Simon Rea

I am a Senior Lecturer on the Sport and Fitness award at the Open University.  I have worked full time as an academic contributing to the development of modules in the BSc (Hons) degree since June 2007. I have written content on many areas of sports science including sports nutrition, biomechanics, strength and conditioning, exercise physiology, sport psychology (motivation, leadership and team dynamics) and reflective practice.

Since 2019 I have worked as an Open Media Fellow for WELS Faculty supporting the development of content for BBC/OU co-productions and for the OpenLearn website.

I have also been involved in authoring/co-authoring 16 textbooks related to sports science. In 2023 the second edition of my best-selling book Sports Science: A complete introduction was published by John Murray Press as part of the 'Teach Yourself' series.  In 2019 I self-published Careers in Sports Science which is related to my main research area.  I have co-authored a book titled Optimising female athletic performance for Routledge due to be published in August 2024.  

I have been involved in several media programmes, including acting as nominated academic on Five surprisingly simple ways to optimise your diet - BBC Ideas and providing the voiceover for the film. I also contributed to an episode of Women's Sport Matters for the Sports Desk on BBC 5 Live and BBC Sounds. I have also written content for OU Connect about the impact of foods on the microbiome and a 'Menstruation myths' quiz.

My research area is around work-based skills, which work based skills are most important, and how they can be developed.

Please click on the tabs above to find out more about my qualifications, teaching, research and publications.
 

Key Publications

Pinchbeck, J., Lingam-Willgoss, C., and Rea,S. (2024) Optimising female athletic performance. Abingdon, Routledge.

Rea, Simon (2023). Sports Science - A Complete Introduction (Second Edition). London, John Murray Press.