How I Coach High-Level Physique Athletes While Living a Balanced Life

“Bro, how do you even have time to eat?”
That’s the usual question I get when someone hears I coach high-level bodybuilders, help lifestyle clients transform their lives, train like a savage, and still make time to wind down with my wife and a Netflix documentary on serial killers. (The relaxing kind, obviously.)

The truth is—I’ve spent years learning how to balance output and recovery, discipline and fun, systems and spontaneity. Coaching elite athletes is demanding, sure—but living a fulfilling life outside of the gym is what allows me to be a great coach.

So let me pull back the curtain. Here’s how I run a coaching business that helps athletes win overalls and pro cards—without burning out or becoming a walking cortisol spike.

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1. Structure Is Your Freedom (Yes, Really)

This isn’t some productivity quote I stole from a cold-shower influencer. It’s the truth.

The more structured I am, the more space I create for creativity, growth, and connection. My days are built around a rock-solid schedule that aligns with my cognitive peaks and energy dips—something I refined through trial, error, and the occasional crash-and-burn.

Here’s a rough outline of my typical weekday:
    •    5:30 AM – Wake up, gratitude, black coffee, no phone.
    •    6:00 – 9:00 AM – Deep Work: client check-ins, protocols, planning.
    •    10:00 – 11:15 AM – Training (aka Therapy with Dumbbells).
    •    Late morning – Admin, voice notes, athlete strategy.
    •    Afternoon – Content creation or high-focus work sessions.
    •    Late afternoon – Nature walk with music or reflection (zero stimulation).
    •    Evening – Dinner with my wife, unwinding, zero client talk.
    •    9:00 PM – Sleep like I’m being judged by Huberman.

Having this framework lets me go hard when I work, and soft when I recover. The structure reduces decision fatigue—and that’s important when you’re carrying 20+ athletes to the stage and still need to function like a human.

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2. Coaching Elite Athletes Requires Ruthless Personal Systems

This isn’t just about waking up early. It’s about building repeatable systems for feedback, accountability, data analysis, and client execution—so I can be present with each athlete without mentally tabbing out.

Coaching isn’t about motivational quotes and vibes. It’s about having:
    •    A centralized data system (Google Sheets with calculated trends).
    •    A tracking and rating structure for fatigue, sleep, stress, soreness, and biofeedback markers.
    •    Video feedback queues to analyze lifts weekly.
    •    WhatsApp and Google Drive flows that don’t bleed into my every waking hour.

Each of my top-tier athletes has a periodized training and nutrition model, grounded in evidence but shaped by their individual lives. It’s not “eat less, move more.” It’s:
“How do we modulate stimulus and recovery so you peak without frying your CNS harder than a caffeine-fueled teenager on leg day?”

They need clarity. They need confidence in the plan. And they need a coach who can say, “Push harder” or “Hey, we’re on the edge—pull back.”

I can only make those decisions if my backend systems are dialed in. That’s the secret sauce.

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3. You Can’t Coach Elite Athletes If You’re a Wreck

Let’s not romanticize burnout. If your digestion sucks, your sleep is trash, and your only joy is checking your client’s glute striations… congrats, you’re a husk pretending to be a coach.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that your internal environment sets the ceiling for your output.

That’s why I:
    •    Train consistently but don’t ego lift.
    •    Eat with intention, even in a surplus.
    •    Do daily parasympathetic resets—yes, walking outside is part of my program.
    •    Prioritize recovery as much as effort.

Recovery isn’t sexy. But it’s the difference between showing up with clarity and presence vs. being a moody, overworked fitness gremlin with 14 browser tabs open and a constant sense of dread.

And if Dr. Mike taught us anything, it’s that funny equals functional. Laugh more. Lift heavy. And don’t forget to hug your partner like you hug your macros.

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4. Balance Isn’t 50/50—It’s Alignment

People hear “balance” and imagine some magical equation:
4 hours of coaching + 4 hours of fun + 4 hours of romance = fulfillment?

No. Balance is about alignment.
My version of balance means I:
    •    Coach hard from Monday to Friday.
    •    Train like an athlete, not a gym bro.
    •    Make space for rest, reflection, and the people I care about.
    •    Protect time like it’s my last scoop of whey during a load week.

There are seasons where I push business harder, and seasons where I lean into content or family time. I don’t chase a rigid split. I chase intentional living.

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5. Relationships Are the Ultimate Performance Enhancer

This one’s underrated.
My marriage, friendships, and client relationships keep me grounded. When I show up fully for my people, I coach better. I listen better. I lead better.

If you’re a coach, listen:
Your athletes don’t just need macros—they need belief.
They need clarity.
They need someone who actually gives a damn.

That level of emotional investment is draining if you’re running on fumes. But if you’re connected to something bigger than the grind—your people, your values, your purpose—you become a force.

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Final Thoughts

Coaching at a high level doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice your soul at the altar of stage readiness. You can run a thriving coaching business, stay physically dialed in, have meaningful relationships, and actually enjoy your damn life.

It takes systems.
It takes non-negotiables.
And it takes a deep commitment to never losing yourself in the service of others.

Be the coach who leads by example. Not just with abs and spreadsheets—but with presence, peace, and purpose.

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Want more behind-the-scenes of how I build athletes and live fully?
Drop a comment or DM me—this isn’t a monologue, it’s a conversation.