Research summary highlights
My research has developed over time, initially focusing on physical qualities and measures of performance, quantification of movement skills, and more recently, a motor behavioural approach to understand physical capacity and the skill acquisition cycle and the “dance” performance coaches seek to enhance and enable athlete development. Outside of direct athlete performance research, I also contribute to research on athlete health and sport as a vehicle for change and influence.
The following represents a sample of the research that either was perceived as “impactful” through citations and sharing metrics or papers I believe may become influential as not all papers and their conclusions coincide with a moment in time when our community is ready to ‘hear’ and act upon such conclusions.
Agility, Change of direction and Speed
Nimphius, S., Callaghan, S., Bezodis, N., & Lockie, R. (2018). Change of direction and agility tests: Challenging our current measures of performance. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 40(1), 26–38. https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000309
Nimphius, S., Callaghan, S. J., Spiteri, T., & Lockie, R. G. (2016). Change of direction deficit: A more isolated measure of change of direction performance than total 505 time. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 30(11), 3024–3032. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001421 (Open Access)
Spiteri, T., Newton, R. U., Binetti, M., Hart, N. H., Sheppard, J. M., & Nimphius, S. (2015). Mechanical determinants of faster change of direction and agility performance in female basketball athletes: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(8), 2205–2214. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000876 (Open Access)
Spiteri, T., Nimphius, S., Hart, N. H., Specos, C., Sheppard, J. M., & Newton, R. U. (2014). Contribution of strength characteristics to change of direction and agility performance in female basketball athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28(9), 2415–2423. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000547 (Open Access)
Spiteri, T., Cochrane, J. L., Hart, N. H., Haff, G. G., & Nimphius, S. (2013). Effect of strength on plant foot kinetics and kinematics during a change of direction task. European Journal of Sport Science, 13(6), 646–652. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2013.774053
Nimphius, S., McGuigan, M. R., & Newton, R. U. (2010). Relationship between strength, power, speed, and change of direction performance of female softball players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(4), 885–895. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181d4d41d (Open Access)
Strength development
Nimphius, S., McBride, J. M., Rice, P. E., et al. (2019). Comparison of quadriceps and hamstring muscle activity during an isometric squat between strength-matched men and women. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 18(1), 101-108. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30787657 (Open Access)
Suchomel, T. J., Nimphius, S., Bellon, C. R., & Stone, M. H. (2018). The importance of muscular strength: Training considerations. Sports Medicine, 48(4), 765–785. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0862-z (Open Access)
Suchomel, T. J., Nimphius, S., & Stone, M. H. (2016). The importance of muscular strength in athletic performance. Sports Medicine, 46(10), 1419–1449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0486-0 (Open Access)
Nimphius, S., McGuigan, M. R., & Newton, R. U. (2012). Changes in muscle architecture and performance during a competitive season in female softball players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(10), 2655–2666. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e318269f81e (Open Access)
Call to action statements
Nimphius, S. (2019). Exercise and Sport Science Failing by Design in Understanding Female Athletes. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 14(9), 1157–1158. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2019-0703 (Open Access)
Fox, A., Bonacci, J., Hoffmann, S., Nimphius, S., & Saunders, N. (2020). Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in Australian football: Should women and girls be playing? You’re asking the wrong question. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 6(1), e000778. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2020-000778 (Open Access)
Coyne, J. O. C., Gregory Haff, G., Coutts, A. J., Newton, R. U., & Nimphius, S. (2018). The current state of subjective training load monitoring—A practical perspective and call to action. Sports Medicine - Open, 4(1), 58. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-018-0172-x (Open Access)