Coach Matt’s Training
Coach Matt Myers
Tell us what you are trying to accomplish with your training and nutrition right now. What are your goals?
My goals are multi-layered. First and foremost, I train (and eat) to be healthy, vital, and expand my boundaries. This is why I will continue to train for the rest of my life.
Second, I train to be strong so that I may help others. What is strength if I cannot use it to benefit those around me? The results aren’t only physical – I train for inner-strength that comes from dedication, perseverance, and confidence as well.
Third, I train for fun. For me, this means exploring how my body can move and acquiring new movement skills. I train natural human movements ALA MovNat. In my current program, I’m focusing on hand balancing, explosive jumping, and the ability to safely roll out of a fall. If you’re training isn’t fun, what’s the point? As Alwyn Cosgrove states in his first three rules of lifting: “1. Do something. 2. Do something you love. 3. The rest is just details.”
Why did you choose this goal? What motivated you?
For my current program, I selected these skills because 1. I think they are a ton of fun, and 2. They also represent a weak point in my overall capabilities. By shoring these up, I can continue to grow in my skill set and my ability to express myself through movement!
Tell us a bit about your training program and why you set it up that way?
I train roughly 4 days per week. Three days are structured strength and skill conditioning days, and one day is a free-bee, usually spent outdoors with friends playing and having fun. A typical strength and skill conditioning day consists of 10 minutes of dedicated skill work, 3 heavy lifts, and then a small combo focused on mastering skills while under physical duress (i.e. out of breath, fatigued, environmental complexity, etc.)
Do you use a coach or accountability system to help you?
My training partner, Coach Nate, keeps me honest. At this point, however, it isn’t a slog to get into the gym. If I’m busy and feeling beat up, I just foam roll and take a nap. If I’m feeling good, I want to come in a train hard because I love what I do! Besides, if I don’t train for a while I get grumpy and then my wife will let me know. 🙂
Tell us about your nutrition program and why you are following that strategy.
My food-lifestyle (not a diet because it’s all the time) is focused on high-nutrient density, gut health, lowering inflammation, and improving energy – i.e. I eat real food. Real food = meat, eggs, seafood, veggies, fruit, healthy starches (sweet potato and squash), and some nuts and seeds. It does not include anything that comes out of a bag or box, has artificial ingredients, or highly refined flours and oils.
I’ve been eating this way for over 4 years, and the simple reason I stick to it is that it works for me. I feel great, maintain a healthy body fat percentage almost effortlessly, and have a high level of energy. When I add the other foods back in, I feel like crap. I’ve spend a lot of time researching nutrition, but in the end, that personal experience was most convincing.
What supplements do you take?
I try to only take supplements when my normal intake from whole foods is insufficient. These are currently in my fridge:
- Fermented Cod Liver Oil / Butter Oil Blend – The fermented cod liver oil has omega 3’s, vitamin A, and a small amount of vitamin D. Because it’s fermented, it hasn’t been exposed to heat during processing and so has a smaller likelihood of creating free radicals. The butter oil is from grass-fed cows and contains Vitamin K2, which works synergistically with Vitamin A & D in the body to promote healthy metabolism.
- Probiotic – These are beneficial bacteria that live in our guts and help us digest food properly. It’s important to remember that nutrition isn’t about ingestion, but digestion!
- Chelated Magnesium – I take this before bed as most people in the US are deficient and it promotes a great night of sleep!
- Vitamin D3 – I would prefer to get this from the sun but will supplement when I’m unable to get outside for prolonged periods of time. 5000IU.
What is your daily routine like?
6:45 Wake up and eat breakfast, feed the dog, etc.
7:30 Leave for Force
7:40-12:15 Coach Adult Personal Training at Force.
12:30-1:30 Lunch and reading.
1:30-3:30 Design programs, respond to emails, and take care of any other work-related business.
3:30-4:30 Workout.
4:45-8:15 – Coach Metabolic Resistance Training at Force.
8:30-9:30 Spend time with my family.
9:45 Lights out.
Anything else you want to share?
If there was one thing I wish I could help people understand is that training is not about punishment or feeling “beat up”- it’s about improving your health through movement. You don’t have to beat yourself to a pulp to see results!
