Welcome to another episode of Finding Small Wins Podcast, a space for conversations that pull back the curtain on sports, where to learn how to upgrade health & performance, and shed some light on how some of the best at what they do are finding the small wins that help them along the way.

Adam Loiacono, your host, is a physical therapist in the NBA & a former performance coach in Major League Soccer and the National Women’s Soccer League. 

In this episode, Adam is joined by Danny Guzman, former US National Soccer Fitness Coach, to show us the future of genetics, training, and rehab. Danny is also the founder of Guzman Performance, where he offers individualized training and incorporates insights from genetic testing.

Key Takeaways:

[2:15] What was Danny’s entry point to work in pro sports?

[4:01] Danny shares when his Team won an MLS Cup soon after starting in pro sports.

[5:44] Danny talks about the similarities and differences between working for a club Team and a National Team.

[7:22] How does Danny build trust with his players?

[8:16] Empathy + expertise = Trust

[9:35] If given the chance, what changes would Danny have made?

[11:23] How does Danny prepare a team for an MLS Cup versus a World Cup qualifier?

[14:50] How did Danny approach the physical aspect as a fitness performance coach within the MLS squad?

[18:06] Danny remembers when he felt underprepared.

[20:07] Danny highlights the value of a simple question: How can I help?

[20:32] How does Danny define a small win?

[22:49] Danny shares how he motivates the athletes he works with.

[26:37] How does Danny tie in the physical components within the needs of position within tactics?

[30:42] What's one of the questions Danny gets most frequently from some of the coaches?

[35:16] How much should a sports coach know about the physical aspect of the game?

[38:20] Danny talks about his work on genetics and human performance. 

[39:46] Danny talks about Gene Fit.

[44:50] What's the first step you take when it comes to incorporating genetic testing into a performance program?

[47:37]  How can genetics influence what we do to train an athlete or prepare an athlete for an event?

[51:00] How do you justify some players doing some of that conditioning or training and others not?

[53:05] How can you prevent losing the athlete’s trust?

[55:35] What's the first step towards incorporating genetic information into the athlete’s health and performance?

[56:59] Danny shares his advice on how anyone can upgrade health and performance.

[1:00:42:] What is Danny's favorite stadium? 

[1:02:04] What were some of the most rowdy fans Danny’s been around?

Mentioned in this episode: 

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