Episode 91 - Katie Vasenina PhD - Tennis, Training, Collagen, and Veganism

Dr. Katie Vasenina shares her journey from standout tennis player to sports scientist, offering unique insights on sport-specific training methodologies and nutritional interventions for athletes. Her research challenges conventional wisdom about asymmetrical training, collagen supplementation effectiveness, and dietary approaches for optimal recovery and performance.

• Former Division I tennis player who specialized in sport-specific training
• Completed her PhD studying various topics including collagen supplementation and muscle damage recovery
• Found early sport specialization (before age 9) correlates with increased injury rates
• Discovered traditional strength coaches often apply inappropriate training methods to tennis players
• Researched collagen supplementation, finding it ineffective for muscle recovery but potentially beneficial for tendons
• Conducted innovative study comparing vegan vs omnivore diets for muscle damage recovery
• Found no performance differences between diet groups when protein intake was equated (1.4-1.5g/kg)
• Currently training for a 50km ultra obstacle race (not sure she should do it!)
• Starting a new position at the University of Tampa in August 2024
• Planning future research on collagen supplementation with vitamin C for tendon health

Catch Dr. Vasenina's presentation "Collagen Doesn't Do Sh*t, Except When It Does" at the ISSN conference in Delray Beach, June 23-25.