Stephen Thompson

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Steve Thompson BSc, MSc, ASCC

Senior Lecturer

Summary

Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Coaching, accredited S&C Coach, PhD candidate, early-career researcher and Employability Lead. I have specific teaching, research and applied interests in resistance training; programming, prescription and periodisation; application of technology to training and performance; testing and monitoring practices; and youth development. I currently teach across all levels of undergraduate and postgraduate study. I welcome PhD and research collaboration requests in any of my areas of interest.

Steve Thompson

About

I am a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Coaching as well as an accredited S&C coach with the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA). I am currently completing a PhD, majoring in Velocity Based Training (VBT), but specifically the use of load-velocity profiling to predict maximal intensity. I am an active early-career researcher, with multiple publications involving international collaborations in high-impact journals such as Sports Medicine, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. I have been successful in a small number of income generation projects, including specific S&C research grants from national governing bodies. I am the employability lead for the UG and PG courses, working with local clubs and organisation to develop work experience opportunities for students. I have a wealth of experience in academia, from curriculum design to partnership development, student mentorship to project supervision. I currently hold multiple S&C consultancy roles, including GB and City of Sheffield Diving, and a Championship football academy. I have worked in elite sport for many years, specifically with GB Commonwealth medallists, Olympic competitors and other professional athletes in Diving, Women's Volleyball, Para-Fencing, Table Tennis, Golf and Rugby League.

Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach (ASCC) (UKSCA)

NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist

NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist

NASM Certified Personal Trainer Award

Level 2 YMCA Initiative Fitness Inclusion award (IFI)

First Aid at work.

'Researchers who teach' course completed

Teaching

School of Sport and Physical Activity

College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences

MSc in Strength and Conditioning Coaching - Course Leader Senior Lecturer - Department of Sport and Physical Activity

Subject Area

Sport and Exercise Science

Courses

  • MSc Strength and Conditioning Coaching (Course Leader)
  • MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Science
  • BSc Sport and Exercise Science

Modules

  • Science of Strength and Conditioning
  • Research Skills for Applied Practice
  • Strength and Conditioning in Practice
  • Work-Based Project
  • Strength and Conditioning for Sport Performance
  • Project in Sport
  • Placement

Research

Publications

Journal articles

Thompson, S., Fernandes, J., Dorrell, H., Greig, L., & Bishop, C. (2025). A coach’s guide to velocity-based training: Definitions and diagnostics. Strength and Conditioning Journal. http://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000886

Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Xu, J., Jarvis, P., Thompson, S., Tannion, K., & Bishop, C. (2023). Validity of a smartphone app using artificial intelligence for the real time measurement of barbell velocity in the bench press exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 37 (12), e640-e645. http://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004593

Shaw, M., Thompson, S., Myranuet, P.A., Tonheim, H., Nielsen, J., & Steele, J. (2023). Perception of Barbell Velocity: Can Individuals Accurately Perceive Changes in Velocity? International Journal of Strength & Conditioning, 3 (1). http://doi.org/10.47206/ijsc.v3i1.161

Thompson, S., Olusoga, P., Rogerson, D., Ruddock, A., & Barnes, A. (2022). “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. http://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221099641

Thompson, S., Lake, J., Rogerson, D., Ruddock, A., & Barnes, A. (2022). The kinetics and kinematics of the free-weight back squat and loaded jump squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. http://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004186

Grimes, N., Arede, J., Drury, B., Thompson, S., & Fernandes, J. (2021). The effects of a sled push at different loads on 20 metre sprint time in well-trained soccer players. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning, 1 (1). http://doi.org/10.47206/ijsc.v1i1.77

Thompson, S.W., Rogerson, D., Ruddock, A., Greig, L., Dorrell, H.F., & Barnes, A. (2021). A Novel Approach to 1RM Prediction Using the Load-Velocity Profile: A Comparison of Models. Sports, 9 (7). http://doi.org/10.3390/sports9070088

Shaw, M.P., Satchell, L.P., Thompson, S., Harper, E.T., Balsalobre-Fernández, C., & Peart, D.J. (2021). Smartphone and Tablet Software Apps to Collect Data in Sport and Exercise Settings: Cross-sectional International Survey. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 9 (5), e21763. http://doi.org/10.2196/21763

Thompson, S.W., Rogerson, D., Ruddock, A., Banyard, H.G., & Barnes, A. (2021). Pooled Versus Individualized Load–Velocity Profiling in the Free-Weight Back Squat and Power Clean. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. http://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2020-0534

Wilson, D.C., Ruddock, A., Ranchordas, M.K., Thompson, S.W., & Rogerson, D. (2020). Physical profile of junior and senior amateur boxers. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 20 (6), 3452-3459. http://doi.org/10.7752/jpes.2020.06466

Thompson, S.W., Rogerson, D., Dorrell, H.F., Ruddock, A., & Barnes, A. (2020). The Reliability and Validity of Current Technologies for Measuring Barbell Velocity in the Free-Weight Back Squat and Power Clean. Sports, 8 (7), e94. http://doi.org/10.3390/sports8070094

Thompson, S.W., Rogerson, D., Ruddock, A., & Barnes, A. (2020). Correction to: The Effectiveness of Two Methods of Prescribing Load on Maximal Strength Development: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01253-z

Thompson, S., Rogerson, D., Ruddock, A., & Barnes, A. (2019). The Effectiveness of Two Methods of Prescribing Load on Maximal Strength Development: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine, 50 (5), 919-938. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01241-3

Banyard, H.G., Tufano, J.J., Delgado, J., Thompson, S., & Nosaka, K. (2018). Comparison of velocity-based and traditional 1RM-percent-based prescription on acute kinetic and kinematic variables. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance. http://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2018-0147

Ruddock, A., Wilson, D., Thompson, S., Hembrough, D., & Winter, E. (2016). Strength and conditioning for professional boxing: recommendations for physical preparation. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 38 (3), 81-90. http://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000217

Ruddock, A., Thompson, S., Hudson, S.A., James, C.A., Gibson, O.R., & Mee, J.A. (2016). Combined active and passive heat exposure induced heat acclimation in a soccer referee before 2014 FIFA world cup. SpringerPlus, 5 (617), 1-9. http://doi.org/10.1186/s40064-016-2298-y

Book chapters

Thompson, S., & Dorrell, H. (2025). Implementing VBT in Practice. In Garcia-Ramos, A. (Ed.) Velocity-Based Training. Prescribing and Assessing the Effects of Resistance Training. (pp. 237-247). Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Velocity-Based-Training-Prescribing-and-Assessing-the-Effects-of-Resistance-Training/Ramos/p/book/9780367756901?srsltid=AfmBOoqw6fmzp48rJK6LKbY9DYD_O2HOvz_oFRwLYZ9w4JpC2L3knhvW

Garcia-Ramos, A., & Thompson, S. (2025). Testing Maximal and Strength-endurance Performance. In Garcia-Ramos, A. (Ed.) Velocity-Based Training. Prescribing and Assessing the Effects of Resistance Training. (pp. 196-216). Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Velocity-Based-Training-Prescribing-and-Assessing-the-Effects-of-Resistance-Training/Ramos/p/book/9780367756901?srsltid=AfmBOoqw6fmzp48rJK6LKbY9DYD_O2HOvz_oFRwLYZ9w4JpC2L3knhvW

Ranchordas, M.K., Hudson, S., & Thompson, S. (2016). Nutrition for Extreme Sports. In Feletti, F. (Ed.) Extreme Sports Medicine. (pp. 15-28). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28265-7_2

Theses / Dissertations

Thompson, S. (2022). The efficacy of the load-velocity profile to predict one repetition maximum. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Barnes, A., Rogerson, D., & Ruddock, A.

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