I’ve seen a lot of wild things in my career — but this one really caught my attention.
Recently, I came across the most viral morning routine on the planet. It belongs to Ashton Hall — someone I actually know. We used to train together back in the day when he had a modest following of about 1 million. Fast forward to today… he’s sitting at 13 million followers and gaining about a million more every two weeks.
And all because of his 5.5 hour morning routine.
Yep. You read that right. Five and a half hours just to start the day.
Let me break it down for you:
- 3:52 AM – Wakes up and removes mouth tape (yeah, really)
- 3:53 AM – Brushes teeth
- 3:57 AM – Rinses with bottled water
- 4:00 AM – Push-ups on the balcony
- 4:30 AM – Journaling with a nose strip on
- 5:30 AM – Dunking his face in ice water
- 6:00 AM – Dresses to train
- 6:20 AM – Hits the gym
- 7:30 AM – Pool time
- 9:15 AM – Finally starts working and making breakfast
Now listen — Ashton’s routine isn’t going viral because it’s practical… it’s going viral because it’s insane. Nobody on earth (outside of social media land) has time for that.
So let me tell you about my morning routine.
The World’s Strongest Man's Actual Morning Routine
It starts at 7:30 AM — because that’s when I hear my baby wake up. My wife brings her into bed, and for the next 5-10 minutes, I just lie there with her. No ice baths. No mouth tape. Just real life and the people I love.
At 8:00 AM, I do 20 minutes of red light therapy — not because it’s trendy, but because I like how it feels. It helps me ease into the day.
At 8:20 AM, we have breakfast as a family — me, my wife Ashley, and our daughter Peyton. Eggs, English muffins, yogurt, orange juice — nothing crazy. Sometimes it’s just a protein shake.
By 8:45 AM, I’m checking emails, getting ready for work, and easing into the day.
That’s it. 90 minutes. No Rolls-Royce. No ice bowls. No gimmicks. Just real life, real goals, and trying to be the best version of myself — in and out of the gym.
What Should Be In Your Morning Routine?
In my opinion, just three things:
- Food — something to wake your system up.
- Ease into the day — whether that’s journaling, sunlight, or just sitting quietly.
- One thing that makes you happy — because life isn’t supposed to feel like punishment.
We live in a world where being an "influencer" sometimes matters more than being an athlete, a coach, or a good human being. But I’ll tell you this — real results come from real routines.
End of the day — don’t fall for every morning routine you see online.
Do what works for you.