Daniel Guzman believes that genetics plus training equals performance.

“Our genetics are just a code that says ‘here’s how your genetics express here whether that’s cardiovascular or it’s cellular or it’s your body composition or whatever it might be and here’s how we need to influence your environment’,” he tells Joe Lemire and John Portch on the People Behind the Tech Podcast.

“‘Environment’ being how do you train? How do you recover? What stresses do you have in your life? All of that stuff influences our genetics.

Although our genetics never change, they can be expressed on or off. Kind of like a dimmer switch at any point.”

After more than a decade as a performance coach, taking in roles at the LA Galaxy, US Soccer and LAFC, Daniel joined 3x4 Genetics as the Head of Enterprise Sales in late 2022.

The Seattle-based startup believes its ability to analyze a person’s genes, whether they are an athlete or not, enables them to recommend lifestyle changes. In the case of athletes using its GENEFIT program, that might mean diet, training, recovery or other forms of preparation.

He anticipates a time when elite teams routinely call upon a geneticist to inform their performance.

During our conversation, Daniel also discussed:

• His use of data in athlete programming and why it’s always part of the bigger picture (10:30);
• What an athlete might learn about themselves when undergoing gene analysis (23:00);
• The unique way that GENEFIT integrates physiological and genetic data (29:00);
• How 3X4 Genetics uses feedback from athletes and coaches (36:30).

Joe Lemire Twitter | LinkedIn

John Portch Twitter | LinkedIn

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