Chris Bradley

Chris Bradley completed his master’s degree in Sport and Health Science from the University of Exeter. Prior to this, he completed an undergraduate degree in Exercise and Sport Science at the University of Exeter. Throughout his time in Exeter, Chris has focused his studies on biomechanics and lower limb injuries and their respective treatments. He completed two theses; one focusing on metatarsal stress fractures, and the other on lower limb gait symmetry. This has provided him with experience in collecting and processing extremely large data sets in an effective, ethical manner and presenting this information in a clear and concise format.

He has then employed this knowledge when working with some of the best young athletes in the country who represent the universities, first teams. This has included the University of Exeter’s Rugby Club and Hockey Club. Chris has further utilised his knowledge of sport and exercise whilst working with Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club. His responsibilities included collecting knee and shoulder isokinetic data as part of their pre-season testing. This data was then used when creating rehab and prehab plans for players.

Over the duration of both his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Exercise and Sport Science, Chris has continued to find the subject of individual and team performance analysis fascinating. He is also interested in further improving his knowledge of how top-level teams operate and is keen to learn and understand the detailed effort that top-level sports teams will go to in order to gain an advantage over the opposition to achieve success. Throughout his second year at university, he completed a placement alongside the high-performance staff and performance analysis team at the University of Exeter to provide individual and team performance analysis for both the Men’s (BUCS Champions 15/16) and Women’s (BUCS Champions 17/18) Rugby football club. Upon reviewing the footage, Chris would relay important information back to the coach including relevant statistics to justify my statements. This information was then used when creating appropriate training strategies to both correct areas for improvement and maintain current strengths within the team. It was also his responsibility to distribute match footage.

Whilst completing his MSc course in Sport and Health Science at the University of Exeter. Chris additionally attained a Performance Analysis Internship in which he was responsible for leading the Performance Analysis provision for the Men’s Hockey Club (Premier Division Hockey Club, BUCS Gold Champions 18/19). He was responsible for recording all match footage and providing subsequent pre and post-game individual and team analysis video packages. He would condense these packages into succinct presentations with relevant statistics and relay this information to both players and staff during video analysis sessions.

Chris has worked part-time for England Rugby and the RFU providing sports performance analysis. He was responsible for collecting clips and conducting presentations around the main themes for referees and match officials. Following this, he created individual development plan documents for referees. The purpose of this was to improve referee performance and decision consistency. Data collected also had further implications on the rules and regulations in rugby union for the RFU.

In addition, he has worked for Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club and was responsible for the performance analysis provision. Chris provided pre and post-match analysis on all individual players as well as the team as a whole. The analysis completed was in turn referred to with respect to player selection, development, and scouting.

Chris is passionate about seeing progression and development not only in athletes but in everyone. As a result, he believes that a holistic approach should be adopted with respect to self-care. Therefore, Chris advocates that sports therapy and Sports Massage should be integrated into people’s lifestyles as it is known to provide an array of benefits both physiologically and psychologically.

Whilst undertaking his master’s, Chris completed a level 3 Sports Massage and Deep Tissue Massage qualification. Upon completion of this, he utilised this skill set when working with the University of Exeter’s Hockey and Rugby Club and provided pre-event and post-event massage for all athletes. Through pre-event treatments, Chris was able to invigorate and prepare players both physically and mentally before going out to complete. These techniques would also reduce the risk of injury whilst competing. This is due to a reduction in muscle tension and an increase in muscle flexibility. Following matches, he would perform a relaxing post-event treatment as part of the player cool down the regime. This would prevent additional muscle soreness.

Following COVID-19, Chris focused his attention while being unable to treat, on different aspects at bodytonic clinic. Chris has since worked in the administration, marketing and management departments of the bodytonic clinic and is now responsible for the operational management of the clinic as clinic manager.

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