Training
Six-day strength + conditioning split. Zone-2 base, heavy compound lifts, weekly endurance load, mobility on the seventh.
Daily Standard
Lifestyle.
Four protocols. The compound interest of doing the basics, every day, for decades.
Protocols04
Training, nutrition, men's health, supplements — the daily standard.
Train6/wk
Six structured sessions a week. One day for mobility, sun, and decompression.
Protein1g/lb
Daily minimum, animal-led. The lever most men under-pull and over-talk.
Sleep7.5–9h
Non-negotiable window. Track HRV and deep-sleep trend, not a single night.
Protocols01 02 03 04
Build the man, then the day.
Nutrition
Whole-food first, protein-led plates (≥1g/lb). Carb cycling around training. Minimal seed oils, zero ultra-processed.
Men's Health
Annual blood panels, hormone optimization with a qualified physician, sleep hygiene, sunlight, and stress regulation protocols.
Supplements
Creatine, omega-3, vitamin D3+K2, magnesium, electrolytes, quality whey. Vetted brands only — no proprietary blends.
A day on the standard
What the protocol looks like at 5:30am.
Seven anchors that organize the day. Move them in time as your schedule demands — do not skip them.
- 05:30
Wake & Sunlight
Eyes open, feet on the floor, 10 minutes of low-angle morning sun. Hydrate with sea salt. Coffee follows protein, not the other way around.
- 06:30
Train
60–90 minutes — strength, conditioning, mobility, or endurance per the week's split. Phone on airplane mode the whole session.
- 08:00
Meal 1
Protein-led. Three eggs, cottage cheese, fruit, sourdough or oats. Coffee with L-theanine. The work day starts now.
- 12:30
Meal 2
Largest plate of the day. 8–10oz lean protein, two fists of vegetables, a fist of carbs. Olive oil, salt, lemon.
- 16:00
Light & Walk
Outside, 20 minutes, eyes open. Resets cortisol curve and circadian anchor mid-afternoon.
- 19:00
Meal 3
Smaller plate. Protein, vegetables, slow carbs. Three hours before sleep — never less.
- 21:30
Down
Screens off, lights low, 65–68°F room, blackout. Read on paper or sit in silence. Bed by 22:00 on training nights.
Training weekMon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Seven days, one engine.
Lower Strength
Back squat 5×5, RDL 4×6, walking lunge 3×10/side, weighted plank. 60 min.
Zone-2
60–75 min nasal-breathing run, ruck, or bike at HR 130–145. Recovery is the goal.
Upper Strength
Bench 5×5, weighted pull-up 5×5, overhead press 4×6, row 4×8. 60 min.
Conditioning
20–30 min intervals — assault bike, sled, or kettlebell complex. High output.
Full-Body Power
Trap-bar deadlift, push-press, weighted carries, sprint finisher. 75 min.
Endurance + Skill
Long ruck, swim, or combatives session. 90–120 min.
Mobility & Sun
Walk, sauna, breath work, decompression. Phone down.
Nutrition
Protein first. Whole-food first. Everything else after.
We do not chase trends or moralize macros. The work is simple, brutal, and effective — and most men under-execute it because the language has been muddied by the supplement industry.
- Protein
- 1.0g per lb of bodyweight, every day, animal-led.
- Carbs
- Cycled around training — heavier on lift days, lighter on rest.
- Fats
- Olive oil, butter, tallow, fatty fish. Zero seed oils.
- Window
- 10–12 hour feeding window. Last meal 3 hours before sleep.
- Hydration
- Half bodyweight in ounces minimum. Sea salt with morning water.
Protein First
1.0g per pound of body weight, daily. Animal-led — beef, lamb, eggs, wild fish, whey. Plant protein as adjunct, not centerpiece.
Smart Carbs
Cycle carbs around training: heavier on lift days (rice, potatoes, fruit), lighter on rest days. Almost zero refined grain or seed oil.
Fats With Purpose
Olive oil, butter, tallow, fatty fish, raw nuts. Eliminate canola, soybean, corn, and 'vegetable' oils completely.
Hydration & Salt
Half body-weight in ounces minimum. Sea salt with morning water. Electrolytes around training, not energy drinks.
Eating Window
10–12 hour feeding window most days. Last meal three hours before sleep. Coffee inside the window, not before.
Food framework
What to put on the plate.
You do not need a meal plan. You need a four-line framework you can hold for the next thirty years.
- Build the plate around
- Grass-fed beef and lamb · pastured eggs · wild-caught fish (salmon, sardines, cod) · raw dairy or cottage cheese · sourdough · rice · potatoes · seasonal fruit · sea salt.
- Use as condiment
- Olive oil · butter · tallow · raw nuts · raw honey · dark chocolate ≥80%.
- Eliminate
- Seed oils (canola, soy, corn, sunflower, 'vegetable') · ultra-processed packaged food · refined sugar drinks · most fast food.
- Moderate
- Alcohol (≤4 drinks/week, never on training nights) · caffeine (≤200mg after noon) · added sugar (<25g/day).
Men's health01 02 03 04 05
Measure. Optimize. Repeat.
Annual Panel
Full lipid + ApoB, fasting insulin & HOMA-IR, hs-CRP, hormone panel (total/free T, E2, SHBG, DHT), thyroid, vitamin D, ferritin, homocysteine.
Hormone Optimization
Work with a qualified physician — not a clinic mill. Optimize through lifestyle first; treat clinically only when warranted and monitored.
Sleep Architecture
7.5–9 hours. 65–68°F bedroom, blackout, no screens 60 min prior, consistent wake time. Track HRV and deep-sleep trend, not single nights.
Sunlight
10 minutes of low-angle morning sun on skin and eyes (no glasses, no glass). Outdoor mid-day exposure for vitamin D. Sunset to anchor circadian rhythm.
Stress Regulation
Daily breathwork (box, physiological sigh, Wim Hof). Weekly cold + sauna contrast. Quarterly digital detox.
Annual panel
The blood-work you should be running.
Once a year minimum. Twice a year through any optimization protocol. Run with a qualified physician — never alone.
- Lipids & ApoB
- Full lipid plus ApoB and Lp(a). ApoB is the single most useful cardiovascular signal we track.
- Metabolic
- Fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, HbA1c, uric acid. Catches metabolic drift years before symptoms.
- Hormones
- Total T, free T, SHBG, E2, DHT, prolactin, LH, FSH. Run with a physician — not a clinic mill.
- Thyroid
- TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, TPO antibodies. Drives energy, mood, training adaptation.
- Inflammation
- hs-CRP, homocysteine, GGT, ferritin. The slow-burn signals most clinics ignore.
- Nutrient Status
- Vitamin D (target 50–70 ng/mL), B12, folate, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 index. Patch the holes the diet leaves.
Foundation
Creatine monohydrate 5g, Omega-3 (EPA+DHA ≥2g), Vitamin D3 (5,000 IU) + K2 MK-7, Magnesium glycinate 400mg, electrolytes.
Performance
Whey isolate (only as needed for protein target), beta-alanine 3g pre-training, citrulline malate 6g pre-training.
Brain & Mood
L-theanine with morning coffee, ashwagandha (cycled), saffron extract for mood support.
Recovery
Glycine 3g before bed, tart cherry on heavy training days, collagen peptides 15–20g with vitamin C.
Supplement stack
What we actually take.
Four tiers. Tier 1 is universal. Tier 4 is situational. No proprietary blends. No influencer codes.
- Tier 1 — Daily
- Creatine 5g · Omega-3 (≥2g EPA+DHA) · Vit D3 5,000 IU + K2 MK-7 · Magnesium glycinate 400mg · Electrolytes (Na/K/Mg). Foundation, every man, every day.
- Tier 2 — Performance
- Whey isolate as needed for protein target · Beta-alanine 3g pre · Citrulline malate 6g pre · Caffeine 100–200mg pre. Cycle with training blocks.
- Tier 3 — Cognitive
- L-theanine 200mg with coffee · Lion's mane (Hericium) · Saffron extract 28mg · Ashwagandha KSM-66 (cycle 8 weeks on / 4 off).
- Tier 4 — Recovery
- Glycine 3g pre-sleep · Tart cherry on heavy days · Collagen 15–20g with vit C · Curcumin Meriva 500mg on inflammatory days.
Daily — do
The non-negotiables.
- Lift heavy three days a week, every week.
- Eat protein first, every meal.
- Sleep 7.5–9 hours, same window, every night.
- Get morning sun on the eyes within an hour of waking.
- Run an annual blood panel with a physician.
Daily — don't
Where most men give back their gains.
- Outsource the protocol to a coach you have never met.
- Treat seed oils as neutral.
- Chase a new supplement before you have run the basics for a year.
- Train through pain that lasts more than 48 hours.
- Skip recovery weeks because you 'feel fine.'
Questions01 02 03
What members ask first.
Where do I start?
Sleep, sunlight, protein, training, blood panel — in that order. Get the first four working for 90 days before adding anything more sophisticated.
How fast can I expect change?
Energy and mood inside two weeks. Body composition over 8–12 weeks. Hormones and biomarkers over 90–180 days. Bone, joint, cardiovascular adaptation over years.
What about coffee, alcohol, weed?
Coffee: yes, after protein, before noon. Alcohol: ≤4 drinks per week, never on training nights, never solo. Weed: not on programme — it kills REM and blunts adaptation.
The basics. For decades. That is the secret.