Research Project

Sleep, Nutrition, and Training of Combat Sport Athletes

The goal of this research study is to enhance our scientific understanding of sleep, nutrition, and training practices among combat sport athletes like yourself. The findings will provide enormously valuable insight for both athletes and coaches.

Researchers

Dr. Andy Galpin

Dr. Reid Reale

Dr. Ian C Dunican

Procedures to be Followed

If you choose to participate, you will complete the following survey to the best of your ability. The survey is ~90 questions and will take most people around 20-30 minutes to complete. You can end the survey at any time or skip any question you like. The survey will ask questions about your sleep, training, and nutrition (including supplementation and alcohol) believes and personal practices.

Discomforts and Risks

There are no foreseeable risks to anyone who participates.

What is in it for me?

If you complete this study, you will learn numerous things about your sleep, nutrition, and hydration. Following completion of the survey, you will receive a report indicating which areas or subtopics (for example, post-exercise nutrition, time of day to workout, amount of water to drink, etc.) that you scored the lowest on. No benefit is guaranteed.

These results will be useful for researchers, coaches, and other interested parties.

Confidentiality and right to ask questions

None of the information you enter the survey will be shared with your coaches, governing body, or anyone outside of the research team. In fact, we won’t even share whether you participated in the study. The research team will be analyzing your results independent of your name, so we won’t know who wrote filled out the survey.

All the data will be obtained specifically for research purposes. Your privacy will be protected, and all your information will be strictly confidential to the extent allowed by law. Your data may be presented or published; however, your name will not be used. All data will be stored on a password protected computer hard drive either on a computer inside the laboratory or on investigator computers. Data and participant information will be indefinitely stored in an individually identifiable format. If you choose to discontinue your participation in the study, your data will be immediately destroyed via deletion (computer). All records associated with your participation in this study are subject to the usual confidentiality standards applicable to medical records, except for Institutional Review Board review, and in the event of any publication resulting from the research no personally identifiable information will be disclosed.

If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant or concerning a research-related injury, you can contact the following individuals: The principal investigator (Dr. Andy Galpin agalpin@fullerton.edu (657) 278-2112) or the Regulatory Compliance Coordinator, Office of Research Compliance, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92831, (657) 278-7719.

Compensation

There is no compensation for participating in this study.

Voluntary Participation

You understand that your participation in this study is voluntary, and that you may withdraw from this study at any time by notifying the investigator.  You understand that your refusal to participate will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled and that you may discontinue participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. You understand that your participation in this research may be terminated by the investigator without regard to your consent if you are unable or unwilling to comply with the guidelines and procedures explained to you, if the study is terminated prior to your completion, or if it is otherwise in your best interest.

Share the study with your network.

Access images and other resources for social media and email sharing in our Media Kit here

Dr. Andy Galpin (PhD, MS)

Dr. Andy Galpin (PhD, MS) is a tenured Professor at CSU Fullerton (California, USA). He directs the Center for Sport Performance (CSP) as well as the Biochemistry and Molecular Exercise Physiology Laboratory (MEPL). He has a B.S. in Exercise Science (Linfield College, 2005), an M.S. in Human Movement Sciences (The University of Memphis, 2008), and a PhD in Human Bioenergetics (Ball State University, 2011). The CSP conducts, presents, and publishes research and engages in consultations specifically related to improvement of sports performance through application of the sub-disciplines on Kinesiology (Biomechanics, Athletic Training, Strength & Conditioning, Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Sport Psychology, Muscle Physiology, etc.). The MEPL performs innovative and impactful human performance research by studying the acute responses and chronic adaptations of skeletal muscle (from the whole muscle down to the single cell, molecule, & gene) to high intensity, power, or force exercise. Andy has published >50 peer-reviewed papers in human performance, >100 abstracts and conference presentations, and multiple books and book chapters. He has presented at dozens of international and national professional conferences for sports coaches, scientists, the military, and more. He also regularly appears on podcasts around the world and in popular magazines, TV, and other media outlets. Andy serves as a reviewer and/or editor for >20 peer-reviewed scientific journals. Andy also works as a high-performance director for elite athletes across multiple sports such as MMA (UFC), Olympic weightlifting, Wrestling, MLB, NFL, powerlifting, and more.

Dr. Reid Reale (PhD, MDiet, BHlthSci (Hons))

Dr. Reid ­­Reale (PhD, MDiet, BHlthSci (Hons) is a combat sports nutrition specialist and is the Performance Nutrition Manager at the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai. Reid is recognized as a leading expert in sport nutrition research and practice, in particular combat sports, Reid has 10+ years’ experience working with elite, professional and Olympic athletes.  Currently, Reid is the Performance Nutrition Manager for the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai. Before joining the UFC, Reid was employed as a Senior Scientist with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute where he conducted research and provided sports science and nutrition services to elite athletes, including those in the NFL, NBA, and MLB.  Prior to his role with GSSI, Reid was the lead dietitian for the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) Combat Centre, working with Judo, Boxing, Wrestling and Taekwondo in the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond. In addition to working with Australia’s best combat sport athletes, Reid also completed his PhD at the AIS which focused on weight management in combat sports. As a researcher and speaker, Reid has published heavily cited work in combat sports, and has presented this work at various sports science and nutrition conferences around the world. Reid commonly provides lecture content and training materials to dietitians, universities as well the International Olympic Committee’s Sports Nutrition Diploma course. Aside from his professional, academic and research credentials, Reid possesses a lifelong interest and participation in the martial arts, holding a first-degree black belt in BJJ.

Dr. Ian C Dunican (PhD, MBA, MMineEng, GradCert(ASSc), BA)

Dr. Ian C Dunican (PhD, MBA, MMineEng, GradCert(ASSc), BA) holds a PhD in Sleep and Performance from the University of Western Australia (UWA), where he worked with elite sporting organisations/athletes to optimise sleep, recovery, and performance. Ian has worked with elite and highly trained athletes at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), West Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS), professional teams in Super Rugby, Australian Rules Football, Basketball, Swimming, Formula 1, McLaren racing, Netball, Ultrarunners and Martial Arts such as Boxing, Judo & MMA. Ian is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow with UWA and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Edith Cowan University. He researches in the areas of sports science, sleep science, jet lag and travel, chronobiology, health and safety, shiftwork, nutrition, and performance. He has co-authored technical reports, guidelines for industry organisations and authored several scientific articles and is a regular reviewer for scientific peer-reviewed journals.

Ian is no stranger to physical activity. He served for five years in the Irish Military as a Non-Commissioned Officer and has completed over 20 ultramarathons to date including the Ultra-Trail Australia ~100km (x7), Leadville, Colorado~100 miler (x2) numerous other ultramarathons, marathons and trail running events. He has completed ultra-ocean swimming events 10-20km. He is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and has trained in Karate and Traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu. Find out more at https://sleep4performance.com/