Welcome to my weekly summary of the latest research from the world of sports science!
This week’s roundup dives into the science of smart strength training—how creatine builds lean mass fast (especially in women), why CrossFit-style workouts help youth athletes develop more than just fitness, and what happens when pro cyclists cut strength work mid-season—read on.
Creatine Increases Lean Mass, Especially in Women
This study tested how creatine affects lean body mass with and without resistance training. Sixty-three adults took 5 g/day of creatine for 13 weeks. After just one week of creatine (no training), the supplement group gained more lean mass than the control group—especially women, who gained +0.59 kg. During the 12 weeks of lifting that followed, both the creatine and control groups gained around 2 kg of lean mass, and creatine did not lead to further increases beyond that. The early gains may be due to water retention, but there’s strong evidence that increased muscle water is a stimulus for cell growth.
My thoughts: I’ve seen first-hand how fast creatine like Blonyx HMB+ Creatine, can increase muscle mass—especially early on—and this study supports that. While some people write it off as “just water weight,” that’s an oversimplification. There’s strong evidence that increased muscle water boosts protein synthesis and speeds adaptation. What stood out here was the female-specific response—women gained more lean mass than men during the wash-in. If you're new to creatine or returning from a break, especially if you're female, that early-phase gain might be a powerful head start.
CrossFit Improves Basketball Performance
This study compared CrossFit-style functional training to traditional basketball practice in 40 under‑12 male athletes. Four times per week for 30 minutes, the CrossFit group performed high-intensity functional moves—squats, box jumps, sprints—while the control group stuck with typical basketball drills. After 8 weeks, kids doing functional training improved their pushups, sprint speed, dribbling, shooting, and vertical jumps, while the basketball-only group saw fewer gains. While only pushups were statistically better between groups, high‑intensity functional training like CrossFit is a great way to build all-around athleticism while also enhancing sport-specific skills.
My thoughts: Spoiler alert: CrossFit improved everything. That’s likely because standard youth basketball practices aren’t intense or varied enough to drive strength and power gains, while first‑time functional training gives kids a big early boost. For youth coaches, mixing in safe, strength‑based functional workouts could speed up development—and make practice a lot more engaging. If you’re curious about supplements that support performance, you can guide on how to fuel CrossFit and functional fitness.
Pro Cyclists Cut Strength Work During Race Season
This study surveyed 147 professional male and female road cyclists to see how they approach strength training. Most lifted twice a week in the off-season but reduced to once a week—or stopped—during the racing season. Women were more likely than men to keep lifting year-round. Top reasons for strength training were improving performance, preventing injuries, and maintaining bone health. The main barriers were travel, fatigue, and crowded race schedules.
My thoughts: Modern athletes hit the gym to boost performance in their sport—and there’s no doubt it works, when done right. But as Matt, our marketing manager and a regular strength-training runner, says: if you don’t factor in your total training load, the gym can actually increase your injury risk. The takeaway? Keep strength work in your program, but balance it carefully with your on-bike or on-road training so it supports, not sabotages, your season.
That’s all for this week! If you learned something new and are curious to know more, head over to the Blonyx Blog or my growing list of weekly research summaries where I help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings from the world of sports science.
– Train hard!
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