How to perform well under pressure
Ditch the tough talk, it won’t help. Instead cultivate your mental flexibility so you can handle whatever comes your way
by Josephine Perry
Sports and games
Physical fatigue is in the brain as much as in the body
The idea of ‘mind over muscle’ is more than motivational rhetoric – exercise science shows how the brain manages fatigue
by David Robson
How to be a better loser
As a competitor, you can’t avoid the hurt of losing. But you can learn ways to bounce back stronger and more motivated
by Blakely Low-Scott
How to enjoy running
Going for a jog doesn’t have to be a chore – these mental techniques will make it something you actually look forward to
by Christian Jarrett
For players of fafi, dream interpretation is a vital skill
The fafi lottery game in South Africa requires the careful interpretation of dreams and the waking world around you
by Brittany Birberick
Philosophy is like athletics – theory must be put into practice
The Stoics approached self-improvement as an athlete approaches sport: the key is to keep practising in the face of failure
by Michael Tremblay
Philosophy can explain what kind of achievement it is to give birth
Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding are physical achievements, like marathon running: give them the same respect, and no more
by Fiona Woollard
Sisyphus, skateboarders, and the value in endless failure
Skateboarders regularly fail at their chosen activity. But that doesn’t make it a meaningless task of Sisyphean proportions
by Andrei A Buckareff
Softness controls hardness – a fighter’s gentle approach to life
Directed by Josef Reeve
What pro wrestling can teach us about the quest for truth
Pro wrestling, like philosophy, raises questions about appearance and reality: how can we ever know what’s really happening?
by Douglas Edwards
Why some teams boost motivation while others totally sap it
Working in a team can inspire striving – or encourage free-riding. What makes a difference is how the teamwork is designed
by Ann-Kathrin Torka, Jens Mazei & Joachim Hüffmeier
Witness the cool musical game played by Inuit women for centuries
Directed by Eva Kaukai and Manon Chamberland
Why do so many athletes turn to extreme and unproven remedies?
The widespread use of unproven remedies and products in sport is not only harmful to athletes but also to wider society
by Nick Tiller
Why do hardcore football fans behave like rutting stags?
Sport spectators can let off steam by chanting and group bonding, but why do hardcore football fans turn to real violence?
by Martha Newson
A gym built of Soviet-era scraps is a creative community hub in Kyiv, 2019
Directed by Gar O’Rourke
In sport, as in life, tactical fouling is fundamentally wrong
Tactical or professional fouling is a familiar, accepted practice in team sports. But is it ever the right thing to do?
by George Letsas & Saladin Meckled-Garcia