Josh Elliott

Optimising heat acclimation across the national institute network

University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE)

Prof. Julien Périard, Dr Brad Clark, Dr Peta Maloney, Prof. Olivier Girard

I grew up in a small village in the northwest of England. I tried every sport under the sun, as my dad believed in the power sports and exercise can have on our body and mind. The books and articles that interested me as a teenager were typically athlete autobiographies or breakdowns of athletes/teams and the science behind them, so the role of a sports scientist/physiologist became quite prominent in my mind. I went on to complete an undergraduate (Sports Science) and master’s (Exercise Physiology) at Loughborough University in the UK, undertaking work experience in my spare time across performance analysis, data science, physiology and strength and conditioning.

After a short internship post-master’s degree with GB Snowsport during COVID, I eventually obtained a lab technician and physiologist role at a Health and Performance Institute in Manchester, which is part owned by Manchester City Football Club. During two years in that role, I supported and tested athletes across sports and performance levels, including leading the delivery of heat acclimation sessions (Marathon De Sables, Ironman World Champs). I saw the PhD advert pop up and managed to apply on the very last day! I have now been in Canberra since April 2023.

Having researched nutritional interventions during heat acclimation for my master’s thesis and supporting athletes to compete in the heat in my Manchester role, the subject of heat training has been one of interest for a while. After needing to navigate how to integrate heat training within the busy schedules of highly active everyday people (jobs, family, normal training), there was insufficient practical guidance in the literature outside of current evidence-based recommendations, which were sometimes hard to implement.

Also, when considering a PhD, I always said if I were to do one, I would want one that was associated with a sport or governing body. This meant I knew that my research was directly solving current performance problems. Therefore, when this project came up on my Twitter feed, including the opportunity to live and study abroad, it was a no-brainer!

The topic of environmental physiology in general is of great interest to me, as I like how they demonstrate that when put under sufficient stress, humans are incredibly adaptable and can learn to thrive, not just survive (a bit corny I know!). I would also say talent identification and training individualisation based on my previous work experience, as improving our ability to give people greater opportunities in sport, as well as optimising for the individual in those sports so they can achieve their goals, is very enriching.

Following Ian Stannard as he dominated stage three of the 2016 Tour of Britain for Team Sky. On that day, I saw the peloton pass through the main road on the edge of my village, with my mate taking discarded Team Sky bottles as souvenirs. I then rode to the finish line and watched on a big screen as Stannard blew the field away holding an attack from 40km out before I squeezed through the rows and rows of people to stand right at the front by the finish line. To watch a British rider (who was based locally at the time) dominate to that extent on my home roads, as well as the noise and joy from the crowd when he and other British riders crossed the line, is something I will never forget.

When Erling Haaland signed for Manchester City, there was a viral video of him shocked by how much he had grown over the summer, as he was preparing to undertake a DEXA scan for his medical. My friends and family took immense pleasure in telling anyone who would listen that the DEXA technician measuring him in the video was me, and how they enjoyed seeing me stretch to reach the top of his head!