STUDIES
Want to stay up to date on the latest press releases and news about studies in the running, cycling and triathlon industries? Scroll below to view all endurance sport studies.
January 20, 2026
How many running shoes do you actually need in your rotation?
When it comes to running footwear, things get complicated quickly. High-stack, max-cushion, minimalist, carbon-plated–the options are endless, making if difficult to decide how many (and which) shoes you need. While it’s possible to train in a single pair, most runners will benefit from a small, thoughtful rotation–especially if they’re logging...
January 9, 2026
Strength Training Boosts Brain Health, According to New Study
We know that strength training is beneficial for the body in many ways. It protects joints and bones, improves metabolism, balance, and endurance. But if lifting helps the body this much, what is it doing for the brain? A recent meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience offers a layered answer. The study’s researchers...
January 8, 2026
Scientists find exercise rivals therapy for depression
A large review of studies suggests that exercise can ease depression about as effectively as psychological therapy. Compared with antidepressants, exercise showed similar benefits, though the evidence was less certain. Researchers found that light to moderate activity over multiple sessions worked best, with few side effects. While it’s not a...
January 6, 2026
Why Some People Put on More Muscle Than Others
I have a runner friend who claims he has to avoid doing too many push-ups, otherwise he starts to bulk up so much that it interferes with his running. It’s hard to understate how annoying I find this. I also have trouble believing it, to be honest, as someone who...
December 30, 2025
Why Science Says to Pick the Running Shoe That Feels Most Comfortable
Modern running shoes emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, as companies added features like cushioned midsoles, raised heels, and pronation control. It’s hard to get good statistics, or even to compare the very different running populations of the 1970s and the 2000s, but by the time Chris McDougall’s book Born to...
December 18, 2025
Your Oura Year in Review is here, and the global stats are wild
Oura’s yearly wrap-up usually feels like a personal pat on the back. This year, though, it also offers a look at global health trends. The company has released its 2025 Year in Review, and while it still highlights individual wins inside the Oura app, the bigger story comes from combining...
December 17, 2025
Triathlete’s 2025 Race Series Report Shows Strong Growth, Evolving Priorities
Ironman and Challenge may still anchor the mass participation landscape, but in 2025, they were far from the only players shaping what it felt like to pin on a number as an everyday triathlete. Participation surged across multiple race series, new formats brought new athletes into the sport, and organizers...
December 14, 2025
Is marathon heart damage a myth?
For years, the long-distance running world has had this nagging question hovering over it: are we slowly wearing out our hearts? The worry didn’t come from thin air. After big endurance efforts, some runners show temporary changes on echocardiograms, and some have a spike in a blood marker called troponin—a...
December 8, 2025
Air Pollution Undermines Health Benefits Of Exercise, Evidence Says
Air pollution can undermine some of the health benefits active folks expect to derive from regular exercise, a new study says. The protective effect exercise should have on people’s risk of death was cut by half among those living in areas with heavy air pollution, researchers reported recently in the journal BMC...
December 5, 2025
The Human Advantage: How AI Is Reshaping – Not Replacing – Personal Training
Artificial intelligence has moved from novelty to infrastructure in less than three years. It now shows up in everything from watch faces to workout apps, and it has inevitably raised a question inside our industry: Will AI replace personal trainers? ISSA’s 2025 “Human Advantage” survey of 90 students and graduates, combined...
