Daniel Allen is a doctor of clinical psychology and a strength and conditioning coach specializing in preparing candidates for military and special operations service in New Zealand.He spent 6 years as a medic in the NZ Army before leaving to fulfill a dream to compete as a professional Muay Thai and MMA athlete and embark on a decade-long formal training in clinical psychology. He has worked with people ranging from Olympians, professional and world-class athletes, to beginners starting out for the first time to successful New Zealand SAS candidates.Dan’s wide-ranging academic background spans undergraduate study in Health Science, Exercise Science, master’s and doctoral psychology programs, and much to his wife’s dismay, he is currently in a 2-year neuropsychology program.Dan’s doctoral research focused on factors that reduced PTSD and increased flourishing among military personnel in the years following deployment, including nutrition, sleep, exercise, social support, and leadership support.His psychology background is similarly wide-ranging, including working as a high-school counselor, in a drugs and addiction service and, more recently, in a private psychology service.Dan is passionate about understanding the relationship between nutrition, psychology, and performance and how these things facilitate resilience.You can learn more about Dan at his website, drdancoach.com/ or on Instagram at @drdancoachingTimestamps:00:00:22 Introduction to Daniel Allen00:01:46 Sidequest to Be Professional Muay Thai Fighter00:06:40 Training in High-Level Gyms Around the World00:09:15 How Did Daniel Allen’s Training Impact How He Coaches?00:11:39 How to Separate Pain from Suffering00:14:02 Exercise Science and Psychology Degrees 00:14:59 New Zealand SAS 00:17:49 What Would Daniel Change About How He Coached in the Past?00:21:09 How to Balance Being Good at Running and Rucking00:24:05 Predictors of Success00:26:58 Most Common Mistakes in Prep00:29:31 Test Within a Training Cycle00:31:53 Fundamental Skills to Develop People’s Abilities00:34:04 Sponsor Note on Segmenting 00:34:28 Questioning Your Sense of Belonging00:41:02 Common Success Factors from Olympic Athletes to SAS Operators00:45:21 Cognitive Flexibility and Growth Mindset00:47:45 Operational Longevity 00:52:33 Limiting Factors During a Course 00:54:04 Candidates with Cushie Backgrounds00:57:43 Gaining Awareness of the Landscape of Your Mind00:59:43 SAS Candidates Do’s and Don’ts01:02:31 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received 01:05:29 Outro

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