When I was in my late teens and early 20s, I was constantly tired, run-down, and directionless.
Now I’m 26. I run my own business, train Muay Thai, create content every day, and coach martial artists and high-performing business owners — all while actively nurturing my relationships, my mental health, and my personal responsibilities.
I have more energy now than my 18-year-old self ever did, while carrying 10x the responsibilities.
It’s not some magic trick.
It’s not drinking raw goat’s milk.
It’s not sunning your b*lls.
It’s having better health protocols.
These are the same protocols I’ve given to fighters, desk workers, and athletes as part of my private 1-on-1 coaching.
And today, I’m laying all of them out
The Morning Protocol
I wake up between 7 and 7:30am.
I’ve tried 5am.
I’ve tried 6am.
But forcing it doesn’t work.
You have to find and work with your natural circadian rhythm.
For the first 1-2 hours, I don’t touch my phone. No email. No social media. No WhatsApp.
As soon as you check your phone, you create open loops in your brain.
You give your focus and attention to someone else.
And that makes it impossible to get done what matters most to you.
The first thing I do is put my shoes on and take a walk outside to get natural sunlight into my eyes.
This resets your circadian rhythm. It signals to your body that it’s time to wake up, starts releasing cortisol, and gets your system online.
If you’re waking up f*cked every day, this alone will 10x your life. It’s like drinking a red bull mixed with coffee—without the crash and the jitters. Plus it’s free.
After that I’ll drink water with salt and 10-15 grams of creatine. Getting hydrated in the morning is key. Fix that before you move on.
10-15 grams of creatine supports cognitive function and strength—most people dose at 5 grams, but research is showing 10-15 is better.
Then I make a strong coffee (using an aeropress I got for Christmas, I love it).
Then I’ll sit down for 90 minutes of deep work where I hit my hardest task of the day.
The one I REALLY don’t want to do.
The Afternoon Protocol
After my first 90-minute work block, I take a 10-minute walk. I drink water. Then I work again for another 90 minutes.
This break isn’t wasted time. It’s what makes the 2nd block possible.
It gives your focus room to breathe, lets new ideas surface, and releases the cognitive tension that builds up during deep work.
Without it, I’m fried by 2pm.
With it, I can sustain high-quality output while most people are already fried.
Around 3-4pm, I train.
This is when I feel the strongest, my work is done, and I’ll be finished in time to see the sunset.
Some of the best feelings and moments of my day are in those 15 minutes after my workout.
I believe life is a culmination of great days. And the morning and afternoon protocols allow me to have consistently great days, move forwards in life, and set me up for a lovely evening.
The Evening Protocol
Once the sun goes down, every screen and light in the house gets dimmed.
My partner hates me for this—but she’s never slept better.
Blue light once it’s dark ruins melatonin production. Less melatonin means worse sleep quality, in turn setting up a negative chain-reaction the next day.
I eat my last meal 3-4 hours before I sleep, and I stop drinking massive amounts of water around 2 hours before bed.
Around 9pm I’ll turn off the lights, put my shoes on, and take a 20 minute walk around the block, without listening to music or checking my phone.
I’ll allow my brain to naturally process the day, and relax in the gratitude and awe of existence.
Novel solutions to complex problems will arise during these walks.
When I get back, I’ll do a 5-10 minute journal and brain dump session.
I write down anything that came up during my walk, any tasks or ideas I want to carry into tomorrow, and 3 things I’m grateful for.
Then I’ll take a shower, moisturize, and stretch for 5 minutes.
By this time I’m deeply relaxed, calm, and ready to sleep.
I struggle with stress and anxiety. And if I want to perform at my best, I have to take care of myself and my nervous system.
Why this works
These protocols aren’t random.
They’re optimized for my current lifestyle.
Your mind thrives on the correct routine.
Without it, chaos will seep into every area of your life.
Your body wants to know when to walk, when to workout, when to eat, when to sleep, and it will naturally change to accommodate it.
But these protocols mean nothing if they don’t change to fit your lifestyle.
You may have to take calls in the morning, maybe you workout better at 8pm, maybe you live in a country where there’s no sunlight until later in the day.
What works for me may not work for you.
And that’s the point.
This is why every protocol I build with clients in my 1-1 private coaching program is customized to their real life — not an idealized version of it.
I had a client recently. Entrepreneur, early 30s, building a startup and creating content.
He came to me with mobility problems, tight hips and hamstrings, and a brain that was foggy by noon.
His Muay Thai sessions were becoming a source of frustration, and he was grinding hard through restrictions.
His business was thriving, but his body was failing.
We didn’t change everything at once.
We started with 3 things: Morning Walks, Daily CARs practice, and moving his workouts to after his 2nd meal of the day, because that was the only time he could get it in.
That’s it. 3 changes.
Within 3 weeks he told me his lower back and hip problems had gone. He was still sitting at the desk for long hours, but had better energy and mental clarity than he’d had in his 20s.
What You Can Do Now
Everything I shared with you today is the full picture.
This is what I do.
But you don’t need the full picture to start.
Also worth saying: I’m not a robot.
I’m currently on a work-travel trip across Thailand but my training, work, and health is my top priority so I adapt.
The goal is to have a strong default that when life happens, you know what to return to.
So don’t try to do all of this at once:
Pick 1 thing from the morning section.
1 from the afternoon.
1 from the evening.
Start there and build momentum, it really can be that easy.
Until then, thank you for reading,
– Matthew
When you’re ready, here’s 3 ways I can help:
1. Unlock High Kicks in 90 Days – When you’re ready to unlock head kicks, overcome your restrictions, and transform your movement quality—Unlock High Kicks in 90 Days is the obvious choice. You can kick higher, prevent common injuries, and perform at your best with just 2-4 sessions a week. Join 50+ students who’ve already transformed their mobility without hours of endless random stretching.
2. Private One-on-One Coaching – For martial artists & high-performers ready to perform at their best and overcome the mobility restrictions holding them back. Limited to 5 Athletes each month.
3. Promote yourself to 3,000+ subscribers​ by sponsoring this newsletter.
Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.