Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Seminar

Register

Speaker: Jon Stingel, Stanford University

Simulation-Based Design of Exotendons to Reduce Energetic Cost in Running
Abstract:
An exotendon is a stretchy band that connects runners’ shoes. It has been shown to reduce the energetic cost of running at 2.7 m/s, but it is unknown if those benefits extend to faster running speeds, or if the device can be optimized to provide additional cost reductions. Using muscle-driven simulations, we predicted the energetic effects of 25 different exotendon designs when running at 4 m/s. We tested four of these designs experimentally, and found that simulations correctly predicted that runners could reduce their energetic cost when running with an exotendon at 4 m/s. When using their best-performing exotendon, runners reduced their energetic cost by 7.6% on average. This study demonstrates the ability of assistive devices to provide benefits across a range of running speeds, as well as the practicality of simulations in guiding experiments.

Speaker: Geraldine Maier, Salk Institute for Biological Studies

When You Eat, How You Compete: How Meal Timing and Diet Shape Performance in Rodents

Abstract:
Both the timing and composition of our meals are crucial elements influencing our health and physical fitness. In this project, we asked how different diets, together with meal timing, impact metabolism and exercise outcomes in male and female mice.

We investigated mice fed one of three diets: standard chow, high-protein diet, or high-fat diet. Each diet was provided either with continuous food access or restricted to a daily time window for 14 weeks. We evaluated body weight, treadmill endurance, muscle contractions, and examined molecular changes in various organs.

Limiting the eating window altered metabolism in ways that varied depending on both the diet and the sex of the animals, even though total food intake was similar. Despite comparable food intake, the difference between the lowest- and highest-performing groups was as high as 400%. These findings indicate that meal timing, diet type, and biological sex collectively influence the body’s response to diet and exercise. They imply that generic “one-size-fits-all” nutrition advice might overlook key individual differences.

About the Seminar Series
The seminar series features speakers from across the institutions that make up the Alliance, covering topics related to our mission of uncovering the principles of performance and translating them to improved performance and care of athletes and all people.

The goal of the seminar series is to foster scientific exchange and the formation of new research collaborations through a set of research talks that are clear and compelling to researchers from a broad range of fields.

Please contact humanperformance@stanford.edu with any questions.