Awareness, The Foundation of Athletic Development with Donovan Santas
Oct 1, 2024
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Donovan Santas, a veteran in professional baseball with extensive experience as a strength and conditioning coach, dives deep into the evolution of athletic training. He discusses how baseball-specific conditioning has transformed, emphasizing the growing focus on mental performance. Topics explored include cognitive assessments, fatigue management, and the significance of breath control in performance. Donovan also shares insights on the impact of sleep and shares personal anecdotes, including a shift toward healthier lifestyles to optimize athletic recovery.
The evolution of strength and conditioning in baseball now emphasizes specialized training programs that enhance explosive power and performance metrics.
The increasing integration of mental performance training is vital for addressing athletes' psychological challenges, promoting resilience, and optimizing competitiveness.
Deep dives
Evolution of Strength and Conditioning in Baseball
The role of strength and conditioning in baseball has transformed significantly over the past 25 years, evolving from a primarily reactionary approach to a proactive and specialized discipline. Initially, strength coaches juggled multiple roles including nutritionist and video coordinator, focusing mainly on preventing injuries during workouts. As the importance of physical performance became evident, organizations began to recognize the value of dedicated strength staff, leading to the expansion of departments from just a few personnel to specialized teams. This shift allowed strength coaches to concentrate on performance improvement and year-round training, enhancing athletes' capabilities and directly impacting game outcomes.
Changing Perspectives on Training Methodologies
Traditional training methods in baseball, such as distance running for pitchers, have come under scrutiny as the understanding of sports science progressed. Initially, many training practices were based on historical successes rather than physiological principles, leading to ineffective approaches that favored endurance over the development of explosive power. This change in perspective has enabled strength coaches to advocate for programs that focus on fast-twitch muscle fibers and tailor workouts to the specific demands of the sport. This evolution has not only improved athletes' physical metrics but has also been a driving force behind increased velocity in pitching and overall offensive performance.
Emergence of Mental Performance Training
The integration of mental performance training in professional baseball has gained traction as organizations recognize its importance alongside physical conditioning. Initially underappreciated, mental performance coaching has become essential for helping athletes navigate the psychological challenges of a demanding sport. With dedicated mental performance professionals on every team, players now have access to tools and strategies that promote resilience and focus, essential for maintaining consistency. This shift reflects a growing recognition that mental conditioning is as crucial as physical training for achieving peak performance.
The Role of Pison in Cognitive Performance Enhancement
Pison’s cognitive performance assessment tools provide athletes with valuable insights into their mental readiness and fatigue levels, allowing for tailored interventions that enhance performance. By measuring variables such as alertness and reaction times, athletes can make informed decisions about their training and recovery strategies. This data-driven approach emphasizes the need for mental awareness, helping players understand their cognitive state and optimizing their conditions for competition. The ability to track and assess cognitive responses allows athletes to train smarter, ensuring they are always primed for optimal performance.
In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast, Brian is joined by Donovan Santas. Over his 21-year-long career in professional baseball in different capacities, Donovan has seen some of the most momentous changes and shifts in the sports industry – from how strength training is implemented to how the strength & conditioning coach’s role has gained prominence to the importance of mental performance and cognitive training.
Donovan has worked with the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Bluejays, and New York Yankees as a strength and conditioning coach and assistant director of player health and performance.
In this episode, Brian and Donovan talk about…
The evolution of baseball-specific training and conditioning
How the role of the strength and conditioning coach has expanded over the years
What a training program looked like 20 years ago versus how it looks today
Training with Pison
Readiness assessment and testing
The go-no-go test for performance
Cognitive assessment
Fatigue management
The power of breathing and the impact of the Functional Movement Screening FMS
Recovery modalities, what works, and what’s best for you as an athlete.
Sleep and the impact on performance
The role mental performance plays in professional baseball player development
The mental game of pitcher Roy Halladay, Cy Young Winner - Working With Harvey