Be Ready Training Podcast

For Episode 52, I was joined by Olympian Jazz Carlin. Jazz is a former Team GB & Welsh swimmer, who is no stranger to the podium! Jazz announced herself on the world stage in 2009, when she won her first senior medal the World Championships in Rome. From there she kicked on and was so close to qualifying for the London Olympics in 2012, only to miss out due to illness. This disappointment stoked the fire, making Jazz even more determined. Her hard work and dedication paid off, winning 2 Silver Medals at Rio 2016!During our chat, Jazz gives great insight into her career, and gets into what it took to achieve her dream of becoming an Olympian. Jazz also talks about how sport transfers to her current role, her sporting background, preparation from a training and psychological point of view, nutrition and so much more! Be sure to connect with Jazz on Instagram (@JazzCarlin) & Twitter (@JazzCarlin). Jazz also has an online platform that you can check out @SwimWithJazz. For swim camps and more information, check out swimwithjazz.co.uk For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements

Conor Daly is a Strength & Conditioning coach currently based with Essendon Bombers in the AFL. Throughout his career to date,  Conor has worked with a number top level clubs in various sports including Rugby Union and Rugby League. His first stop many moons ago was Auckland in New Zealand where he got the ball rolling on working with pro athletes before moving to Australia  which led Conor to taking up a position with the Melbourne Rebels. He then moved to the Manly Sea Eagles, spending 5 years there before taking on a new challenge in the AFL.  Conor now heads up Power and Strength development with Essendon. During this podcast, some topics Conor chats about include;The Off Season Conor's sporting background Career to dateDrop sets with DJThe demands of Rugby League Transitioning to the AFL  And much more. Enjoy and be sure to connect with Conor via Linkedin and Instagram (@Dalesburyy).For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements

I was thrilled to have Athletic Performance coach Shane Lehane on the podcast for Episode 50.  Shane is currently based with AFL team Sydney Swans and has been working in professional sport for well over a decade. Throughout his career to date, Shane has worked with Leicester Tigers before moving to Australia in 2015 where he was lead Strength & Conditioning coach with Super 15 side Melbourne Rebels for 7 seasons.  Shane was also Strength Coach for the Australian squad for the 2020 Bledisloe Cup.During this podcast, some topics Shane chats about include;The Season to DateWork Life Balance in Pro SportWeek in the Life of a coach in the AFLThe Route to Pro Sports Making an Impact The Transition from European Rugby to the Super 15Coaching Strategies International Rugby Demands of the AFLConnect with Shane on Twitter @ShaneBLehaneFor all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Sleep Coach & Health Scientist Tom Coleman joins me for Episode 49. Tom has been working in the Health & Wellness industry for over a decade. He works closely with multinationals and a variety of sports teams where he focuses on helping them with their sleep & managing fatigue as a whole. He is incredibly knowledgeable and has so much to share in areas such as stress, the breath, nutrition and of course the fascinating topic of sleep.During this podcast Tom chats about; Leaning into the day  Relentlessness  Stress & how it affects the brain  Vision Cold Water Therapy  Burnout  Recovery  Magic of Sleep Tom provides a multitude of services including corporate wellness and individual coaching. Check out Tom's website at www.tomcoleman.ie . For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Ian Jones is an Irish strength & conditioning coach who has done it all to date and shows no sign of slowing down!  Ian began coaching in his teens where he kicked off his career looking after variety of athletes from sports including hockey, football and hurling. After completing an internship in the USA he spent a year with London Welsh who played in the English Premiership at the time, Following this he returned to the States and has since spent the best part of the last 10 years working there with the likes of Penn State, US Eagles Womens team and NFL franchises Cleveland Browns & Houston Texans and more recently University of New Orleans. Ian now returns to the Emerald Isle to continue his career where he will be based in Bishopstown GAA on behalf of Setanta College. Exciting times ahead. We chat about it all throughout! Enjoy and thank you for listening.

Joan Healy is as dedicated as they come. Joan is an Irish runner specialising in the 60 meter sprint. Over the years, Joan has shone on the track to the point where she is now 4th on the all time Irish list for the 60 meter indoor event, which she ran in a blazing 7.31 seconds in 2020!It's been an extremely challenging 18 months for Joan, who has suffered a number of debilitating injuries. This meant she missed out on World Relays last March, and also  put a halt to her Tokyo Olympic hopes, however these concerns are now behind her and she looks to the latter end of 2021 with excitement and determination.Joan has put an incredible amount of work to into getting her body and mind in the right place and she is now  fit, firing and ready to attack qualification for the World Indoors and Relay Championships that take place in Belgrade and Oregon respectively. During our chat, Joan takes us through her journey to date, home life, training structure and preparation, mindset,  nutrition and so much more during this chat! Enjoy! Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Anita O'Brien is a physiotherapist based in Dublin, Ireland. Anita runs her own practice which caters for the general population and athletes from a large variety of sports including tennis, golf, GAA and Rugby.Anita is also the physiotherapist with the Dublin Ladies Footballers and for the last 4 years, which includes 3 all Ireland wins! During this episode,  Anita chats about her experience and journey to date, setting up her business , common injures she has been seeing of late, managing athletes,  the importance of hip mobility, tips for returning to the gym and more! Enjoy!Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Conor Lyden is Founder and CEO of Trustap, a transaction platform that acts as a safety net for customers when they want to buy or sell online. Conor founded Trustap in 2017 and has since gone from strength to strength to the point where today Trustap operates in over 135 countries! During this time Conor has built a team all focused on the common goal of protecting consumers from being scammed and ensuring an efficient payment process. Throughout our chat, Conor chats about how he thought up the idea of Trustap and how it has evolved over the last number of years, his younger years, fraud, building a strong team how a fresh perspective can work wonders. Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Athletic Development Coach Rob Cassidy was my guest for Episode 44. Rob has an abundance of experience working with youth athletes in both GAA and Rugby. He is currently head strength & conditioning coach with Roscrea Senior Cup Team and Young Munster RFC where he has been for 4 seasons. In addition to this, Rob was also involved with Irish Clubs side which he provides great insight into during our chat!Some other topics Rob talks about were his journey to date,  interning in Connaught alongside Pat Lam, contact preparation and rehab, winning a Senior Cup with Roscrea and the structure he has implemented there, traffic light systems, demands of the AIL and his weekly schedule during a normal playing season!Enjoy!Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

David Meyler joins the podcast this week for Episode 43!The former Republic of Ireland captain is a warrior, who during his 12 year career in top flight football, played with Sunderland, Hull, Reading & Coventry  where he put his body on the line week by week as he marshalled the midfield. This man  wears his heart on his sleeve and is as honest as they come! During this Chat, David takes us back to the beginning of his journey where he talks about his upbringing, signing for Sunderland as a teenager, adapting to life in the premier league, flourishing at Hull, scoring goals against the top clubs, earning promotion, finding purpose after football, standing at the gates of hell and so much more! Enjoy!Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Paul Gallagher has been in working in the retail industry in Ireland for over 35 years. Paul and his business partner Sunil Shah are owners of Shuz 4 U. Shuz 4 U is a business that holds the retail franchise for Skechers in Ireland & Northern Ireland. They operate 20 stores countrywide and manage a workforce of over 250 people. I first met Paul in 2017 where he immediately struck me as a man who works hard, lives life to the fullest and loves a challenge! During this episode Paul tells us about digging deep in the recent 4x4x48 challenge, takes us through his career to date, provides excellent advice on effective leadership, communication and self development, talks about the the power of good questions and how delegating far outweighs assigning! Enjoy!Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Sarah Lavin is an Irish athlete & physiotherapist hailing from County Limerick. Sarah specialises in the 100 meter hurdles and over the last few years has earned a long list of achievements on the track that include being a silver medal at the 2013 European Junior Championships, a bronze medal at the European Youth Olympics and more recently taking 4th place in the World University Games 100 meter hurdles! Additionally, Sarah set a lifetime best of 8.06sec in the 60meter hurdles competing in Torun, Poland at the European Indoor Championships this year!During this podcast, Sarah provides great insight into her year so far, sports she played growing up, the introduction to hurdling, behind the scenes at competitions, how perfection isn’t possible, her training week, gym sessions, college life, technique, staying present & more! Enjoy!Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Jack Maguire is an Irish professional MMA fighter and the current Cage Legacy Featherweight Champion. Jack is co-owner of MMA Cork, a gym that is based in Blackpool specialising in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA. He has represented his country on three different occasions at the IMMAF World & European Championships. Jack is a brilliant character, excellent coach and it goes without saying, a top class fighter who has over 15 MMA fights to date. As laid back as they come, Jack takes us down memory lane where he describes his journey to date, growing up in Cork and ultimately becoming a pro fighter. Interestingly, before making the switch to MMA, Jack’s main sport was soccer which included playing in the League of Ireland and earning trials in Reading Football Club in the UK! Some topics Jack gives excellent insight into throughout our chat include his training and preparation, injuries he has suffered, grappling and striking, some beatings he fondly remembers, experiences in the octagon and his nutritional habits. Enjoy!Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Sean Kinane is a Sports Performance Specialist, Nutritional Advisor and Nutritional Therapist from Dublin. He launched his company, Health Matters 10 years ago. Health Matters is a scientifically driven company dedicated to performance testing, metabolic assessments and health related programmes.Sean has a huge passion for sports performance and health development which is obvious immediately upon chatting to him. Sean works closely with a huge variety of people from all walks of life including the general fitness enthusiasts, high level competitors, MMA, field sport and endurance athletes and many more. To date Sean has conducted almost 10,000 Vo2 Max tests making him the most active tester in Europe. Over the years, Sean has built up a phenomenal knowledge base across training, nutrition and fitness testing. He is one of the most knowledgeable practitioners I have ever talked to and offers so much food for thought throughout this podcast. Some areas Sean delves into include Supplements, Vo2 Max testing, Metabolic Testing, Heart Rate Training, educating your clients, he power of your breath, nutrition and much more! Enjoy!Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with or without equipment requirements.

Peter McCabe is a professional rugby player currently playing with the Bristol Bears in the Gallagher Premiership. Peter made his professional rugby debut with Munster in 2016 before moving to Connaught in 2017 playing in both the Pro14 & Champions Cup. During this podcast, Peter chats openly about his experience growing up playing ball in his school CBC Cork and then University College Cork, his journey through to the professional ranks,main influences, scrummaging, coping with injury and more! Enjoy the chat!Be sure to check out https://www.thecoffeex.ie where you can avail of a 15% discount off your first month in the Coffee Club!Use 'BeReady15' at checkout. Also, be sure to see a great variety of training programmes available you at www.Be-Ready.Training.com to help you build strength, decrease chances of injury and feel great!

Greg Bennett (@gb_coaching) is an Irish strength & conditioning coach, hurler, PE teacher & tutor with Setanta College hailing from Dublin.He has worked with numerous hurling & GAA teams over the year's including the Dublin senior hurlers. Greg has a wealth of knowledge particularly useful for field sport athletes. Greg takes us through his journey to date, which included a soccer scholarship to USA in 2000, his main influences, training vs training to perform, field sport conditioning, coaching youths and much more.Enjoy!Check out www.thecoffeex.ie to avail of your 15% discount off your first month subscription to the coffee club today by using BeReady15 at checkout!For all your training needs, see www.be-ready-training.com where a variety of programmes are available with our without equipment requirements. Make the most of your lockdown!

I was honoured to be joined by the Godfather of Strength & Conditioning this week. Dan John is a hugely entertaining, straight talking, no nonsense, world-renowned, strength and conditioning coach currently living in the USA but no stranger to Ireland as you’ll find out!Dan’s achievements as an athlete include holding the American Record for the Weight Pentathlon, setting an NCAA record in Discus Throwing and still competes in Olympics Lifting to this day. In addition to being the author of 14 books to date, Dan is widely known for his coaching successes and his lecturing in the University of Missouri and St Marys in London!Enjoy!Visit www.thecoffeex.ie for 15% your first months subscription to the Coffee Club! Use 'BeReady15' at checkout.Be Ready Bodyweight 2 now available by clicking here.To read Dan John's strength standards, read Sleepless in Seattle.

Founders of The Coffee Exchange, Ben Burns & Ciaran Gaffney join me this week to tell the story behind their start up business that launched at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The Coffee Exchange, is an online marketplace which has your favourite coffee and brewing equipment available for order and delivery ensuring you will always have your caffeine fix! It is the first coffee marketplace in Ireland offering an alternative revenue stream for Irish roasters!Ben & Ciaran chat about the brand, how sourcing your coffee beans is now more accessible and how they are supporting local roasters through offering them another stream of income with their service.Additionally, I hear about Ciaran's journey from academy to the senior team with Connaught, finding form in Zingari Richmond in New Zealand before signing for Pro 14 side Zebre in Italy where he unfortunately suffered an injury that meant his career was cut short. I was delighted to announce that The Coffee Exchange has come on board as The Be Ready Training Podcast sponsor going forward to what will no doubt be an exciting partnership. Visit www.thecoffeex.ie for all your caffeine requirements and where you can avail of 15% off you first months subscription to the Coffee Club by using 'BeReady15' at checkout. By joining the Coffee Club your coffee of choice will arrive at your front door in the first week of every month ensuring you are never left wanting! Join the Coffee Club today!

Dual star Eoin Cadogan has been played inter county football & hurling with Cork for 14 years & counting!He has earned Munster titles in both Hurling and Football, an All Ireland medal, represented Ireland in the International Rules series in Australia and continues to lead from the front with his club Douglas and Cork hurlers to this day. Eoin gives excellent insight into his upbringing, mindset, what sport has done for him both on and off the field and what he feels has helped him perform at the top level for so long. He talks openly about the highs of winning an All Ireland to the lows of coping with injury that kept him sidelined for prolonged periods of time, coping with fear, what he believes truly matters to be successful how to maximise your full potential and how the importance of mastering the basics. Enjoy!Recently Eoin launched his online fitness platform Darkfocus Performance. Check out all it has to offer by visiting www.darkfocus.ie

Anna Caplice is an Irish international rugby player who currently plays with Harlequins in the UK. As tough as they come, Anna played for the Irish Sevens team in 2015 before breaking into the full Ireland squad the year after, earning 14 caps and scoring two tries to date. Anna also represented the Barbarians in the Principality Stadium versus Wales in 2019. During our chat, Anna chats about how she has made the most of the pandemic, her upbringing and introduction to Rugby and career to date, hopping the wall in Thomond Park to watch Munster, keeping up in college, goal setting, tattoos and much more! Enjoy!

Alan Dineen is a Strength & Conditioning coach currently based in Cork, Ireland. Along with personal training, group sessions and online coaching, Alan is currently pursuing his Master’s degree. Having played basketball & more recently transferring to coaching it, Alan has been representing Ireland in Wheelchair Rugby for the last 6 years. He is also a founding member of the Rebel Wheelers, an organisation dedicated to empowering youths with physical limitations. Throughout our chat, Alan tells us about his own journey to date, current topics he’s looking into, the importance of breaking down barriers, the importance of cueing, playing with Ireland and more! Enjoy!

Alan Kenny is currently Head of Science & Education at Glanbia & Performance Nutritionist with the Roscommon GAA team. Prior to this, Alan spent 3 years in Canada where he worked as Head of Nutrition & Exercise at Preventum Health in Vancouver BC. Alan also completed an internship in EXOS Arizona where he worked alongside American Football players hoping to make it to the NFL. As knowledgable as they come, Alan gives great insight on how to alter your behaviour around food choices to assist you in enhancing your life & fitness goals. Alan also chats about his role with Roscommon GAA, tells us where athletes can potentially get an edge to boost their performance, his approach with youth athletes looking to bulk up & much more! Enjoy!

Physiotherapist Patrick Carrol (MSc,BSc) joins me this week! Patrick studied Sport & Exercise science which led him to working as a Strength & Conditioning coach and Personal Trainer coach in Melbourne, Australia. During this time, Patricks interest lay with assisting injured people back to full health which resulted in him completing an Masters in Physiotherapy from the University of Essex. Patrick spent 5years working in both private practice & NHS in the UK before setting up is his own clinic in Ballincollig Co.Cork During chat, Patrick touches on many topics including his journey to date, culture shock going from a team to a hospital setting, return to performance, recovery & more!

Jody Kennedy is as unique as they come. Currently based in Dublin, Jody is a health & wellness practitioner who delivers corporate wellness workshops & seminars focusing on movement, the art of breathing, meditation & ancestral health. Throughout this episode some of the topics Jody chats about include army life & self understanding, plant medicines, meditation, the power of the breath & his nutritional philosophy! Enjoy!

John Ryan is an International rugby player currently playing with Munster and Ireland. He made his Munster debut in 2011 and now has over 150 caps to his name. Having earned his call up to the Ireland squad in 2016, he won his first cap shortly after vs Canada and has been a consistent feature in the Irish squad since. A grand slam winner in 2018, John was also picked for the Rugby World Cup in 2019 in Japan. Throughout our chat, John gives great insight into his journey to date, coaches he’s worked under, how he prepares for the demands of international rugby, nutrition and much more!

Lee Kirk (UKSCA, NSCA, BSc) is currently the Head of Strength & Conditioning with the mens Rugby Union and Golf at the University of Exeter. Lee started his career as a personal trainer and has since worked across of an array of sports at the top level including English Premiership Rugby, GB Paralympics and England B1 football. Additionally, Lee makes up half of the Methodical Movement Systems which is an online platform offering excellent training advice and guidance to the masses. Throughout this episode Lee talks about his career to date, how he trains his athletes, ho he deals with the challenge of coaching large numbers on the gym floor, what he has found has helped his development as a coach and much more! Enjoy

P.J Dundass (MSc, BBS, CSCS) is a Strength & Conditioning Coach at the University of Exeter & co-founder of Methodical Movement Systems (@MethodicalMS) a top class online platform providing high quality training & physical preparation to athletes and non athletes looking to enhance their performance and physical abilities. Along with consulting with the Gilbraltar Netball team, PJ has worked with athletes from multiple disciplines including rugby, cricket, NHL & NFL. Throughout this podcast, PJ gives excellent insight into his internships in Westside Barbell & EXOS, his current roles, his coaching philosophy, the importance of culture, running a business and a lot more! Enjoy !

Irish international back row Claire McGlaughlin was this week's guest on the Be Ready Training Podcast! Claire Hails from County Antrim in Northern Ireland and is currently working in the Accident & Emergency department of the Ulster hospital in Belfast. Claire takes us through her career to date, gives insight into an ankle injury she is currently dealing with, talks about her training sessions, what she is working on to improve her game, her daily nutrition and the list goes on! Enjoy!

I was delighted to be joined by Gavin Dempsey this week. Gavin is currently working in Edinburgh, Scotland as academy physiotherapist with Edinburgh Rugby and the Scottish U-18 national team. Over the last 7 years Gavin has worked predominantly in Rugby but has experience with soccer and hockey also. He spent 3 years in London Wasps before taking up a role in the infamous Loughborough University. Throughout this chat , Gavin tells us why he has a bone to pick with Ross Edgely, hamstring injuries, the importance of culture and gives his thoughts on returning to sport after the long lay off! Enjoy!

Donnacha Mulcahy is a lecturer in Strength & Conditioning in LIT, Thurles. He is also the current Strength & Conditioning Coach for Glen Rovers and Christians Brothers College Senior Cup Team. Additionally, Donnacha is pursuing a PhD which he elaborates on throughout our chat where he also gives insight also into his career to date which includes an internship in Connaught Rugby where he worked for some time alongside Coach Pat Lam. I hear from Donnacha what is vital to make an impact as a coach and how effective communication can be a determining factor. Donnacha also chats about how he prepares the CBC senior cup squad , how hammering the basics can not be beaten and a whole lot more! Enjoy!

I was buzzing to have Irish International sprinter Phil Healy join me on the podcast this week! Phil is an unbelievable athlete and current holder of the Irish 100m & 200m records, along with the 200m indoor record which she broke earlier this year - a phenomenal achievement! Phil currently stands in 27th place in the world rankings!Phil is an extremely hard worker and completely driven both in terms of her academics and athletic career which shines through during our chat. Phil talks about her current training schedule, what her gym sessions consist of, tips for battling nerves and the importance of having a coach like Shane McCormack who has been at her side for over 6 years. Best of luck going forward Phil, we are all routing for you!

Caoimhe Morris is the Head of Education & Learning with Deely Sports Science, McMullen Cup & Vinnie Murray Plate winning coach with Mount Temple SCT & has just taken up a role with the Rugby Academy Ireland. During out chat, Caoimhe takes us through her career to date, her networking tips and gives her opinion on what will help you stand out as a coach. Caoimhe also talks about some injuries she has had to deal with over the last few years and provides some suggestions for webinars we should be checking out! Enjoy!

Conor Murray is Ireland's best ever scrum half. A man who oozes class, he has been producing world class performances for both club & country for years. Throughout this podcast, Conor takes us back to his youth and his time in St. Munchins College, where he began his journey to becoming the player he is today. Conor gives us insight into his current training schedule, daily habits to ensure he's at his best, a typical week in camp during the 6 nations, touring with the Lions and the challenge of making the perfect Sourdough! Enjoy!

Mike Carroll is an Irish Strength & Conditioning coach currently living in Irvine, California. Mike has been working with Athletes since 2010, however his current work is predominantly focused on the physical preparation of both amateur and professional golfers. Throughout this episode, Mike provides me with excellent insight into how he started and built his online business, how he trains his athletes, the main injuries he comes across and much more. Thank you for listening! Enjoy!

Kate McDaid is the owner of NutriKate, a high performance nutrition consultancy based here in Ireland. Although Kate has and continues to work with professional sports teams and athletes she also works with the general population who are looking to optimise their health and is no stranger to the corporate world. Kate is also an lecturer in Applied Nutrition at TUD. Sports mad, Kate has previously captained the Irish basketball team and she continues to play basketball competitively in the Super League with recent National League winners Trinity Meteors. Enjoy!

Joe Satt is currently Head of Athletic Development in Haileybury College, Hertfordshire. He joined me this week to discuss his career to date, Long Term Athletic Development, how he ended up interning with Eddie Jones and so much more! Be sure to reach out to Joe to further discuss his coaching philosophies and framework he has installed with the 800 pupils in Haileybury College! Not an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination. Thank you Joe!

Keir Wenham-Flatt is a world class strength coach currently based in the College of William & Mary, Virginia. Keir has almost ten years of experience in Rugby at elite level working with London Wasps, Sydney Roosters and Toshiba in Japan. He also helped Argentina reach the Semi Final stage of the World Cup in 2015 in Twickenham. Keir being Keir, he sourced a new challenge and switched sports to American Football in 2017 and moved to the University of Richmond, Virginia to link up with the Richmond Spiders before moving on to his current post. As entertaining as ever, Keir touches on many topics throughout this podcast where he gives insight to his journey to date, mental toughness, the meaning of success and much more! Enjoy!

Athletic Development coach Nick Ellems works out of the O2 Performance Facility on the Sunshine Coast in Australia. Working mainly with youth athletes, Nick tells me how he structures his sessions, how he keeps his athletes engaged, common issues he sees and also the queues he uses in fundamental movements. Enjoy!

Stephen Casey has been working in the fitness industry for the last fifteen years. He is currently the Strength & Conditioning coach for both Blackrock Senior and Blarney Premier Intermediate hurling teams.Stephen has played a big part in Cork hurling after spending 3 years as the S&C with Cork Minors (2017), U21s (2018) and most recently U20s (2019). Throughout this episode , Steve covers an array of topics and gives great insight into how he trains his athletes. He goes into load monitoring, training the hamstrings and who he'd choose to go to war with! Enjoy!

John Poland is a top class scrum half who signed with the New England Freejacks in the MLR this season. John gives us great insight into life in the MLR , the differences he came across after playing his rugby in Ireland for his entire career up to this point, how he found balancing college & training full time with Munster and lastly why he has a bone to pick with Ma'a Nonu!

Tomás Quinlan is a professional rugby player from Ireland who signed with the Colorado Raptors in the MLR for their 2020 season. Previous to this, he spent a year in the South of France playing with Narbonne. He also represented Ireland in the U-20 World Cup in 2015 where he made a huge impact after his touch line conversion to steal victory at the death vs Argentina. He enjoyed an excellent season in 2017 before heading to France with Cork Constitution where he picked up a number of trophies including the AIL. During this episode , Tomas breaks us some news before filling us in on his career to date and provides us with great insight into life playing rugby in America!

Sav was a semi-professional soccer player turned performance development specialist in Atlanta, Georgia. Sad works with high school, collegiate and pro athletes across a number of sports. Throughout our chat, Sav talks about coaching youth athletes, injuries she sees in Basketball and speed development. Enjoy!

Chloe Watkins has achieved an incredible amount so far in her career. Along with her World Cup Runners-Up Medal, Chloe has won plenty of silverware at club level here in Ireland and also abroad where she played with Club De Campo in Spain & HC Bloemendaal in the Netherlands! Some recent achievements include helping Ireland to qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo this summer! Throughout our chat, Chloe goes into detail on how she and her teammates prepare both in the gym and on the pitch to meet the demands of international hockey, her approach to nutrition, her recovery routine and what she just cant live without! Enjoy!

TK has been working with the Houston Astros as their Physical Preparation coach for the last two years. Prior to this, he was coaching in the UK with Richmond Rugby and has also spent time working in Toshiba, Japan! Throughout our chat, TK takes us through the challenges he's faced in his career to date, gives us insight into working in Baseball and explains why 'comfort is poison'! Enjoy!

Ruth is currently undertaking her PhD on 'Socio-ecological and geospatial mapping of suicide and self-harm clustering' in University College Cork. During our chat, Ruth shares her knowledge on topics such including anxiety ,depression and mental skills.

Along with pursuing a PhD, Amy McGuire is an excellent Sports Nutrition and Physiology Lecturer in LIT & Setanta College and the Performance Nutritionist with Tipperary GAA. Amy is also a proud business owner of Le Studio in Thurles where she coaches. During this episode Amy shares a wealth of information on the value of measuring progress, fuelling athletes, caffeine as a performance enhancer & much more! Enjoy!

Scott takes us behind the scenes at William & Mary by giving insight into the high performance model in place in the college. He discusses his coaching philosophy, his role and how he helps athletes reach their potential. He also chats about the characteristics that he wants to see in any intern working under him. Enjoy!

Episode 5 was action packed from the get go as Jonny breaks some important news, brings us up to date on fuelling the athlete and takes us behind the scenes of professional rugby!

David Gillick is a record breaking Irish 400mtr Runner who competed in the Olympics in 2008 and 2-time winner of the European Indoor Championships (2005 & 2007). Throughout this episode he takes us through the ups and downs of his career, provides us with his favourite meals, and gives us great insight on how to help with our nutrition & mental health. Enjoy!

Will Fleury is a professional MMA fighter from Dublin. In this episode I hear how Will's journey to Bellator began, injuries he has suffered along the way and how he copes with the mental and physical strain of a combat sports!

Along with hearing about James Keays journey to his current position as Head of Athletic Development in Wellington School, he talks about the LTAD model in place there, the challenges of working across for multiple sports and how he prepared his U-18 rugby team who are in the semi-final of the National Vase Schools Cup very soon. We also discuss our internship in the College of William & Mary, Virginia and what we took from the experience. I hope you enjoy.