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Thomas Mortelmans

Thomas Mortelmans

27
Jun
There's a New Room in the Lab - TSN Discord

There's a New Room in the Lab - TSN Discord

The Scientist's Notebook now has a Discord, and it's open to subscribers today.
2 min read
26
Jun
Snippet #024: Genetic Variants Modulate Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Threshold Gains

Snippet #024: Genetic Variants Modulate Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Threshold Gains

The Mechanism Mitochondrial biogenesis involves the expansion of the cellular mitochondrial network to enhance ATP production capacity. This adaptation is
1 min read
24
Jun
#OpenLab 005: The Mind as a Performance Tool: Ultra-Endurance Cycling with Jack Thompson

#OpenLab 005: The Mind as a Performance Tool: Ultra-Endurance Cycling with Jack Thompson

Jack Thompson is a world-record ultra-endurance cyclist who rode one million meters of elevation in 52 weeks during
15 min read
22
Jun
Entry #026: Why Your FTP Might Be Wrong: mFTP, CP, and Modeled Thresholds

Entry #026: Why Your FTP Might Be Wrong: mFTP, CP, and Modeled Thresholds

A 20-minute test gives you one number. Your real threshold lives somewhere on a curve. Here's how to tell when the test is lying.
8 min read
19
Jun
Snippet #023: Heavy Resistance Training Increases Tendon Stiffness to Reduce Running Metabolic Demand

Snippet #023: Heavy Resistance Training Increases Tendon Stiffness to Reduce Running Metabolic Demand

Maximal-strength training involving heavy loads alters the mechanical properties of connective tissue, specifically increasing the longitudinal stiffness of the
2 min read
15
Jun
Entry #025: Training load metrics — Fitness/fatigue balance, acute:chronic workload ratio, decoupling.

Entry #025: Training load metrics — Fitness/fatigue balance, acute:chronic workload ratio, decoupling.

The transition from intuitive periodization to quantitative load management represents a paradigm shift in high-performance physiology. While the foundational
7 min read
12
Jun
Snippet #022: Exercise Alters DNA Packaging to Accelerate Future Muscle Adaptation

Snippet #022: Exercise Alters DNA Packaging to Accelerate Future Muscle Adaptation

Core Insight Inside muscle cells, DNA is tightly spooled around protein complexes called histones, a conformation that generally maintains certain
1 min read
08
Jun
Entry #024: Menstrual Cycle Synching vs. Autoregulation in Female Endurance Athletes

Entry #024: Menstrual Cycle Synching vs. Autoregulation in Female Endurance Athletes

Cycle synching has gone mainstream. The idea is that female athletes should plan their training around the hormonal phases of
8 min read
05
Jun
Snippet #021: Sodium drives fluid retention to restore plasma volume

Snippet #021: Sodium drives fluid retention to restore plasma volume

Core Insight When athletes rehydrate after prolonged exertion, replacing water alone is often inefficient for stabilizing internal fluid compartments. The
2 min read
01
Jun
Entry #023: Concurrent Strength Training Architecture for Endurance Performance

Entry #023: Concurrent Strength Training Architecture for Endurance Performance

For decades, a persistent tension has existed in endurance coaching: the conflict between the necessity of high-volume aerobic training
8 min read