The Coaching Cycle

In this episode, I’m joined by Dean Downing (IG: @deandowningcycling), former professional rider and founder of Downing Cycling, to explore his journey through the sport and his approach to developing young cyclists. We discuss: Dean’s pathway from elite rider to respected coach How and why he transitioned into coaching His core ethos for developing young riders into professionals With decades of experience in UK cycling, Dean shares practical insight into long-term athlete development, culture, and building riders for sustainable success.

In this episode, we’re joined by Strength & Conditioning expert Chris Peden (Instagram: @chr1speden) to dive deep into what cyclists really need from S&C. Whether you're a competitive racer or a committed amateur, this conversation focuses on what actually works — and what to avoid. We explore: Best Practice in S&C for Cyclists The fundamental movement patterns every cyclist should build How to develop strength that transfers directly to on-bike performance Simple but effective structures for making S&C sustainable Common Pitfalls & Mistakes The gym habits that waste time (and what to do instead) Why cyclists often under-load or over-complicate their training  Progression: How to Level Up Your S&C How to safely progress load and intensity How S&C should change through the season Balancing strength training with cycling volume for maximum progression Chris brings a clear, practical approach to S&C — perfect for any cyclist wanting to improve performance, resilience, and long-term development.

In this episode I was joined by Emily Tillett MSc, a Sports Psychologist (in training) with whom I've collaborated a few times to deliver workshops for my coached riders this year. Emily brings to the table a wealth of knowledge within cycling and previously competed within the Great Britain Cycling Team as a junior rider. That experience mixed with her education in sports psychology put her in a great position to discuss sports psychology from the perspective of competitive cycling. We dig into the premise of sports psychology as a whole, how and why riders should access it and introduce some strategies that can start to help riders on their journey to peak performance. You can find Emily on Instagram at @emilytillett_sportpsych -- You can connect with Henry on Instagram at @cyclingcoachhenry or online at cyclingcoachhenry.com  

In this episode we are joined by Alex Welburn, owner of the Performance Project and PhD Student at Loughborough University researching W' Bal modelling. We dive fully into the weeds of critical power and W', what it is, what it means and how we can use it within cycling performance. Alex is an expert in this area and a lot of his research could be commonplace within high performance sport within a few years especially in time trial performance and pacing strategies. Join us as we discuss this interesting topic, and if you have any questions or want to follow Alex online you can find him here: https://www.myperformanceproject.com/ Alex's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexwelburn/ PP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theperformance_project/ --- You can follow Henry at the below links: https://www.cyclingcoachhenry.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyclingcoachhenry/

In this episode I am joined by Ellen McDermott of McDNutrition, a qualified and experienced Sports Nutritionist. Ellen talks us through the principles of fuelling your training rides beforehand, how to maintain your energy throughoit and recover effectively after a session.   There are some fantastic takeaways for riders in this episode, so make sure to take notes and enjoy this one as much as I enjoyed recording it!   You'll find Ellen on Instagram at @ellen_mcdnutrition   -----   Follow Henry on Instagram @cyclingcoachhenry

In this episode I talk to Tom Ramsay from The Edge Coaching. Tom gives us an insight into his coaching journey and his principles behind 'Athlete Led Coaching'. We then dive into the world of social media, the good, the bad and the ugly. We talked about how social media can be used for good to build and promote a successful coaching business, and how to stay true to yourself online without succumbing to superficial likes and views. Tom gives an honest account of his relationship with social media, and gives insight into some useful mechanisms of how to get the best from it for himself and his business. You can find Tom at the follow: Insta: @the_edge_coaching https://edgecoaching.cc/ --- Connect with Henry: Insta: @cyclingcoachhenry Website: cyclingcoachhenry.com

In this episode I am joined by Helen Scott MBE (Scottie), a former Paralympic and World Champion as a tandem pilot, and now Great Britain Cycling Team Podium Potential Sprint Coach. Scottie talks us through her journey from rider to coach, and gives us an insight into how she approaches her coaching and the way in which she builds a world class team environment for riders to thrive in. I really enjoyed this one, Scottie is a former coach of mine and the reason I got into piloting a tandem in the world of paracycling, it was a really fun podcast to record. Connect with Henry: Insta: @cyclingcoachhenry Website: cyclingcoachhenry.com

In this episode I am joined by Tom Portsmouth, a UCI Pro Team Rider with the Belgian Wagner Bazin team. Toms road to the pro ranks is slightly different to a lot of his UK peers, and he took full control of the decisions that led him down this path. We dive deep into this journey, how he made it to his current position and some of the ways in which Tom get's the best from himself as a professional rider. During this episode Tom referenced a podcast with Robbie McEwen on rider safety, this is linked below: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6NnFTRd5vYExPlpuAjwIXu?si=o6m6oZc3S2K94Cu-43FpoA You can follow Tom's journey on Instagram at @tomportsmouth_   Connect with Henry: Insta: @cyclingcoachhenry Website: cyclingcoachhenry.com

In this episode I talk to Ryan Morley, owner of the Ryan Morley Cycle Centre and Head Cycling Coach at the Invictus Games in 2023. We talk all things Invictus Games, the journey to get there and the process of coaching athletes in this environment. It was really enjoyable to dive into this with Ryan, as we worked together in the build up to the games and this was a great reflection on what was a truly inspirational journey. Check Ryan out on his Instagram page: @ryanmorleycyclecentre Connect with Henry: Insta: @cyclingcoachhenry Website: Cycling Coach Henry

In this episode we speak to Nicky Harverson, a coach and coach developer with a keen focus on youth development and utilising play within coaching. In this episode we discuss keeping sessions and development fun, rider transitions from junior into U23 and how adults can incorporate play within their own training. Connect with Henry: Insta: @cyclingcoachhenry Website: Cycling Coach Henry

In this episode I speak with Dan Winn, a rider who I supported for 2 years in order to complete a huge goal of riding every single kilometre of the Tour de France route in 2023 with Le Loop. The event took in over 3500 kilometres over 3 weeks of riding, and is probably the hardest physical challenge that an amateur cyclist can undertake. We talk with Dan about the preparation for the event, how it was juggled with family and work life, the key learnings along the way and a whole load of stories from the event itself. This is a great listen for anyone who wants to challenge themselves physically with a big scary goal, and can hopefully help with how best to prepare! Check out the guys at Le Loop here: https://rideleloop.org/ Connect with Henry: Insta: @cyclingcoachhenry Website: Cycling Coach Henry

In this episode we speak to Joe Staunton from Ceyreste Performance. Joe is a Performance Coach who has gone on a journey through fatherhood on a similar timeline to Henry. In this episode we speak about that journey and how best to juggle the lifestyle shake up that comes with fatherhood alongside sports performance. You can find Joe on Instagram @CeyrestePerformance Please share this episode around on social media, and give us a review on your podcast platform if you enjoyed the show!

In this episode we delve into the story of Jez Cox, a well known voice as a lead commentator for Discovery, GCN, Eurosport and soon to be TNT Sports. Jez talks us through his journey through cycling and some of his early experiences that led him to form a unique residential cycling academy in the UK at Oaklands College, St. Albans 8 years ago. We talk about Jez's ethos when it came to setting up an academy to develop junior riders, and Jez gives his thoughts on some of the most important aspects of young rider development both on but also off the bike. As with episode 1, I welcome any feedback on how to improve these podcasts going forward and how we can make this a valuable resource for coaches, riders and enthusiasts alike! Thanks for listening. Connect with Henry: Insta: @cyclingcoachhenry Website: Cycling Coach Henry

This is the debut episode of a brand new series hoping to provide insights, stories and experiences from riders and coaches within the world of cycling. In this episode, Henry sits down with visually impaired rider Chris Wilkins. Chris opens up about his journey, sharing the challenges he faced with his eyesight loss and how cycling has become a big part of his life. Whether you're a coach, cyclist, or interested in overcoming adversity, Chris’ story is a testament to the power of sport in transforming lives. Connect with Henry: Insta: @cyclingcoachhenry Website: Cycling Coach Henry