Endurance Coaching
Get to know Graham's in-depth endurance coaching and educational background.
Graham O' Brien
Founder & Head Coach
Reputability and professionalism are two key fundamentals in coaching. Read Grahams story below where he gives a detailed insight into his coaching background along with his education and experience in elite cycling and endurance coaching.
085-186-3387
Experienced - Educated - Passionate
Graham O' Brien
Cycling Coach (FFC,CI), Current MSc, BBs (Hons), S&C (NCSC)
“My background in coaching ranges from elite riders racing at professional continental level to beginner cyclists starting their racing or sportive journey and everyone in between. Including helping youth riders achieve national championship medals, national selection and also preparing amateur riders competing from A1 to A4. I take as much satisfaction from helping youth riders achieve national medals and beginner cyclists starting out as I do working with elite athletes racing around the world"
My Mission
Best Practice Coaching
My mission over the past 4 years has been to develop cyclists like you to their full potential through specific 1-on-1 coaching. Qualified advice combined with a passion to see each of my athletes succeed and achieve their goals while enjoying the sport. Nowadays with the coaching industry becoming saturated and many people coaching without necessary qualifications, I endeavour to provide the best science based coaching practices to help you succeed.
Educational Background & Qualifications
Grahams extensive education and coaching experience is key to his coaching success.
As a coach, Graham believes "education is the necessary cornerstone for high performance coaching in which then your experience coaching and perhaps competing adds to this to achieve high standards and quality in coaching"
Read more below on Grahams educational background and qualifications.
Extensive Educational Background
Graham is regarded as one of the top qualified cycling coaches in Ireland with qualifications from both Ireland and France. Currently enrolled in a Master of Science (MSc) in Sports Performance in the University of Limerick, Graham values the relationship between research and putting this into practice. Currently undertaking research with Munster Rugby first team in the High Performance Centre looking at 'Rotator Cuff Strength & Plyometric Ability of the Shoulder in a Professional Rugby Setting'
Graham has completed a four year Honours degree in Sports Management (BBs Hons) in Technological University of the Shannon. During his final year, Graham focused his final year intervention project on 'Investigating the difference in Time Trial performance between 2 beginner level cyclists over a 4 week period of structured training'.
Also importantly, with Grahams knowledge and interest in strength & conditioning he completed his thesis on 'Investigating the Benefits of Strength and Conditioning for Injury Prevention in League of Ireland Youth Elite Athletes'.
Another important step in Grahams educational background was studying to become an NCSC accredited Strength and Conditioning coach in Elite Performance Institute in Technological University of Dublin (TUD). Graham is also registered with the Register of Exercise Professionals Ireland (REPS Ireland).
Graham is also qualified as a cycling coach in France with the Fédération Française de Cyclisme - Diplôme d'entraîneur and with Cycling Ireland. Graham has also completed the necessary coaching in youth sport qualifications within Sport Ireland.
QUALIFICATIONS
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(Ongoing) Master of Science in Sports Performance (MSc) - University of Limerick
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Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Sports Management - TUS (Technological University of the Shannon)
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NCSC Strength & Conditioning - EPI/TUD (Elite Performance Institute & Technological University Dublin)
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Qualified Personal Trainer - REPS Ireland (Register of Exercise Professionals Ireland)
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Fédération Française de Cyclisme Diplôme d'entraîneur
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Cycling Ireland Coach
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CYCLING & SPORTING CAREER
While Graham is a coach focused on developing riders to their maximum potential, he has also competed at an elite level in cycling. Graham began cycling and racing at 13 and by the age of 17 was selected to race full-time with a French Division Nationale team.
However, it wasn't all about cycling and in his earlier years from the age of 13-17 he also played numerous other sports while competing in cycling, playing GAA for Roscommon and in the Longford Town League of Ireland underage setup. Graham is a big believer in combining other sports with cycling up until the age of 18 to enhance overall athletic development.
Recognised at an early age through various lab tests to have a relatively high VO2 Max at 71mmol/L and endurance capacity Graham was fast tracked from racing in Ireland as a junior to racing in Europe full-time.
During his cycling career and the following years as a full-time athlete racing in France at DN1 level, Italy & around the continent, Graham gained invaluable experience from racing UCI professional level international races. Being a part of top teams led by professional coaches & cyclists has taught him the ins & outs of bike racing.
Grahams career on the bike in Europe as a full-time athlete was cut short through injury at the age of 20 and despite trying to make a return in 2017 with Team iTap he could not return to the level of before.
While Graham would have liked to have had more success on the bike in Europe, he was thrown into European racing at a very young age of 17 up until 19 and experienced burnout along with numerous injuries. Prompting Graham to go back to University and begin his education and coaching experience, which has taken him to become one of the most well respected cycling coaches in Ireland.
Graham also returned to racing as an A1 elite cyclist in 2022 as part of the Spin11 - Chain Reaction elite team and continued racing for the 2023 season with Team Dan Morrissey Primor x Pissei. Graham is one to practice what he preaches and continued his racing career in Ireland during the 2023 season as he returned as an A1 cyclist and corrected many of the injuries and mistakes made as a young rider.
From training in many different environments Graham has gained a very clear understanding of the various forms of adaptability required on a personal level. Such as spending 3 months training at altitude in Tenerife to transitioning to a freezing cold winter of training around London and at home in Ireland. Graham knows how to get the job done whilst having a clear understanding of how each individuals training age & background is different.
COACHING CAREER
Graham has helped coach riders in regional, national and international teams. As mentioned above also coaching leisure riders and endurance racing cyclists, people who aim to ride the Mizen to Malin, Joe Barr or la Marmotte or Alpe d'Huez Challenge.
Graham explains "Those guys are as much of an interest to me as a young rider coming to me looking to make the step into full-time or international level racing. If you have a bike, I have an interest in helping you enjoy it and go quicker basically"
Grahams vast experience in numerous fields and not just cycling is why he believes it gives him an extra understanding and multiple viewpoints when coaching:
" I think it is important to expand your knowledge as a coach within other sports and not just cycling. Taking practices and examples from other sporting environments and bringing this into your own coaching brings more perspective and new ideas to add to your own cycling specific coaching "
Whatever your current level, get in touch to schedule a free consultation to see how I can help you reach new levels of performance and most importantly, over a consistent period of time.
Sports Science | Endurance Coaching
Graham O' Brien