At a Glance
About
I am a sport physiologist. I have worked on heat and hydration for specialist police officers, fluid balance for elite squash players, conditioning for boxers across 15 world title fights, and recovery in Premier League football.
I test athletes, run the research behind the testing, and coach the people who use it. I am a qualified England Athletics coach, working across athletic events from youth to senior age groups. I have published 38 journal papers, with over 1,800 citations and an h-index of 27, and supervise eight doctoral projects, two as Director of Studies. Two sit inside professional football clubs, Aston Villa FC and Sheffield United FC, and two more are with La Trobe University in Australia and Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand.
Through Boxing Science, which I co-founded in 2014, I have delivered workshops to more than 500 coaches across the UK, Europe, North America and Asia, on a platform drawing over 300,000 unique visitors a year and over 11 million YouTube views. I have provided expert commentary to The Times, the Wall Street Journal, the BBC, Sky Sports, Live Science and Runner's World, and my work has been read over 225,000 times on ResearchGate.
I am Associate Professor of Sport Physiology and Performance at Sheffield Hallam University, a Director of the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences and Chair of its Physiology and Nutrition Division, Research Ethics Lead for the School of Sport and Physical Activity, and a Chartered Scientist. In 2021 I received the CASES Applied Practitioner Award for sustained, outstanding and innovative sport science service delivery.
Applied Projects
Conditioning for World Championship Boxing
Boxing Science
- Problem
- Conditioning built on tradition rather than evidence, in a sport with weight-making and twelve-round demands.
- Measured
- High-intensity interval responses, load-velocity profiling, and weight-making physiology.
- Outcome
- Scientific support for 15 world title fights, with athletes including Fabio Wardley, and practice adopted by more than 500 coaches internationally.
Recovery in Elite Professional Football
Aston Villa FC
- Problem
- Recovery methods widely used, thinly evidenced, and expensive.
- Measured
- Recovery interventions against performance and wellness outcomes in a Premier League environment.
- Outcome
- A £40,000 funded doctoral programme embedded in the club.
Hydration and Fluid Balance in Elite Squash
England Squash
- Problem
- Fluid and sodium losses were undocumented in squash.
- Measured
- Fluid balance, sodium losses and training-day hydration practice.
- Outcome
- Published individualised hydration guidance, and a systematic review of the physiological and nutritional demands of the sport.
Heat Acclimation Before the 2014 World Cup
Professional soccer match official
- Problem
- A northern European match official heading for the heat and humidity of Brazil, with no environmental chamber and a schedule built around training and competition.
- Measured
- Tympanic and mean body temperature, plasma volume, sweat rate, high-intensity running performance and thermal comfort, before and after the intervention.
- Outcome
- Thirteen sessions over eighteen days combining isothermic running with hot water immersion. Plasma volume rose 7.1%, sweat rate 0.9 L/h, exercising temperature fell 0.6°C and high-intensity running improved 29%. Published as a case report in SpringerPlus.
Operational Body Armour in Specialist Police Officers
Metropolitan Police Physical Protection Group
- Problem
- The physiological demands and the lived experience of wearing body armour on operations were not documented.
- Approach
- Lead author of the 2020 exploratory report on heat strain in officers wearing body armour, weighing cooling options against practical limits, and co-author of the follow-on study of 147 officers.
- Outcome
- Built the force's understanding of what operational body armour asks of the people wearing it.
Laboratory & Measurement Capability
Physiological Assessment
Thermal
Neuromuscular
Field
Governance
- Director, Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Elected to the Board, with collective accountability for the Association's policy and governance.
- Chair, CASES Physiology and Nutrition Division to . Previously the Division's CPD Representative, to .
- Research Ethics Lead, School of Sport and Physical Activity, Sheffield Hallam University Member of the University Research Ethics Committee. Moved school research ethics review to an online workflow that handles 500 applications a year.
- Laboratory Director to . Led preparation of the documentation, processes and procedures for the laboratory's CASES accreditation in .
Collaboration Network
Research collaborations are drawn from co-authored publications on OpenAlex and update automatically. Applied partners are organisations I have delivered funded research or consultancy for.
Where those collaborations are
View as a table
| Organisation | Type | Publications or engagement |
|---|
What I'm Working On Now
Last updated:
- Registered: Effects of Sleep Restriction on Cognition, Wellbeing & Athletic Performance in Elite Team-Sport: A Scoping Review (study pre-registration, OSF Registries, 2026)
- Recently published: CASES Expert Statement on Guidance for Reporting of Physiological Assessments: Sport Performance Testing (2026)
- Member of the QAA advisory group for the Sport and Exercise Science Subject Benchmark Statement; co-drafted its guidance on the ethical use of generative AI
- Supervising 8 PhD candidates (Director of Studies for 2) across sleep, recovery, speed training, blood flow restriction, polyphenols and disability sport classification
- Chairing the CASES Physiology and Nutrition Division, overseeing professional standards and accreditation
Experience
Director & Chair of Physiology and Nutrition Division
Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES)
- Providing strategic leadership for the Physiology and Nutrition Division
- Overseeing professional standards and accreditation processes
- Contributing to the governance and direction of the organisation
Associate Professor of Sport Physiology and Performance
Sheffield Hallam University
- Course Leader for BSc Sport and Exercise Technology () and BSc Sport and Exercise Science (); led the 2023 curriculum restructure of the BSc Sport and Exercise Science (about 300 students)
- SHU Academic Board member (2021 to 2024)
- Currently supervising 8 PhD candidates (Director of Studies for 2), including projects embedded with Aston Villa FC and Sheffield United FC
Co-founder and Scientific Lead
Boxing Science
- Provided scientific support for 15 world title fights and multiple Commonwealth, European and British contests
Research Ethics Lead, School of Sport and Physical Activity
School of Sport and Physical Activity, Sheffield Hallam University
- Leading research ethics governance for taught programmes
- Ensuring ethical compliance across student research projects
- Providing guidance on ethical considerations in sport and exercise science research
Laboratory Director
School of Sport and Physical Activity, Sheffield Hallam University
- Managed laboratory operations and equipment
- Oversaw research and teaching laboratory activities
- Ensured compliance with safety and ethical standards
External Examiner (Chief External Examiner, 2023/24)
Birmingham Newman University
- Ensured academic standards and quality assurance
- Reviewed assessment processes and student outcomes
Senior Lecturer
Sheffield Hallam University
Associate Lecturer
Sheffield Hallam University
Lab Technician
Sheffield Hallam University
Publications
Selected Publications
Effects of Sleep Restriction on Cognition, Wellbeing & Athletic Performance in Elite Team-Sport: A Scoping Review
OSF Registries, study pre-registration (2026)
CASES Expert Statement on Guidance for Reporting of Physiological Assessments: Sport Performance Testing
CASES Expert Statement, The Sport and Exercise Scientist (2026)
Effects of a 5-Day Back Squat Overreaching Protocol on Strength Performance, Perceived Recovery and Wellness Responses: A Pilot Trial
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 10(2) (2025)
Doubly Labelled Water Assessment of Elite Male-Squash Player’s Energy Balance During a Seven-Day Training Microcycle
Research Square (preprint, 2025)
Strength Training Practices in Amateur and Professional Boxing
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 39(6), 672-679 (2025)
Physiological and Nutritional Considerations for Elite Squash: A Systematic Review
Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise (2024)
Reliability of three landmine-punch-throw variations and their load-velocity relationships performed with the dominant and nondominant hands
International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance (2024)
Strength and conditioning practices of judo athletes and S&C coaches: a survey-based investigation
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 38(4), e160-e173 (2024)
Fluid balance, sodium losses and hydration practices of elite squash players during training
Nutrients, 15(7) (2023)
"Is it a slow day or a go day?": the perceptions and applications of velocity-based training within elite strength and conditioning
International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching (2022)
The role of strength on punch impact force in boxing
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(10), 2957-2969 (2022)
"I want to create so much stimulus that adaptation goes through the roof": high-performance strength coaches' perceptions of planned overreaching
Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4 (2022)
High-intensity conditioning for combat athletes: practical recommendations
Applied Sciences, 11(22) (2021)
PhD Supervision
Completed
Dr Lee Bell
Completed
Now Senior Lecturer in Strength and Conditioning, SHU
Dr Ollie Turner
Completed
Now Lead Sports Nutrition Consultant, British Athletics
Dr Steve Thompson
Completed
Now Senior Lecturer in Strength and Conditioning, SHU
Dr Matthew Debney
Completed
Now Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Physiology, SHU
Current
Jonathan Fraser
Sheffield Hallam University
Towards a novel physical training language framework in Tennis
Kieran Burke
Sheffield Hallam University & La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
Sleep restriction in team sports athletes
Max Jones
Sheffield Hallam University & Aston Villa FC
Recovery methods in elite professional soccer
Owen McNally
Sheffield Hallam University & Sheffield United FC
Speed training in elite professional soccer
Jordan Boriel
Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Blood flow restriction interventions to enhance recovery
Lee Rickards
Sheffield Hallam University
Polyphenols and recovery from high-intensity exercise
Fiona McGinnes
Sheffield Hallam University
Evaluating anthropometry for fairer disability sport classification
Grants & Funding
Recovery Methods in Elite Professional Football
Aston Villa FC
Nutritional Characteristics of Elite Squash Players
England Squash
Impact Award
Sheffield Hallam Research Impact Fund (SHRIF)
Boxing Science Innovation Project
South Yorkshire Innovation Programme, Research England
SHU Speed Symposia
Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS)
Control of Thermal Stress Experienced by Specialist Police Officers
Metropolitan Police Physical Protection Group
Velocity Based Training Research
UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA)
Professional Skills Matrix Development
Sheffield Hallam University
Consultancy
Strength & Conditioning Consultancy
Boxing Science
Invited Talks & Keynotes
"Boxing Science: Past, present and future"
BASES Sport Performance Division Combat Conference ()
"The Science and Practice of Speed Endurance Training"
English Institute of Sport ()
"High-Intensity Interval Exercise for Combat Sports"
UKSCA National Conference ()
"The Science and Practice of HIIT"
Stoke City FC ()
"High-Intensity Conditioning for Combat Sports"
BASES Annual Conference ()
"New Concepts in Conditioning for Combat Athletes"
Sports Medicine & Science Conference ()
"The Science Behind Boxing"
S&C Education Conference ()
Areas of Expertise & Professional Skills
Areas of Expertise
Coaching
Teaching & Supervision
Editorial & Professional
Peer Review
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Thermoregulation during exercise in the heat
Sheffield Hallam University
Research on thermoregulation during exercise in the heat
Master of Science (MSc)
Sport Science
Sheffield Hallam University
Advanced study in sport science principles and applications
Bachelor of Science (Hons.)
Sport Science
Sheffield Hallam University
Foundation in sport and exercise science
Media & Public Engagement
Expert commentary and public engagement across broadcast, print and digital platforms.
Understanding VO2max: interactive learning modules
Short interactive explainers built around the primary research, starting with the landmark 2002 study that made cardiorespiratory fitness a clinical measure
"Here's how we helped 'Hardest Geezer' run the full length of Africa"
Laboratory testing ahead of the 2024 run across Africa
Expert commentary on boxing science and combat sports
Featured in The Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC and Sky Sports
The Conversation articles
35,000+ reads across published articles
ResearchGate
225,000+ reads across published research
Software & Tools
Tools I have built for analysing and teaching physiology. All the code is on GitHub.
BSAMS
Athlete management system built for Boxing Science: testing, physiology analysis (lactate thresholds, CPET, velocity-based training), combine events and training, with about 1,700 automated tests. Code
Interval Lab
Speed analysis of interval sessions from GPS watch files using statistical parametric mapping, checked against a synthetic session with a known answer. Code
ThermoLab
A heat-balance simulator and ten lessons on thermoregulation and heat adaptation. Open · Code
Exercise Physiology Modules
Twelve interactive modules, from muscle action to glucose metabolism. Open · Code
Available For
Industry R&D and Product Science
Physiological testing and study design for sports brands and performance product development. Independent evaluation of performance claims.
Athletics Coaching
England Athletics qualified coaching across all athletic events, from youth to senior age groups, and foundational movement skills for any sport.
Keynote Speaking
Conference keynotes and invited talks on sport physiology, HIIT, combat sports science, and bridging research with elite performance.
Consultancy
Applied sport science consultancy for elite athletes, professional sports teams, and national governing bodies.
External Examining
External examining for undergraduate and postgraduate sport science programmes across UK higher education institutions.
PhD Supervision
Doctoral supervision in sport physiology, exercise performance, combat sports, and applied strength and conditioning research.
Advisory Boards
Academic and industry advisory roles in sport science, athlete performance, and sport technology.
Media & Expert Commentary
Expert commentary for broadcast, print, and digital media on sport science, boxing, combat sports, and exercise physiology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Alan Ruddock research?
Alan's research spans sport physiology, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), thermoregulation, combat sports science, and velocity-based training. His work bridges academic research and applied elite sport performance, with particular expertise in boxing science and strength and conditioning.
What is Boxing Science?
Boxing Science is an applied sport science consultancy that Alan co-founded in 2014 and was scientific lead for until 2026. It provided scientific support to elite combat sport athletes, including 15 world title fights. The platform delivers workshops to coaches, draws over 300,000 unique visitors a year and has over 11 million YouTube views.
What are Alan Ruddock's key credentials?
Alan holds a PhD from Sheffield Hallam University (2017) on thermoregulation during exercise in the heat. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (FCASES), a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), a Chartered Scientist (CSci), and the 2021 recipient of the CASES Applied Practitioner Award.
What is Alan Ruddock's publication and citation record?
Alan has co-authored 38 journal publications, in journals including the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, and Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. On Google Scholar his work has over 1,800 citations, with an h-index of 27 and i10-index of 31.
Which elite athletes has Alan Ruddock worked with?
Alan has worked with Olympians, Paralympians, and professional boxers. Most notably, he provided scientific support for 15 world title fights and multiple Commonwealth, European and British contests. In 2024 he provided laboratory testing for Russ Cook ahead of his run across Africa.
Where does Alan Ruddock work?
Alan is Associate Professor of Sport Physiology and Performance in the School of Sport and Physical Activity at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. He was Course Leader for BSc Sport and Exercise Technology (2021 to 2022) and BSc Sport and Exercise Science (2022 to 2025).
Does Alan Ruddock work with companies as well as athletes?
Yes. Alan has delivered funded research and consultancy for professional clubs (Aston Villa FC, Sheffield United FC), national governing bodies (England Squash), public bodies (Metropolitan Police Physical Protection Group) and commercial partners, alongside more than £50,000 of applied consultancy through Boxing Science.
What running and endurance work has Alan Ruddock done?
Alan's research on high-intensity interval training, speed endurance, thermoregulation and recovery applies directly to endurance running. He delivered the English Institute of Sport's invited lecture on the science and practice of speed endurance training, and provides expert commentary for Runner's World.
Get In Touch
I welcome enquiries about research collaboration, applied sport science consultancy, PhD supervision, speaking engagements, and media commentary.
Google Scholar
View PublicationsLocation
School of Sport and Physical Activity
Sheffield Hallam University, UK