University hosts fourth annual Combat Sport Workshop

The University of Wolverhampton proudly hosted its fourth Annual Combat Sport Workshop, uniting coaches, practitioners, academics, athletes, and students for an inspiring day of insight, collaboration, and cutting‑edge discussion on applied sport science in combat sports.

Now firmly established in the University’s events calendar, the workshop continues to grow year on year, both in scale and impact, offering a vibrant platform for experts and emerging researchers to share their work, debate key issues, and explore the evolving challenges within the sector.

Adding to the buzz across campus, the workshop took place alongside a range of high‑energy activities including a BUCS Judo competition, an England Judo training camp, mini football fixtures, and University Open Day. Prospective sport students were able to immerse themselves in the University’s dynamic sporting atmosphere, with presentations held in the state‑of‑the‑art High‑Performance Centre adjacent to the GB Judo National Training Centre.

The event was made possible through strong collaboration between University teams and valued external partners. It forms a key part of the annual programme of the Combat and Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences (CASES) network, whose team played a central role in promoting the workshop. The University continues to enjoy a close partnership with GB Judo, who have supported the event from the outset, alongside generous sponsorship from Mat Science.

This year’s programme featured a diverse blend of presentations spanning some of the most important and emerging themes in combat sport research and practice. Topics included applied athlete testing and exercise prescription, weight management strategies in combat sports, ethical considerations in research, the integration of performance analysis with coaching practice, and innovative methods for quantifying training load in complex sporting environments. A standout moment was the contribution from international guest speaker Professor Yoko Tanabe (Japan), who travelled specially to share her expertise with attendees.

Delegates represented a broad slice of the combat sport and sport science communities, creating a warm, inclusive, and highly collegiate atmosphere that encouraged lively debate, collaboration, and new connections throughout the day.

Dr Ross Cloak, Associate Professor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Wolverhampton, said:

"The Combat Sport Workshop continues to grow each year and has become an important platform for bringing together researchers, coaches, and practitioners working in this unique and challenging sporting environment. Events like this allow us to share knowledge, challenge ideas, and strengthen the connections between research and applied practice in combat sports. They also directly feed into our ongoing research, inform our curriculum, and enrich both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, ensuring our students benefit from the latest insights and applied practices in the field."