Growth & Common Mistakes (1-5)

At the time of writing, I’ve successfully completed the British Cycling Level 3 Road & Time
Trial Course, I’ve gained a Sports Nutrition Certificate, had interviews published in
magazines, been a guest on a couple of Podcasts, spoken at events & symposiums, carried
out over 30 bike fits and, most importantly, worked with over 50 clients of all abilities and
goals, achieving success across the full spectrum.
Here are the lessons I’ve learned, summarised in 10 points. (Part 1)

1. Holistic Approach – Offer More than Coaching
The more you can engage people, the more they will approach you. I supplemented my
coaching qualifications with a Sports Nutrition Certificate. This has allowed me to further
optimize athlete plans and opportunities; I read up on and asked about (when back in the
UK) bike fits – I’m now doing at least one bike fit a month and word of mouth has generated
more & more interest. I haven’t focussed on just one demographic – I’ve worked with
Sportive riders, Sunday Groups, juniors, kids, Triathletes and, of course, Elite level riders.
Sometimes it’s just been about changing people’s mindset about how the train or how they
fuel. The commitment & desire is in everyone, just sometimes buried under layers of ‘life
shit’. Helping people remove those layers, whatever preconceptions they may consist of,
will unlock potential.

2. Fail Fast – Learn Faster
This applies to myself and my clients. Find out very quickly what you can’t do, identify where
you’re making mistakes and learn from them. I’ve been very lucky working in India where
the cycling culture is not as developed as, say, Europe and many of my mistakes (luckily not
large) have gone unnoticed. However, I’ve made damn sure I have not repeated them. Not
everyone wants to win a race. Some just want to ride a bit further or faster. Identifying and
aligning with every client’s goal has meant not treating every client the same.
Similarly, with clients, get them to find their own limitations quickly, then, with careful
planning you can help them identify and work towards achievable, short-term milestones.
It’s an added bonus when what they ‘failed’ at a few weeks previously, becomes an
achieved milestone from which to progress (but never use the word ‘fail’ – there is always
accomplishment before stopping).
I found myself applying a technique I’d used in previous roles when evaluating a process: 1)
define what should we be doing 2) define how we should be doing it 3) define the tools
you’ll use to confirm you’re in control.

3. Teach & be Taught
Giving as much as you can (within the remit of your coach-athlete relationship) does not
mean you are ‘giving away’ your secrets and what it takes to be a coach. Athletes invariably
always need a ‘sounding board’ and a second opinion. The relationship can grow from
prescribing plans, analyzing training data to sense-checking plans and then feeding back on

data observations. With the mix of training plans, diet plans, power profiling &
benchmarking I have ensured the ‘services’ I can offer as a coach be adapted to the
requirements of each athlete, such that athletes have returned for completely different
‘coaching’ requirements.
Similarly, being in a position where I’m frequently surrounded by physiotherapists, sports
scientists & nutritionists has enabled me to engage in learning discussions on topics like
injury prevention, post-exercise routines, stretching for specific muscle groups of
complaints. This has further allowed me to know that when I’m asked a question I cannot
answer, I have a ready network that I can recommend clients to or ask for help.

4. Hardware Capability – access to, & knowledge in using, turbo rigs, tools, software
Having a good foundation of hardware & some ‘go to’ software aids not only means less risk
of lost time but portrays a level of preparedness & professionalism. There is always a strong
assumption that in the UK coaches are there to coach, and not to cater to clients’
mechanical woes or lack of experience. I’ve had to slightly adapt that ideology in a country
where the sport itself is slowly growing, accepting that a large proportion of clients are
simply not well-versed in basic bike maintenance, bike computers or smart trainer software.
Helping clients get set up / prepare can ensure they do not feel rushed, embarrassed or
inadequate. It costs nothing to carry a small multi-tool, such that a quick seat post
adjustment can be made. Suggesting that the client ‘might want to get one of these (tools)
to add to their kit, one can sympathetically emphasize that what you’re doing is not part of
the usual service. It can also ensure the client returns / recommends.
Having access to a gym with turbo trainers also helps avoid the need of clients to make too
much investment in equipment early on in the relationship. I have even invited new clients
to my house to use my own turbo trainer, where they’ve lived nearby, and their enthusiasm
has been worth investing in.
Having my own standard spreadsheets for training plans & bike fits has meant easily
repeatable practices (I’m not yet in a position to have all clients with Training Peaks
accounts).
Generally, I’ve learnt & been able to establish my own ‘red lines’ when taking on new
clients: they need to be using pedals with cleats, have a turbo trainer, a heart rate monitor
and a bike computer that can measure cadence.

5. Show Knowledge, Share Success
Requests to contribute (for free) to magazines (with articles); blogs (interviews); vlogs and
websites are all opportunities for your skills, professionalism and enthusiasm to reach new
audiences. It’s an easy way to demonstrate you know what you’re talking about & engage a
wider population. It’s also a way of sharing the good stuff you’ve done and the success of
your clients – it shows others that what you’re doing and what you’re saying actually works!