In this episode of the Science for Sport Podcast, Richard Graves is joined by Dr Ben Rosenblatt, Founder of 292 Performance and former Lead Men’s Physical Performance Coach at The Football Association.

Ben draws on his experience preparing the England men’s football team for two World Cups and a European Championship, alongside his work with Olympic athletes, GB Hockey and elite performers across a range of sports.

The conversation explores what it really takes to prepare athletes for tournament football at the highest level. Ben discusses why physical preparation cannot begin when players arrive in camp, how small doses of training can create meaningful change during a tournament, and why “available” is very different from “ready to compete” when returning players from injury.

He also explains the physical and psychological challenges of competing in extreme environments, from heat and altitude to fatigue and pressure, and shares how the best performance teams use data, observation, communication and athlete understanding together to make better decisions.

For practitioners working in elite sport, this episode offers a detailed insight into preparing players not simply to take part in major tournaments, but to perform when the demands are at their highest.

In this episode you will learn

• Why effective tournament preparation starts months before the first game.
• How England used micro-dosed strength training during the 2018 World Cup to improve players’ power and hamstring strength.
• Why athletes must continually adapt and “reinvent” themselves to sustain performance at the highest level.
• How Ben used daily monitoring with GB Hockey to prepare players for the demands of eight matches in 13 days at the Rio Olympics.
• Why data should be considered alongside observation, athlete feedback, staff conversations and practitioner judgement.
• The difference between returning a player to availability and preparing them to compete in the decisive stages of a major tournament.
• How performance teams can prepare players for heat, humidity, altitude and travel during the 2026 World Cup.
• Why recovery, nutrition, strength training and sprint exposure must be individualised rather than delivered as a single team-wide solution.
• How clarity, trust and pressure training help athletes execute when the stakes are highest.
• What the best high-performance environments look and feel like behind the scenes.

About Dr Ben Rosenblatt
Dr Ben Rosenblatt is the Founder and Director of 292 Performance, a multidisciplinary performance consultancy supporting elite athletes and organisations.

He previously served as Lead Men’s Physical Performance Coach at The Football Association, where he supported the England men’s senior team through two World Cups and a European Championship. His career has also included work with the British Olympic Association, GB Hockey, elite football and Olympic athletes across multiple Games.

Ben holds a PhD in biomechanics and motor learning, and his work focuses on helping athletes and teams prepare for the most demanding moments in high-performance sport.

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Stuart’s career has spanned elite roles in football, hockey, and judo, before moving into rugby where he’s been a driving force behind Glasgow Warriors’ success and Scotland’s rise on the international stage. Drawing on his unique background as a Commonwealth Games athlete, physiotherapist, and S&C coach, Stuart shares powerful insights into developing players who can thrive at the very highest level.
This episode gives a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Scottish Rugby has evolved over the past decade and what it takes to prepare athletes to perform on the international stage.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Stuart’s unique journey, from weightlifting in his dad’s garage to competing for Scotland – shaped his approach to performance.
• The key differences between preparing players at club vs. international level.
• Why alignment across national pathways has been critical to Scotland’s success.
• How Scottish Rugby has raised physical standards and created a culture of continual improvement.
• Lessons from other sports (including judo, athletics, and AFL) that are now embedded in rugby performance.
• The importance of technical mastery, co-created training programmes, and athlete ownership in achieving world-class results.
• How Scotland are preparing physically to compete with the best rugby nations in the world.

About Stuart Yule
Stuart Yule is Head of Physical Performance with the Scotland national rugby team. A two-time Commonwealth Games competitor in weightlifting, Stuart’s career spans physiotherapy, strength & conditioning, and high-performance coaching. He has worked across football, hockey, and judo before joining Glasgow Warriors, where he played a pivotal role in their domestic and European success. Since 2017, Stuart has been a cornerstone of the Scotland national setup under Head Coach Gregor Townsend, helping raise performance standards and prepare players for the demands of test rugby.

SIGN UP NOW: https://bit.ly/SFSepisode241

• ​ Learn Quicker & More Effectively
• ​ Optimise Your Athletes' Recovery
• ​ Position Yourself As An Expert To Your Athletes And Naturally Improve Buy-In
• ​ Reduce Your Athletes' Injury Ratese
• ​ Save 100's Of Dollars A Year That Would Otherwise Be Spent On Books, Courses And More
• ​ Improve Your Athletes' Performance
• ​ Advance Forward In Your Career, Allowing You To Earn More Money And Work With Elite-Level Athletes
• ​ Save Yourself The Stress & Worry Of Constantly Trying To Stay Up-To-Date With Sports Science Research