Dan Horan is the Head of Education at New Minds Fitness College.
Dan Tell us about your career to date?
My academic qualifications include BCOMM UCD; MSc Administrative Studies Boston College; MSc Exercise and Health Sciences University of Bristol; and MSc Physiotherapy Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. I am currently undertaking a PhD in UCD examining injury in elite football in Ireland.
My career in the fitness industry started with three years as an Exercise Specialist and Personal Trainer in Goldman Sachs Investment Bank in London. I have spent the last 11 years working in private physiotherapy practice. I lectured part-time for four and a half years in IT Carlow on the Sport Science, Athletic Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation and Strength and Conditioning degree programmes. I have worked as a Physiotherapist and Strength and Conditioning Coach for Ireland international football teams for the past 11 years. I have been Fitness Coach for the Men’s Senior International Football team for the past four years and I am currently Head of Fitness for Ireland’s underage international teams and the Women’s Senior Team.
I moved to Cork with my wife and son two months ago and I have set up a private physiotherapy practice in New Minds College in Ballincollig, as well as taking on the role of Head of Education at New Minds Fitness College.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever heard, career or otherwise?
Always reflect on your practice, so that you can identify areas for improvement. Have a growth mind-set and be open to change.
What trend or latest discovery in fitness fascinates you?
GPS technology in sports has allowed us to monitor the output of individuals with more accuracy. This can be particularly useful when rehabilitating people from injuries. It becomes easier to design appropriate sessions and the GPS data allows us to modify sessions, so that players reach certain thresholds (e.g. high-speed running distances).
What should graduates know and be able to do?
Graduates of the ITEC Level 3 Personal Training Diploma should have a good understanding of the fundamentals of musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology. They should understand the evidence behind different exercise and nutrition strategies, so that they can justify, using the evidence base, any advice they give to clients.
What’s the innovation agenda for new minds?
The strategy New Minds College is adopting is to recruit the highest calibre of teaching staff, so that students can be sure that the information they are receiving is both evidence-based and current best-practice. Registered Dieticians, Billy Murphy and Diarmuid Duggan, will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge. Kevin Tattan is Head of Performance at Cork City Football Club. Catherine Power is a Strength and Conditioning Coach working in the Mardyke in UCC. Ken Hurley is the Irish Para Powerlifting Coach. Moira Fox has delivered the Anatomy and Physiology module for several years and has a wealth of experience lecturing. Stephen Barcoe is our tutor at New Minds College in Kilkenny, Stephen has a Diploma in Tutoring and Adult Education from the University of Limerick.
New Minds Fitness College
021 482 0649
newmindscollege.com
info@newmindscollege.com
