The Fallowers: Recent Episodes
Damien, Shane & John
Discussing all things coaching, exercise and nutrition science related. Combining an evidence base with practical experience of training, competing and coaching at a high level.
This week we welcomed Jonny Holland on to discuss his experience in coaching the rugby player and his approach to developing nutrition programming in elite level GAA. In addition to these topics Jonny discussed the resilience he built up throughout his adolescent years and how it involved with him making his way into a professional career in Munster Rugby.
This conversation evolved from his own individual athletic development right through to lessons learnt as a professional athlete and how he has used this to evolve his own coaching practices.
Areas of note in todays podcast;
🏉 His Rugby career, the highs and the set backs,
💪🏼 Building a resilience in the underage athlete
👨🏼🏫 Jonny's Masters research into creatine supplementation for female athletes
🤗 How he approaches performance & health nutrition to ensure the athlete is both physically and mentally prepared to perform
This week we welcome don Emma Cowley and Emma Ross who recently co-authored a paper on the disparity between male and female participants in sport and exercise science research with Kelly McNulty and Alyssa Olenick.
We explored the general findings in terms of male and female specific research but also how it is seen through titles, abstracts and methods sections.
We discussed the reasons why the gender data gap exists but more importantly the implications in terms of the specific recommendations that emerge from research alongside the social impact of a seemingly lower involvement of females as participants in research.
We welcomed on Dr Brendan O'Keeffe to discuss his PhD studies that focused on developing and trialing a health-related fitness test battery in Irish post-primary schools. We discussed why we should be testing, how to conduct tests, what tests to include and some tips around who to do and what not to do.
We looked at how Ireland's fitness levels compare to European norms and why they may be as they are.
We also had discussions around how fitness testing fits in as part of an overall meaningful PE programme and what role schools play in the long term health and fitness of the Irish population.
This week we welcome don Shannon Beer who has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to incorporating nutrition coaching as part of an approach to developing all round health. We discussed how she became interested in nutrition, her research and work on dealing with body image issues and where she sees the nutrition u=industry going. Shannon also discussed what health is and provided an overview of her model of Flourishing Health.
This week we welcomed Dr Phil Kearney onto The Fallowers. Phil is a lecturer at University of Limerick and course leader of the MSc in Applied Sports Coaching. Phil gave us his definition of what coaching is and what a coach is.
We discussed the characteristics of "serial winning coaches" and how these characteristics are developed over time. Phil provided us with some tools that coaches can use to develop their coaching practices and add to their coaching toolbox.
Phil also gave us an overview of how research on coaching has evolved over the years, what tools are used to measure/monitor effective coaching and what direction research on coaching is likely to go in the future.
This was a truly enjoyable episode and we will certainly have to follow up with Phil in the future to dig a bit deeper on a few episodes.
Dr Gabrielle Fundaro joined us to discuss all things gut health. We looked at the signs and symptoms of gut ill-health, how we can measure gut health and what aspects of lifestyle and nutrition can have positive and negative impacts on our gut microbiome. We look at a number of nutrition related factors have created a lot of "noise" in relation to gut health, "damage" and impact on the microbiome without much evidence to back up some claims.
Finally we look at some habits we can build into our daily lives that will help to maintain optimal gut health.
You can find Dr Fundaro on Instagram at @vitaminphd
This week we were joined by Eoin Clarkin. Eoin is currently balancing two roles as S&C for Arsenal Senior Women's team and The Irish U21 men's team. He is able to draw on a wealth of experience from Dundalk FC, UCD, Kilmacud Crokes and his work in the private sector.
We discussed the importance of communication and planning for International camps as he has seen it from both aspects. We looked at cultural differences between teams and sport while also discussing some of the physical and psychological considerations when working with female athletes.
Towards the end we delved into some interesting points around how we balance our knowledge of the technical/tactical aspect of the game with our physical responsibilities.
We sat down with Lorcan Daly who is completing his PhD on Recovery Practices in Gaelic Games. His studies have focused on what physical characteristics impact recovery in GAA, what recovery modalities athletes perceive to be effective versus what is really effective and how recovered are players as they head into games? We discussed all the factors we need to consider when planning recovery practices and how a well structured training programme is often the most effective thing we can implement.
Keir Wenham-Flatt joined us this week to discuss his Strength Coach network. It evolved as he sought to help others lern from his mistakes such as how to create a network to improve future job prospects and how to think critically about how we can realistically impact performance as strength coaches.
This week we welcomed on Barry O'Brien who is an S&C coach with Connacht Rugby. He discusses his current role predominantly as a conditioner but also on the "Return To Play" end of things. He discusses his previous role as a sport scientist where he mainly looked at GPS. We spoke about how to add variation to conditioning, how much is done with/without the ball and how important it is to communicate with technical/tactical coaches.
This week we welcomed on Dr Donnla O'Hagan who is a lecturer at Dublin City University. She lectures in Sports Psychology and Research Methods while her own main area of research is on sleep. She completed her PhD on how sleep deprivation affects the performance of pilots. We discussed this, her work at US Naval Air Force and all other matters related to sleep in this super interesting episode.
It's a full year since we started and surprisingly enough (mainly to ourselves) we've remained consistent with an episode pretty much every week for the year. We took a look back at the last year in terms of what we've learned from the various guests we've had on and about podcasting in general. We included a few excerpts from previous episodes and discussed some upcoming guests. We also stated who our dream guests would be.
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Paul Talty is Associate Head Of Performance Services (Athletic) with Swim Ireland He is responsible for the "dryland" or strength work for our country's elite swimmers. We discussed the benefits of strength training for swimmers, how it transfers from the weight room to the water and what key exercises he feels are of the greatest benefit. We spoke about nutrition considerations for swimmers and how consuming adequate calories at the right stage of the week can have huge benefits for both performance and recovery.
Paul outlined what goes into planning a trip to the Olympics including how far in advance the planning starts and some of the key things that need to be considered. Towards the end, we briefly touch on Paul's PhD research into Change Of Direction in Gaelic Football.
This week we welcomed on Rob Pacey who hosts the Pacey Performance Podcast which has published over 300 episodes. He recently conducted a survey among Performance Staff in professional soccer which provided insights around wages, years of experience, job titles, how people were hired, internships and much more.
Rob gave his own views on how we can generate extra revenue to supplement our income and how coaches may look to move away from elite sport to ensure greater job security.
A full report of Rob's report and numerous other resources can be found at his website: https://www.strengthofscience.com/pacey-performance-podcast/
This week we welcomed on David Grey of DG Rehab. We discussed a number of items such as an explanation of quality movement. We spoke about David's online programmes, "Lower Body Basics 1", "Lower Body Basics 2" and "Core Basics" which has been implemented across the world including with a number of elite athletes. David also spoke about breath work and the impact that can have on movement, stiffness/tightness, energy levels and quality sleep.
This week we welcomed on Dr Alan Dunton who is a lecturer in Skill Acquisition at Technological University Dublin. Alan completed his PhD on Occlusion or "Head Up" Goggles. We discussed what constraints are, different types of constraints and how we can sue them to enhance our coaching practices. We also spoke about the importance of "Why" we are using certain constraints or activities and the difference between Agility and Change Of Direction.
This week we welcomed on Eoin Maguire who is a very experienced S&C coach. He has worked at intercounty GAA, AIL Rugby, NFL Combine prep and with a number of individual athletes. He currently works for EXOS who are an international health and fitness company who specialise in both elite performance and general health. In this episode we discussed how to create buy-in with athletes, the social and cultural differences between GAA and Rugby players, what "soft" skills S&C coaches should seek to develop and much more.
This week we had a solo episode as we've had a number of guests over the past few months. We discussed a number of considerations we should be mindful of as coaches and players as training resumes. Namely how to structure sessions, how to incorporate speed and strength work, and how we can increase overall training volume over time.
We also discussed what to do if you haven't put in much effort during the off-season and suggest a few nutrition strategies that will help fuelling, recovery, weight gain and loss.
This week we welcomed Robbie Cassidy (@themobilitytutor). We discussed some considerations around returning to training. How to manage load across the week, with a particular emphasis on CNS fatigue. Robbie explained what mobility is and how it differs from flexibility. We also looked at how mobility can be impacted by a number of other "moving parts" around the body such as breathing, stress, sleep and much more.
You can find Robbie and all of his specific mobility/injury reduction plans at www.themobilitytutor.com
This week we welcomed on Dr James Morehen who currently works as a performance nutritionist with the English FA. We discussed his background in Snowboarding; Completing an applied PhD while embedded in a Rugby League club and his work with boxers making weight.
This week we had Shane squared on the show, both from APEC. Our own Shane O'Rourke's boss, Shane Cahill joined us to tell us about his pro rugby career and more recently the fitness education company he currently runs, APEC. They deliver education courses across Ireland and the UK to aspiring S&C coaches. He gave us an excellent overview of what his company can offer, the specific gap he feels they fill and how he sees the future of coach education moving to more of an apprenticeship model than a typical degree.
This week we welcomed on Kelly McNulty. She is behind the Period Of The Period social media platforms. Her PhD research is focusing on the impact of the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive on athletic performance. She has also investigated other issues that are relevant to both athletic and active females such as bra-sizing, nutrition considerations, higher prevalences of ACL injuries and pelvic floor health.
This wee we welcomed on Colm Crowley who is a GDA working for Cork GAA and runs the CoachingThe GAAme Twitter page where he creates and shares a considerable amount fo resources to support hurling coaches. We discussed a number of topics relevant to coaching at underage. How to recruit new coaches and current adult players. The role of academies and development squads. Does underage success transfer to senior level? How can we develop games based coaches? Do "hurling walls" have a role in the development of young players?
We really appreciate all the support people have shown the podcast in the past year and would love if you shared it on social media, subscribed on Spotfy/iTunes or told your friends about us. We also appreciate feedback and suggestions for future guests.
This week we were joined by Amy McGuire who is a lecturer in Nutrition and Physiology at Limerick IT. Amy also works as Performance Nutritionist with Tipperary GAA and Waterford LGFA. She takes a very realistic approach to nutrition ensuring that players enjoy the food they're eating while still getting the necessary nutrients. Amy provided some really interesting insights on her research where she is looking at low energy availability in athletes.
This week we were delighted to be joined by Cork native, Make Carroll, who is based in California and works with a number of PGA Tour Professionals. He broke down the 3 key components of S&C for golf. How his business and Fit For Golf App works. What he learned at Cressey Performance and gave us some detail around Bryson's transformation with a particular emphasis on improving his golf game.
Mike went into loads of detail on principles of S&C that can be related to any sport and are not just specific to golf.
This week we were joined by Longford's and formerly Essendon's Mickey Quinn. He spoke about his promising talent as an underage soccer star, 4 seasons in professional Aussie Rules, his current approach to training using a HR monitor and the importance of basic skills for the enjoyment of sports.
Mickey has also been organising cooking classes for his students during lockdown. We discuss the importance developing life skills in teenagers and how PE teachers are often in the best position to do so.
This week we were delighted to welcome on Colm Nally. One of Ireland's most well known football coaches following his time with Louth senior and underage teams, publishing two coaching books and his time as a Master Tutor for the GAA's Coach Education group. We discussed his current role with Meath Senior Footballers, how he developed his approach to coaching over the years. How he integrates physical development into his football coaching. Individual learning Plans. Drawing Inspiration from other Sports and much much more.
This week we welcomed on Darragh Mulcahy who has represented Ireland in powerlifting and runs his own gym in Tramore, Co Waterford. Darragh has drawn on his experiences of playing school rugby at a high level and coaching numerous GAA & strength athletes to develop a straight forward system for developing strength that can be easily adapted to suit individual needs.
We discussed the needs and merits of using the traditional 'Big 3' lifts, useful accessories/alternatives and spoke our favourite weightlifting shoes.
We took a deep dive into facilitators and barriers to girls participation in sport and physical activity. Bronagh, Emma & Sara provided plenty of insights from both their experiences and research in this area. See biographies below:
Bronagh is a full time lecturer in DCU in the area of primary physical education. She completed her PhD in 2015 in the area of school based interventions in FMS and PA. After that she moved to work in the UK in Edge HIll University and returned to DCU in 2017. Her research areas include FMS,PA, wellbeing, physical self-confidence and coaching. She is a coach education tutor, Gaelic 4 Teens ambassador and her club LGFA development officer. Her interests include gaelic football, fitness and the outdoors.
Emma is a Marie Curie PhD Candidate in Liverpool John Moores University. Prior to this she completed her MSc in Exercise Science and Medicine from the University of Glasgow and moved to London to work with the European Commission helping academic partners, such as TCD, Imperial College and Oxford University develop healthcare funding bids. Her research focuses on the development of a holistic exercise programme for teenage girls (The HERizon Project). She is passionate about women lifting weights and is an ex-powerlifting and qualified weightlifting coach.
Sara McQuinn is a final year SPHeRE PhD Scholar at DCU. She has a MSc by Research in Child and Young Peoples Health and Well-being and a BSc in Public Health. Sara’s PhD research, the Girls Active Project (GAP) involves the co-design and testing of a school-based intervention aimed at increasing adolescent females’ physical activity levels. Sara is also a qualified personal trainer running her own health and fitness business. From a very young age growing up in Tipperary, Sara was exposed to a wide variety of sports and has always loved being active.
This week we welcomed on Robbie Cannon who is an excellent amateur golfer in his own right but has recently focused on applying S&C principles to golf, most notably in his work with Shane Lowry. Robbie discussed important considerations for golf, whether you are an experienced pro or eager amateur. We spoke about fitness wearables, managing stress and downtime while on tour. We also asked Robbie about his involvement with the Tipperary footballers who enjoyed Munster football success in 2020.
This week we were joined by Ireland's top bodybuilding coach. We discussed the key factors that make a successful prep coach. What to consider when working with males and females, including some physiological and psychological differences. The impact of drugs on bodybuilding prep and ensuring coaches have a duty of care to their athletes.
This week we welcomed on Dr Stephen Behan of DCU, NA Fianna GAA and the Coaching Bubble Podcast. Stephen began as a GPO and worked in 2 clubs in Dublin. He went on to complete an MSc in Sports Coaching & Performance where he discovered the importance of fundamental movement skills in children and how they impact on physical literacy. We dig into the results of Stephen's PhD studies where he assessed FMS of Irish children and explored associations with health-related fitness and a number of psychosocial outcomes.
This week we spoke to Karol Dillon. He has just completed his MSc in Sports Performance and focused his thesis on bilateral (2-footed) players in Gaelic Football. He shared some key insights from a number of conversations with Gaelic Football's best players and coaches, and the emphasis they place on developing both sides.
This week we discussed some practical tips we use on a weekly basis to make healthy eating as easy as possible. From making friends with our butcher and baker to helpful tips for when we're on the road a lot.
This week we had the pleasure of welcoming on Louise Keane who has a wealth of experience in S&C with a variety of teams at both club and county level. She discussed her current role as a Performance Games Development Administrator, what that role involves and how they are growing throughout the country. We spoke about the challenges of inter-county teams having to split training sessions between "home" and Dublin. Louise also updated us on the key aims of the GAA's new Sport Science working group and the Athletic Development sub-group that she's currently a part of.
This week we looked at how to develop our aerobic energy systems. We dig into the original 'Tabata' study and look at a recent recommendations paper by the original author. We discuss the pros and cons of high intensity interval training and how it can work alongside some slow steady work. We also make some recommendations on how to incorporate different types of running or bike work into your own off-season.
The MAS (maximal aerobic speed) article and description we spoke of can be found here at this link along with a 10-week plan you can customise for your own team:
https://fhsperformance.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/pre-season-hiit-running/
Orlaith Curran joined us to talk about using GPS to inform coaching practices, what's involved in terms of physical preparation for the Irish women's rugby team and her PhD research on talent development in Irish hockey. Orlaith comes from a camogie background but has developed a wealth of experience in rugby from her time in New Zealand and in Hockey from her time with the Irish U21s and U23s.
Do 6 smaller meals lead to a faster metabolism? Are artificial sweeteners bad for you? Can your knees cross your toes when squatting? Are there benefits to taking BCAAs or Fit Teas? Is Himalayan Rock Salt better than normal salt? Does Lactic Acid lead to cramping and fatigue? Find out more in this episode as we discuss common myths we've heard and some sent in by listeners.
As many of us will be trying to set new years resolutions, we discussed some approaches that have worked well for previous behaviour changes. Drawing from the research by BJ Fogg and James Clear's Atomic Habits, we suggest a few immediate strategies you can use to increase your chances of success as we enter 2021.
This week we welcomed S&C coach Stephen Casey from Cork. We discussed Stephen's background from working in the Mardyke at UCC, his time as a personal trainer and his MSc in Sports Performance at University of Limerick. Stephen discussed his 'Big Rocks' when training teams or individuals. What training methods he feels are overvalued and how to take a 'critical look' at how we approach training teams. Stephen can be found on Instagram as @caseyperformance and on Twitter @StephenKC.
When we are planning some fitness tests with teams or athletes, what guides our thoughts? We discuss the various components or aspects of fitness we want to measure. What tests are most appropriate for various sports, groups, ages or facilities? We briefly mention some mishaps we've had while testing and discuss some of the struggles we have with coaches/managers when deciding on whether to test or not.
This week we looked at both top speed and acceleration. How they will benefit many athletes. What drills, exercises and activities to focus on. How to programme them into your training schedule and the necessity of discussing the importance of speed training with players and management.
This week we had the pleasure of being joined by head coach at Crossfit Galway, Padraic Colhoun. Padraic gave an excellent overview of Crossift. How may benefit field sport athletes and where he sees the Crossfit going over the next few years along with giving some of his own coaching wisdom from years in the trenches. You can find Padraic's own podcast by searching "The Humble Coach" or "The Performance Pathway".
This week we discussed all things power related. How to test power. Best exercises for increasing power. How to plan and programme and incorporating power work into your normal gym sessions. We also have a discussion on the merits of including olympic lifting in your training.
This week we had the pleasure of chatting to former pro soccer player, Billy Dennehy. He spoke about underage Gaelic Football with Kerry, including missing an All Ireland Final as he'd just signed with Sunderland. Billy also spoke about how he's ventured into S&C in soccer and his new role as manager and coach of the Kerry U19 League Of Ireland soccer team while Shane got to reminisce on the Shamrock Rovers glory days.
This we looked at how to increase your strength. What tests to use to see if you've made progress. What exercises to focus on for overall strength development. Set and rep schemes to get the most bang for your buck!
This week we answered some listener questions. What to do when activity levels suddenly drop? How many calories should I be eating? What do we think of the new children's food guidelines? Should our water intake increase if taking creatine?
This week John gave an overview of his first PhD study that delved into the association between physical activity and mental health in Irish adolescents. Some stark statistics in relation to symptoms of depression and anxiety were highlighted along with low levels of physical activity. There is some hope though, as participation in sport seeming to provide many mental health benefits.
This week we were joined by Andy Murphy. He spoke about his MMA career. Beginning in middle distance running. Training and making weight for Bellator. Opening a gym and running it during Covid-19. Top class guest with a very interesting story.
As we head into one of the longest pre-seasons in history for a lot of athletes, we decided to provide some guidance on how to increase muscle mass. What actually happens we we put on muscle? What are some of the common mistakes that beginners make? The best exercises, sets and reps, and how to fit them into your own gym setting.
This week we discussed dietary fat. Different types of fat. Implications for health and performance. We also discuss the 'elephant in the room' that is Damien's former ketogenic style diet and its implications.
This week we discuss carbohydrates. What are they? What makes them up? What purpose do they serve in the body. We look at many types of carbohydrate such as sugars, fibre and starch. Is carbohydrate essential for a healthy diet and what other nutrients do carbohydrates supply us with?
This week we begin a mini-series on the three macronutrients with protein. How much should we eat? What types are best, if any? And does timing matter (that anabolic window). We discuss some of our favourite protein sources, how we can meet the requirements on a budget and wonder if protein bars are all they're made out to be.
This week we welcome our first guest. John 'Diony' O'Connor of @TargetNutrition. John is a nutritionist that has experience at the intercounty level and currently works with clients both online and through West Kerry Fitness in Dingle. John speaks about his experience of sports psychology research, his MSc thesis on tart cherry juice, shadowing the Geelong Cats Aussie Rules team and his love of eggs!
This week we begin by starting to introduce ourselves but instead choosing to focus solely on Shane and his interesting story from underage football to fitness modelling right up to his current work in educating future fitness professionals. We also discuss recent research by David Nolan of Synapse Performance on the current state of the S&C industry.
This week we discuss some of the supplements that may be useful for health. Vitamin D, Fish Oils, Vitamin C, Multivitamin, etc.,
We also answer listener questions about animal v plant-based protein and how to supplement with beet juice.
This weeks sees us begin a discussion on supplements. We focus on athletic performance and what supplements are proven to have a positive impact. We look at whey protein, creatine, caffeine, and nitrates (beet juice). How will they benefit performance? How do we ensure we're getting the right dose at the right time to maximise performance?
This week we discussed approaches to fueling performance. How much, what types and when? How to adjust based on the time of your games, training or gym session. We also suggest a few options to allow for different preferences.
This week we welcome nutritionist, personal trainer tutor and bodybuilder, Shane O'Rourke to the team. We then discuss options to maximise recovery for both GAA players and those who work out regularly in general.
We discuss how to get the most from the least in terms of conditioning and speed development for field sports with the current restricted pre-season time frame. Also some tips on returning to the gym safely after a period away.
In this first episode, we discuss some of the steps that need to be put in place as we consider returning to training or the gym after the enforced sabbatical.