ly/3HnZ1Iu

Even with matched prescriptions, the intensity reference method (speed vs. HR) matters — due to dynamic shifts between intensity dimensions. @PatrickRod_PhD @sportaerztin 📰 Editorial (@EJAP_official ): doi.org/10.1007/s00421… 📄 New study (@_JSAMS ): doi.org/10.1016/j.jsam…

@shabnam_774 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neum

The 15 hilarious and Coolest maps you've probably never seen before: 1. Bosnians: I wanna swim Croatia : No

This is a super study not just because the answer is clear and convincing, but that the question is such a practical one to ask. Nicely done. Tip of the hat.

Second work from @andreapil8’s PhD project about changes in Microbiome and nitrate/nitrite level with HIIT and detraining sciencedirect.com/science/articl… Thanks to @belliesimpson & @miaburleigh8 for leading this!! 👏👏