AI Agents, HRV Readiness & the Next Era of Training: A Deep Dive with Dr. Andrea Zignoli & Prof Paul Laursen

In this episode of the Training Science Podcast, Prof. Paul Laursen sits down with Athletica’s AI modeling lead, Dr. Andrea Zignoli, to break down how artificial intelligence is transforming endurance training. Fresh off publishing three major SPSR papers, Andrea explains the evolution of AI systems inside Athletica — from agent-based modeling, to AI-assisted HRV readiness monitoring, to the use of sentiment as a new internal load signal.

Paul and Andrea explore how structured “AI agent” architectures and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems allow large language models to move beyond basic chatbot behavior and become powerful tools for interpreting training data, detecting patterns, and supporting smarter athlete decision-making. They also look ahead at “Sport Science 3.0,” a future where coaching remains deeply human but is amplified by AI that can read files, interpret readiness, understand emotional states, and contextualize performance.

Whether you're a coach, athlete, sport scientist, or tech-minded performance professional, this episode offers a clear look at how AI is already shaping modern training — and what’s coming next.

References:
https://tiscourse.vercel.app/about

https://sportperfsci.com/the-computational-paths-of-knowledge-in-ai-coaching/

https://sportperfsci.com/sports-science-3-0-series-ai-assisted-hrv-monitoring-enhancing-training-load-response-and-decision-making/

https://sportperfsci.com/signatures-of-fatigue-transformer-based-sentiment-analysis-for-internal-load-monitoring/

_____________________

Today’s speakers:

Prof Paul Laursen https://www.paullaursen.com/

Dr. Andrea Zignoli: https://andreazignoli.github.io/

_____________________