Thomas
Alumnus
- Subject area
- Exercise and Health Sciences
- Subject area
- Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences
As someone aiming to work within the world of applied Sport Science, I felt that furthering my knowledge of the fundamental underpinnings of performance would build a perfect base for understanding the ‘WHY’ and ‘HOW’ behind many concepts and processes seen in an applied setting.
Having completed an MSc in Physiology and Nutrition of Sport and Exercise, I am now 18 months into my applied PhD in Sport Science, working with Nike and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
Many aspects of my master’s have prepared me well for this next step in my career. For example, the theoretical knowledge and understanding I gained from the course has given me the confidence to find creative ways to solve challenges faced in practice.
Alongside this, I have found that if I have a strong understanding as to the ‘WHY’ we are doing something, and I can translate this into an explanation for the athletes, this helps massively with trust, and buy-in, which has been invaluable to me so far.
The academics which lecture at Loughborough are often part of pioneering research groups tackling contemporary issues, at the forefront of research. Learning from them about their area of expertise is a great opportunity.
Due to its direct application to my work, the Physiology of Sport and Exercise module during my MSc was very helpful to understand the mechanisms behind training, recovery, and adaptation. This has allowed me to confidently plan and deliver training for elite athletes and become an excellent problem-solver.
I have found that once the physiological underpinnings are well understood, it enables a practitioner to be creative in the exact way they try to obtain a desired response, which has enabled me to find creative solutions to different challenges faced in the applied world.
To this day, I still go through my notes and slides from the course to refresh my knowledge, understand challenges faced at work, and ensure that my applied work has a sound rationale behind it.
Additionally, the project and laboratory-based content of the course certainly helped me upskill myself in data-collection and research-based techniques which have been fundamental to me now that I am conducting my own studies and understand the importance of collecting high-quality data.
The highlight of my time at Loughborough has been forming relationships and bonds with many incredible people (two of which I now work with). The opportunity to use the incredible training facilities also has to be up there.
My advice to prospective students is to make the most of the incredible people around you. With many of the lecturers being at the forefront of very good research, it is a great opportunity to pick their brains to understand topics and concepts to a level which would otherwise not be possible.
Also with your fellow peers, they will also offer a great chance for discussion and forming strong networks which can be important in the future.