The Mental Weight Room - A Podcast for Athletes, Parents of Athletes and Coaches

Antoinette Datoc, Certified Mental Performance Coach
  • 5.0 (4)
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The building blocks of peak performance are knowledge, physical training and mental training. You've heard 90% of your athletic performance is mental, right? WRONG! The truth is 100% of your athletic performance is mental. Why? Everything single thing you do starts in your brain. That's right, your brain runs the show so no amount of physical training will ever make up for poor mental skills. In The Mental Weight Room, Certified Mental Performance Coach, Antoinette Datoc, shares tips for building mental toughness so you can level up in sports and life. Click Follow and never miss an episode.

  1. 3D AGO

    Ep. 61 The SUbconscious Edge with Dawn Grant

    This week Coach Antoinette is joined by mental performance trainer and board-certified hypnotherapist, Dawn Grant, to discuss hypnosis as a practical mental training tool for elite athletes. Ms. Grant shares her path from psychology and holistic interests to hypnotherapy, then explains how she blended hypnosis with conscious mental skills training to create long-term change, with PGA Tour pros and other high performers. She defines hypnosis as the natural alpha/theta brainwave states people pass through when falling asleep or waking, which can quiet the analytical mind and influence subconscious habits and beliefs tied to performance under pressure. Grant outlines her 21-lesson program, discusses focus, anxiety responses, and building repeatable “zone” access, and highlights her book Seven Strokes in Seven Days, online courses, Mind Mastered app, and website resources. Check out Grant’s website at https://dawngrant.com and follow her on social media:https://www.facebook.com/dawn.grant.mental.trainerhttps://twitter.com/DawnMGranthttps://www.youtube.com/user/DawnGrantMindTrainerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dawngrantmentaltrainer/https://www.instagram.com/dawn_granthttps://www.pinterest.com/dawngrant/https://vimeo.com/dawngrant7 Strokes in 7 Days is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4r6GK3mMind Mastered App: https://mindmastered.comThe Mind Mastered: Secrets of Excellence with Dawn Grant (podcast): https://open.spotify.com/show/6NF5Ao6zcGIYIqBYYliFFi?si=660f02ce438a4ee9

    24 min

  2. FEB 25

    Ep. 60 Perfectionism vs. Striving for Excellence

    In this week's mental workout, Coach Antoinette Datoc explains how perfectionism differs from striving for excellence and why perfectionism is rooted in fear, not high standards. The episode teaches athletes to replace perfectionism with “neutral” self-talk that treats mistakes as information, not identity, and to become resilient competitors who reset and adapt. Antoinette shares a weekly mental workout: name the mistake neutrally, correct it with one specific cue, and physically reset with a breath and relaxed body. She emphasizes that success comes from work ethic and discipline, not anxiety-driven perfectionism, and invites viewers to subscribe, follow, and learn more at https://antoinettedatoc.com

    6 min

  3. FEB 18

    Ep. 60 Mastering Tough Conversations: How to Talk to Your Teammate Like a Leader

    Hard conversations between teammates feel risky.What if it makes things awkward?What if it blows up the locker room?What if it hurts team chemistry? In this episode of The Mental Weight Room, mental performance coach Antoinette Datoc continues the Mastering Tough Conversations series by adapting the Miller Framework for peer-to-peer conversations. This isn’t about confrontation.It’s about clarity, accountability, and connection. You’ll learn the 4-step teammate version of the Miller Framework: 1️⃣ Lead with shared intent (“us” over “you”)2️⃣ State specific, factual observations (no judgment, no character attacks)3️⃣ Explain the impact on you or the team4️⃣ Invite collaboration on a solution Antoinette explains why you should never have these conversations when you’re emotional, why they must be private, and how preparation changes everything. Using a baseball example of a starting infielder showing poor body language after errors, she walks you through:• Script starters you can actually use• A full sample conversation from start to finish• What to say when the other person gets defensive• How to stay calm, curious, and team-first Avoiding hard conversations doesn’t protect team culture — it delays conflict.Doing them well builds trust, respect, and emotional toughness. This episode is for athletes, captains, parents, and coaches who want stronger teams and better leadership skills. 🎯 Weekly Action Step:Identify one teammate issue you’ve been avoiding. Write out the four steps. Rehearse it. Then address it at the right time. Train your body.Train your brain.Welcome to The Mental Weight Room. ⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Why Teammate Conversations Feel Riskier (and Why They Matter)00:57 Mastering Tough Conversations Series + Miller Framework Overview01:38 The 4-Step Teammate Version: Shared Intent → Observations → Impact → Invite Forward02:18 Before You Speak: Calm, Private, Prepared02:49 Baseball Example Setup: Addressing Bad Body Language After Errors03:03 Step 1–2 Scripts: Shared Intent + Specific, Film-Backed Observations04:01 Step 3–4 Scripts: Team Impact + Collaborate on a Way Forward04:56 Full Conversation Script (Put It All Together)05:33 If They Get Defensive: Stay Calm, Curious, and Team-First06:00 Bigger Lesson + Weekly Action Step + Sign-Off

    8 min

  4. FEB 11

    Ep. 59 Comparison Culture: Transforming Judgement into Growth

    Feeling overwhelmed by comparing yourself to others?Join mental performance coach Antoinette Datoc in 'The Mental Weight Room' as she explains how comparison doesn't have to steal your joy or confidence. Learn actionable steps to shift your mindset, turning comparison into a tool for growth with specific strategies: shifting from judgment to curiosity, using benchmarks over beat-downs, comparing forward instead of sideways, and reframing judgment as data. Discover how to prevent comparison from draining you and use it to fuel your progress. Connect with Antoinette at https://antoinettedatoc.com to learn more. Like, comment, and subscribe for more mental workouts!

    7 min

  5. FEB 4 · BONUS

    Ep. 58 Lead Her FOrward: 40th Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day

    Celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day | The Mental Weight Room with Coach Antoinette DatocJoin host and mental performance coach Antoinette Datoc in a special bonus episode of The Mental Weight Room as we honor female athletes on the 40th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. We explore the 2026 theme 'Lead Her Forward,' celebrating the progress made and acknowledging the work still needed to protect equality for women in sports. Learn the importance of Title IX, the psychological and emotional aspects of female sports experiences, and how sports can be a powerful tool for building confidence, leadership, and resilience in girls and women. Learn more at https://antoinettedatoc.com and www.womenssportsfoundation.org.

    8 min

  6. FEB 4

    Ep. 57 Mastering Tough Conversations: How to Talk to Your Coach with Confidence

    Welcome to the Mental Weight Room. This week's mental workout is a powerful communication strategy aimed at having confident and respectful conversations with your coach. Using the adapted Miller Framework, athletes learn to set clear, solution-focused goals, identify honest obstacles, and propose actionable plans. Tune in for practical tips and a full script example designed to transform frustration into ownership and maturity. Visit https://antoinettedatoc.com to book a free session and dive deeper into developing your mental toughness.

    7 min

  7. FEB 4

    Ep. 56 The Yips: When Your Body Forgets What It Knows

    n this week's episode, mental performance coach ,Antoinette Datoc dives into the phenomenon of 'the yips,' a situation where athletes struggle to perform automatic motor skills under pressure. She explains how these issues are not due to mechanical faults, but are neurological, affecting various sports like baseball, golf, basketball, and gymnastics. Coach Antoinette provides insights into how athletes can retrain their brain-body relationship and offers guidance for parents and coaches on how to best support athletes experiencing these performance blocks. Visit Coach Antoinette's website at https://antoinettedatoc.com for more resources or to book a free session.

    8 min

  8. JAN 22

    Ep.55 When the Play Is Over, but YourBrain Did't Get the Memo: Understanding Rumination and How to Stop It

    Join mental performance coach Antoinette Datoc on a deep dive into the concept of rumination—repetitive, unproductive thinking that plagues athletes and impacts their performance. Learn how rumination affects the mind and body, and discover practical strategies to break the cycle and reset the nervous system. For customized mental performance training, visit www.antoinettedatoc.com.

    6 min
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The building blocks of peak performance are knowledge, physical training and mental training. You've heard 90% of your athletic performance is mental, right? WRONG! The truth is 100% of your athletic performance is mental. Why? Everything single thing you do starts in your brain. That's right, your brain runs the show so no amount of physical training will ever make up for poor mental skills. In The Mental Weight Room, Certified Mental Performance Coach, Antoinette Datoc, shares tips for building mental toughness so you can level up in sports and life. Click Follow and never miss an episode.

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