PALMARES Reviews 

I was introduced to Jon 6 months ago after suffering from severe bouts of fatigue and finding any sort of riding a challenge.Jon identified from the very outset the possibility of post viral fatigue and organised a training plan for me to follow.I can only say the results were remarkable he introduced an easy to follow plan built around my commitments.He was always available with encouragement and updates to the programme and from dreading getting on the bike I was soon relishing the sessions, everything was achievable as Jon tailors the plan exactly to your specific needs.I am now a completely different rider fitter and stronger than I have been in years and I owe it all to him I cant thank him enough

3 years of coaching with Jon, and I've progressed massively. I've won at a UCI level and have seen my weaknesses become strengths. Jon is incredibly knowledgeable and has provided invaluable guidance and support over the time I've been coached by him.

Jon is a fantastic mentor with deep experience in cycling coaching, grounded in solid data analysis. After a 13-year break, he helped me return to competitive cycling—now as a 40+ Master balancing sport with a full life beyond it. His coaching always considered the bigger picture, helping me progress steadily while keeping our eyes on the goals. 🙏

After 7 months of coaching I’ve notice a significant difference. Spent a day riding in the Yorkshire Dales - 2300m climbing, 150km. Felt like a different rider compared to similar ride last year. Controlled - maintained 2.6w/kg endurance with exception of climbs. No hunger - fasted training works too. Could have easily ridden another 60km on the day. Following 4 days managed circa 50-60km per day including 3*10 at threshold. No fatigue whatsoever

I had signed up for The Rift, which is a 200km gravel race in Iceland. With about three months to go I found myself way behind with my fitness and was worried I’d not be able to even complete the race. Having used Jon at Palmares before I knew he would be able to work his magic and get me ready in a short period of time. We had an initial discussion to review my fitness level, goals, training availability etc. and Jon made a plan from there. Each session was clearly laid out, with notes and explanations attached. Each week built upon the work of the previous week, with Jon checking in regularly to assess how I was feeling. I felt myself getting stronger and more efficient each week. On the day of the event I felt super strong and the structured and targeted training clearly paid off. I was able to support the team and do long stretches on the front. I finished with quite a lot left in the tank thanks to all the work Jon had laid out to help with efficiency and endurance. A complete transformation in three months.

Really useful session as ever, well managed, clear & actionable feedback. Would thoroughly recommend the experience even for well trained athletes who have used personal coaching & / or training plans for many years

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the exceptional coaching that guided me through l’Étape du Tour 2024. John’s dedication, expertise, and personalized training plan made all the difference in my preparation and performance. From the first training session to the final push up the challenging climbs, John’s constant encouragement and strategic insights kept me motivated and focused. His knowledge of cycling, nutrition, and mental preparation was invaluable, and I couldn't have asked for a better coach. Thank you for helping me achieve this incredible milestone!

If you are thinking about working with Jon, then think no more. It’s a no brainer! His ability to see through the hype and keep you focused on what really matters is priceless. Simple but effective workouts proven by science and in the real world are what you will get. You just need to bring the motivation and he will take care of the rest. Excellent coach!

I’m a 48 year old father of 2, I was regularly racing cat 3 crits and the occasional road race. I’d been self coaching using trainerroad for several years which meant smashing a lot of intensity. At some point last year I must’ve picked up a virus and ended up driving myself into the ground and getting into a bit of a state with post viral fatigue. After 6 months of decline to the point where I was struggling to even work let alone cycle, I managed to find Jon at Palmares. In just a few months he has essentially completely rebuilt me and transformed the way i train. In February I struggled to complete 30 mins at 100 watts. This July i finished the etape and am prepping to return to my first Crit. Jon clearly knows his stuff, but keeps it clear and simple, is firm but fun to work with and I’ll be eternally grateful for his expertise allowing me to get my energy and my cycling life back. Now Excited to see how far I can go with a proper coach!

Great experience working with Jon- highly collaborative and rewarding. Getting to understand the science behind what we were doing appeals to the geek in me!

I had a very enjoyable, educational and helpful consultation with the deeply knowledgeable, pragmatic and empathetic Jon centred around nutrition and strength & conditioning.

Brilliant to have a personal session with Jon after working through a few of his plans over the last year or so. Super-interesting to get an insight into the physiological adaptions behind the training zones, and to chat through a few questions I had.

Jon is very pleasant and professional. He was very supportive and explained the test and the results extremely well to me. Thanks

Jon built a specific programme to build me up in the run in to PBP. I can honestly say it transformed the way I rode. I was frequently pushed out of my comfort zone but in a manageable way and have never felt better prepared by the end of the programme. The results were at the absolute top end of my personal targeting and I have never recovered as quickly from the ride. Matched my time from when I was in my 30s (20 years ago) and finished ten hours earlier than I did last time I rode PBP. Thanks Jon! I’m looking forward to working with Palmares on achieving my goals in 2024.

I wanted some bespoke advice on training and having read his input to Phil Cavell’s book (The Midlife Cyclist) and seen him talk at Rapha, I decided to book a session with Jonathan. I did not regret it. Over the years I’ve tried lots of training programmes, the trouble is none of them accommodate the thing I (like many middle-aged cyclists) cycle for – the weekend group ride. This swallows up half my riding time and, as far as structured training goes, I know it’s ineffective: half of it too slow; the other half too fast! Also, weight training. All the manuals strongly recommend doing this; none tell you how to integrate it into a structured training programme for cyclists.

Jonathan immediately understood all this and, despite his amazing experience of working with top pros, wasn’t at all sniffy about working around these fixes. Instead, he set out a clear, simple and practical programme for me to follow. It was just what I wanted. Jonathan combines hands-on experience with years of academic study to give down-to-earth, highly thoughtful advice – I learned so much during the time I spent with him and highly recommend him.

Excellent experience. Very knowledgeable / friendly approach.

Jon is as qualified as you can get as a sports physiologist and in fact he advises professional cyclists. But he will also help those with more modest abilities and goals and they don't come any more modest than mine. I am 75, and have been cycling most of my life, but not as a racer. Each year I prepare over 4 months for an annual 2-day ride in the Australian alps, in summer. It's a tough ride, and with Jon's help I was able to train in a way that was more enjoyable and less exhausting than was the case in past years, with the outcome I was after. AND you will never meet a ricer guy!

Jon took a flabby beginner and turned him into a 9-day LEJOG completer in no time at all. Detailed and focussed guidance on fitness and nutrition made all the difference. Highly recommend. Matt Kelly

Excellent insight to performance training. I'm looking forward to developing my knowledge further.

Jonathan changed my approach to training and helped me overcome my stagnating form. He has a very good understanding about what training is needed to improve and especially what trainging is not needed. He does not care about the hyped buzzwords you might have heard from magazines or other commercial training programs. There are no shortcuts, there are no special tricks but you should commit to the training if you want to improve. The customized training plan and some solid work will do the magic to your body. Instead of trying to squeeze as much as possible out of a small engine he will make sure you develop a big engine, with lots of power not just for 2 minutes. This will need time and commitment but from what I can say it is absolutely worth it.
I haven't been sick one single day since I have been following Jonathan's plan despite the fact that I have increased my training volume over the last months. Thanks to Jonathan's good understanding about how much training my body can take and the very well adapted plan I got new impulses which allowed me to further improve after stagnating for quite some time. Training effectivity becomes key, not the KOM of the segments in your neighborhood.
I have achieved my targets for 2021 and I am super happy with how things turned out for me so far. I highly recommend working with Jonathan. (except you are a competitor of mine, then please don't contact him).