Welcome to my weekly summary of the latest research from the world of sports science!
Napping, blood flow restriction training, and spicy foods—which of these actually improve your athletic performance? This week, we’re exploring how a 90-minute nap can positively impact performance, how blood flow restriction enhances endurance, and whether compounds in chili peppers can help you train harder with less effort—read on.
A 90-Minute Nap Helps You Perform Better
This study tested whether a 90-minute nap could enhance performance in 15 professional male soccer players. Each player completed a small-sided game session either after the nap or with no nap. After napping, players covered significantly more distance, had lower resting and exercise heart rates, reported less fatigue, and showed better mood, wellness, and cognitive reaction times, suggesting that a well-timed long nap (about two hours before activity) could give athletes a physical and mental edge.
My thoughts: Have a nap before training! Okay, 90 minutes is a long nap—and of course, pro soccer players have the luxury to do this. I can’t imagine getting that kind of downtime before a Sunday league match… and what if I’m not even tired? It’s a good reminder that while some research isn’t practical for everyone, this does show that if you can nap, it can seriously boost both physical and mental performance.
Blood Flow Restriction Improves Endurance During HIIT
This study looked at whether adding blood flow restriction to rest periods during high-intensity interval training could improve endurance. Forty recreationally active men did nine HIIT cycling sessions over three weeks, either with 80% limb occlusion pressure, or under placebo conditions. The restricted blood flow group saw greater improvements in VO₂max, time to exhaustion, and 20km time trial results. However, there was no added benefit for sprint or strength outcomes.
My thoughts: I first tried blood flow restriction training during my ACL rehab in 2025. It was painful but addictive—and I swear I recovered faster. From a science perspective, blood flow restriction is clever: by restricting oxygen to the muscle, you force it to adapt faster by recruiting more fast-twitch fibers. It’s like tricking your body into working harder without adding extra load. Definitely promising for endurance work.
Are Spicy Peppers a Performance Enhancer?
This review analyzed 24 studies to determine whether compounds from chili and sweet peppers—capsaicinoids and capsinoids—can improve exercise performance. Most involved a single dose before training. Results showed small improvements in endurance and resistance training performance in healthy adults, along with lower perceived exertion. Long-term use didn’t seem to help much, and GI issues were a potential side effect. Placebo control was also a challenge—faking the taste of pepper is one thing, but faking the heat sensation in chili peppers is another entirely, which could raise questions about the method of the study.
My thoughts: I haven’t dug into all the included studies, but the big issue is blinding—how do you fake the heat of a chili pepper? If participants know what they’re getting, the results might be skewed. Still, peppers are tasty, nutritious, and might give you a small edge. There’s no real downside—unless your gut disagrees.
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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