At Strength & Conditioning Education, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on the exceptional individuals who make up our team of tutors. These professionals represent the very best of the S&C industry—dedicated, experienced, and passionate about developing the next generation of coaches. Through this series, we’re excited to introduce the people who embody our values and help us deliver world-class education and mentorship. Starting with Jordan Tyrer – course tutor for S&C for Football course.
See what we learned below:
Introduction
Can you briefly describe your current role at Strength and Conditioning Education?
My current role is course tutor on the Specialist Training: S&C for Football course
What led you into the strength and conditioning industry?
I suffered an ACL tear at 18 when I was playing football for my club, unbeknownst to me at the time it was the start of a long journey into the world of coaching, rehab, sports science and strength & conditioning. I couldn’t play for a long period of time so what could I do instead? It started with technical coaching and helping young players, but I was at university studying sports science at the time, plus the fact I was still self-rehabbing my ACl injury and all the factors combined into a journey into strength & conditioning and physical performance.
What qualifications and certifications do you hold?
I’m an accredited strength & conditioning coach through the UKSCA (U.K Strength & Conditioning Association), an accredited sports scientist through CASES (Chartered Association of Sports & Exercise Scientists), a chartered scientist through the Science Council and I hold a UEFA B License & Advanced Youth Award in Football Coaching. My education background is a BSc in Sports & Exercise Science from the University of Leeds, and an MSc in Strength & Conditioning from the University of Salford.
Can you share a bit about your career journey so far — where did you start, and how did you get to where you are now?
My first taste of professional sport was in 2014-2015 at Southampton FC with a full-time placement working within their academy between my 2nd and 3rd year at University. From there I returned to University and landed a role with Barnsley FC as an Academy Strength & Conditioning Coach. Fast forward 10+ years and I’ve worked at numerous clubs across the full range of football from U9’s to 1st Team players in the Premier League, Championship, League 1 & League 2, as well as Women’s Super League & Championship. I’ve also worked on the English F.A.’s womens talent pathway and have been fortunate to work with some of the most talented young players in the country. Most recently, I was Lead Academy Sports Scientist (U9-U16s) at AFC Bournemouth until 2023. I left that role after I founded The Physical Performance Hub , a company specialising in supporting athletes from every angle, and it is essentially a private Sports Science & Medicine Department like you would find in a professional club. I’m also the co-host of The Football Fitness Federation podcast where we speak to some of the best S&C Coaches, Sports Scientists, Physios and more from around the world. On top of that I still work at AFC Bournemouth as an Academy Physical Performance Coach a few days per week, alongside running The Physical Performance Hub. It all means I’m surrounded by talented athletes and top practitioners every day and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
What other roles have you had outside of your work with Strength and Conditioning Education?
I’ve worked a range of roles, from a part-time Academy Strength & Conditioning Coach, to a full-time Lead Sports Scientist, a Head of Academy Sports Science and a company Director across my career so far.
Approach to Coaching and Education
How would you describe your coaching philosophy or teaching style?
Very applied, I’ve worked with athletes on a pitch or in a gym all of career, so everything I do has a practical edge to it and is usually geared around the question – will it help the athlete?
What do you enjoy most about delivering practical workshops?
The interactions with people on the workshops! Sharing experiences, sharing knowledge and learning new things and ideas.
How do you tailor your support to suit students with different learning styles or backgrounds?
Everyone learns differently, I’ve seen this plenty of times with the athletes I’ve worked with over the years. I myself am a very visual learner, so demonstrations help me to learn new things, but some people prefer step by step verbal instructions and so on. Its all about tailoring what we deliver to the people we deliver to.
What common challenges do you see students face — and how do you help them overcome these?
Students can often face the ‘experience gap’, where they haven’t yet experienced something like coaching an athlete on their own for example. So is there a way I can help create that situation, either by getting them in front of an athlete or a group of them, or pretending to be one myself so they can at least feel what it’s like to be in that situation.
Industry Insights
What trends or changes have you noticed in the strength and conditioning field in recent years?
Technology and equipment, the industry is now flooded with it. It’s very easy to get swept up in it all but the fundamentals of coaching have to remain the core focus for every coach. Building a relationship with your athlete(s), listening to them, tailoring your approach to their needs and applying your knowledge and experience of strength & conditioning to best improve their abilities.
Are there any myths or misconceptions in the industry that you’d like to set straight?
Yes, youngsters shouldn’t lift weights or be in a gym. Absolute rubbish and it’s just so far from the truth. If a youngster is sedentary and has never done any sport or physical training before then throwing them under a bar and asking them to lift it is obviously a silly idea, but if they play sport and train regularly, they move well and can control their bodyweight effectively then adding additional load is absolutely fine! In fact its advantageous. We complain that kids don’t climb trees or play on climbing frames anymore, but people raise their eyebrows sometimes if you suggest a youngster attempts some pull ups in a controlled and safe environment. I’ve been working with youth athletes for well over a decade and every single one has benefited from resistance training when applied at the right time in the right way. Kids shouldn’t lift weights is the biggest myth out there and needs to get in the bin!
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in strength and conditioning?
Be a sponge and gain as many experiences from as many environments as you can. Volunteer, shadow, observe and try things out. Before I worked in professional football I had managed 2 grass-root football teams, worked in multiple summer holiday camps with kids of all ages and coached multiple sports and activities. Every single one of those experiences was honing my coaching style, my delivery and my ability to run sessions. I was laying the foundations for coaching dedicated athletes. And just like a house with no foundations, if I had tried to jump straight in and coach athletes without those experiences I probably would have crumbled. Get out there and do it!
Continuing Development and Personal Practice
How do you stay current with developments in strength and conditioning practice or sports science?
Podcasts, on-line learning & webinars, conferences and the good old fashioned method of speaking to people.
What are your go-to resources for professional growth?
Football Fitness Federation is the main one. I’m lucky as I’m now a part of the team there, but I was a using their resources, attending their events and listening to the podcast well before I joined the team. We’re also partnered with Strength & Conditioning Education so if you’re interested in performance and football, they are well worth checking out.
Are there any particular athletes, coaches, or mentors who’ve influenced your approach?
Many, too many to mention, but I’d say it’s the athletes I work with that shape my approach the most. Every one is different, and every session you learn something new that helps shape your practice.
Highlights and Impact
Can you share a memorable success story from your work — either with a client, team, or student?
I’ve been fortunate in my career really, I’ve helped rehab athletes back from terrible injuries so they can do what they love again, seen players sign their first professional contracts, make Premier League debuts and more. But the most memorable moment was having a player who’d suffered a terrible leg break, meaning the chance of a playing career was over, give everything to get back healthy and to a position of being able to run again then turn to me and say ‘Jordan I want to do what you do for a living.’ That might not sound that impactful to some, but when you’ve been through some real tough times with someone and they feel inspired enough to follow in your footsteps or follow a career path you’ve taken it really hits hard. A very proud moment for me.
How do you measure your impact on students or athletes?
Performances are an easy one to measure, if its an athlete do they run faster, jump higher, perform better on the pitch etc. If it’s a student can they now apply something that they’ve been previously learning about. But for me the biggest measure of impact is if a student/athlete is inspired to keep pushing their boundaries everyday, that’s what success looks like to me.
Personal Side
What motivates you to keep doing what you do every day?
The athletes, but also the next generation of coaches I work with too. Seeing them get better is what keeps me doing what I do every day.
What do you enjoy doing outside of coaching and teaching?
Walking my dog and being outside, I’d have struggled working in professional football for so long if I didn’t like being outside!
If you weren’t working in strength and conditioning, what do you think you’d be doing?
A football coach, I still coach players technically now, and if I had to fully remove my S&C hat I’d be swapping it with a football coaches one!
Favourite lift, workout, or recovery method?
I love pull ups, which may seem odd for someone who mainly works with footballers! But I often say that you will struggle to find an athlete that can do pull ups well who is not a good athlete overall.
What’s Next?
It’s always great to get to know the brilliant minds behind our courses. We hope you found the first in our tutor profile series insightful! If you’re interested in the S&C for Football course you can enrol today:
