The Protocol

 Core Principles: The Leader of Men

I am re-listening to Red Rising, a sci-fi series about a hierarchical society in which the highest caste has abused its power for centuries, and a member of the lowest caste is sent to infiltrate the upper crust in order to tear down the hierarchy, and restore the deeply Judeo-Christian ideal that "all men are created equal". I reached the section of the book after the hero is surgically altered, and must be trained physically and mentally with great intensity in order to make up for his 16 years of low-caste upbringing so that he can fit in with the highest echelon of society. The author highlights a few major concepts here; one of the biggest is that while knowledge and resources equal power, many of the highest caste take advantage of their superior knowledge and resources and use them to live a cushy life of comfort and ease at the expense of others. There are, however, a select few who seize the initiative, and make use of these endowments to maximize their mental and physical prowess, for noble or ignoble ends.

As with all great sci-fi novels, there is a deep critique of modern society here; we are immensely well endowed with time, knowledge, and resources, more so than perhaps any society in history, yet so many of us use these to create a life of comfort and ease, wrapping our awareness in shimmering blue screens and allowing others to move the pieces on the chess board while we enjoy our warm and cozy cocoons. Not to mention the darker realities of modern day slavery that stand in stark contrast to our decadence, while simultaneously serving as the engine generating the commodities that serve the decadence. 

Scripturally, our first father was called to "have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth" and to "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it". We are to be masters of the land, wise and strong. We are to be husbands, fathers, and friends. We are to disciple and be discipled, discipline and be disciplined, learn and teach, counsel and receive counsel.

In short, men are to lead well. Where modern cultural gets this wrong is the wholesale rejection of authority; but authority is a tool. Good authority is good; and good authorities know how to build structures for accountability and submit themselves to those structures. This was the whole point of the separation of powers in the constitution; not to abolish authority, but to limit its powers, make it submit to accountability, and recognize the rights and needs of those under its reign.

As a Marine Corps veteran, I consider the following to be "the 14 leadership traits". Not that there are not more, but this is at least a good place to start. These are "aspirational nouns" - things we should reflect on and seek to grow in and build on each day.

• Justice: being virtuous in action and choice.
• Judgement: making sound decisions.
• Decisiveness: making those decisions in a timely manner. Having sharp cognition - our tactical and strategic decision making capability must be on-deck at all times.
• Tact: I have heard this defined as the ability to correct someone without creating a hostile environment. I would add that, one must be strong, and capable of action or aggression, while remaining consummately self-controlled.
• Initiative: having a bias toward action; being able to kick it into gear and make things happen.
• Enthusiasm: leading and serving without reluctance.
• Bearing: the way you conduct and carry yourself; your general demeanor and appearance; providing a good example; having cultural fluency in generally respecting laws of geniality, hospitality, and polity, while flying in the face of the same when needed.
• Unselfishness: self-explanatory. Putting others above yourself, and recognizing that this is not only a "nice trait", but rather that service is in fact the entire point of leadership.
• Courage: the moral, mental, and physical strength to face a challenge despite fear.
• Knowledge: the intellectual storehouse that supplies the needs of decision-making. Not trivia so that you sound clever at dinner parties, but rather facts and understanding to inform future actions.
• Endurance: durability, in every possible sense. Maximizing the amount of service you can provide others rather than burning out in a flash. Having the capacity to serve unselfishly for your whole lifetime. 
• Various aspects of this durability include:
• Physiological durability - having a high 'work' capacity;  not just capable of 1 hour of intense exercise, or lifting a very heavy object a few times, but being capable of days of labor on end. Being able to spend a full Saturday helping someone dig post holes to replace their fence, on your hands and knees weeding a yard, moving someones couches and boxes, carrying a 30lb child on your shoulders or hip for hours on end, or pushing a stroller containing 2 children and all the attendant food and water provisions they require, all day.
• Mental durability - being able to face down hard decision after hard decision in the face of stress and fear, while remaining capable of sound leadership; not having a central nervous system meltdown or panic attack when you are at-bat. Picture Stonewall Jackson, riding up and down the battle line on horseback while the better-equipped union army rains death upon him and his men, keeping his troops' morale high and providing clear, decisive command over his unit.
• Spiritual durability - being able to face down hard life event after hard life event, while maintaining the capability to serve and support those around you.

How do we train ourselves for this consciously? The Holy Spirit is at work in the souls of Christians, changing us for the better - but in the words of Paul, we need to strive to put the "old man" within us to death.

I believe true spiritual change can only happen with the help of the Holy Spirit. The soul is the core of your being, the seat of your personhood. Give its care over to the one who made it and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation. 

This brings us to reason and intellect; according to Calvin, the intellect belongs to the soul, as its faculty of understanding and judgment. The will follows the intellect, though both are corrupted by sin. Intellect contemplates with a "fixed and quiet look" whatever reason brings about via discourse. The role of the will is to "choose whatever reason and intellect propound (put forward) to it"; after the Fall, the intellect is not destroyed but is profoundly darkened. Luckily, we can "be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind[s]" and have "the eyes of [our] heart[s] enlightened" by "the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him". By the grace of God the Father and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, because of our renewal in Christ Jesus, we can see the curse reversed, and have our very soul's will impacted by a renewed reason and intellect.

In addition to the spiritual and intellectual, consider the physical; you are an embodied soul. Your soul and mind are tied up with your body, separable only by death itself; when your brain is damaged, your mind is dimmed. When you are in physical pain for a long period of time, your soul is impacted and depressed by the prolonged agony of your bodily suffering. For your mental and spiritual wellbeing, you ought to take care of your body and steward it well; the only way to get a new one is by waiting for the new creation after the end of days.

Consider, too, that one of your primary roles as a leader is the protection of those under your charge; your wife and children, your broader community, your neighbors, and your property. While we live in an age where countrymen are generally civil with one another and generally refrain from acts of physical violence, I beg you not to let that lull you into a sense of apathy - as a man, you ought to be capable of violence. The man who refrains from violence because he is incapable of it is not 'peaceful'; rather, he is harmless. Please read about the series of events after the downfall of Yugoslavia in the mid-to-late-1990's - modern European countries, merely 30 years ago, rife with some of the worst war crimes in the history of mankind. Look up vlogs from Ukraine in 2021, before the war, and see how similar they look to your daily life right now. Heck, look at crimes committed in your city. Recognize that peace is rare and fragile. Not to mention, thieves and killers that come in the night do not require a declaration of war or congressional approval to exact wicked violence on the innocent.

Another of your primary roles if you are a husband is as a lover of your wife - you should be doing what you can to look good for her. You should be able to do work as mentioned before, and do it consistently, at a sustained rate, for a sustained period of time.

So what?

Take this as a sign to break out of the cocoon - cast aside the shimmering blue screens that coddle your consciousness and live a real life. Do hard things and make friends. Prepare for what may come. Here is what I am doing over the next 30 days to grow - here is my protocol. This is a 30 day program to kickstart discipline and habits.

The protocol consists of a:

I. Physical Routine

II. Intellectual & Spiritual Routine

III. Dietary Routine

I. Physical Routine

A daily physical routine. This should be relatively sustainable; this is a 30 day situation, not a forever situation. Take from it what you will, and keep running with that as long as you want - but we are essentially going for a "classicized" and philosophically sound version of 75 hard here. Ideally I will keep as much of this routine long-term as I possibly can. 8 months ago, I was the fattest I have ever been in my adult life, what has made the biggest difference for me has been prioritizing sustainability and long-term efforts rather than month-long bursts of enthusiasm for exercise. 

Part of this physical routine will be good rest. If you don't sleep well, your performance is degraded. Early morning, fasted training while we are on a fairly strict diet (i.e. not carb loaded at all times) will be in a reduced capacity already; don't further detract from your training efforts by staying up late scrolling, watching youtube, watching movies, etc. - we will make a consistent circadian rhythm a priority, and execute a bedtime routine each night with the dual purpose of improving/stewarding our bodies, and preparing ourselves mentally for sleep.

A. Your Daily 1-Hour Training Sessions

Goals of the physical routine:

- sustainable,

- athletic,

- aesthetically balanced,

- joint-protective,

- compatible with long-term durability.

The key words here are high frequency of quality movement, at moderate but effective volume, with low "procedural" friction.

A 3x/week, 30-minute antagonist-superset structure plus daily movement “snacks” is enough to produce positive change in physique if consistency is maintained.Full-body superset workouts are extremely time-efficient, and research shows only about 3x sets per muscle group per week are truly needed to see impactful change.

Daily post-workout routine:

1. Dead hangs: 60 sec

Decompresses thoracic spine.

Improves grip strength.

2. Face pulls / band: for reps until lactic acid burn

addresses tightness and imbalance in shoulders

4. Couch stretch: 1 min each side

6. Foam roller

# MONDAY — PUSH/PULL + LEGS

## Superset 1

### Press

3x6–20+ depending on movement and equipment available. Work hard no matter what wait you are working with here.

paired with

### Row

3x6–20+

## Superset 2

### Bulgarian Split Squat

3x8 each leg

paired with

### Romanian Deadlift

3x8

## Superset 3

### Dumbbell Lateral Raise

3x12–15

paired with

### Pullups or Pulldown

3x8–10

# TUESDAY — Strength + Tactical Conditioning

## Strength Block (35 min)

### Main lifts

Rotate through the major lifts each session:

- Squat

- Bench

- Deadlift

- Overhead press

Use:

- 5x5 OR

- 3x5 heavy

### Add a few sets of an antagonist exercise 

pullups, rows, lunges, etc.

## Conditioning (20 min)

Weighted vest or ruck/20 min

# WEDNESDAY — SHOULDERS + POSTERIOR CHAIN

## Superset 1

### Barbell Overhead Press

3x6–8

paired with

### Pullups

3xAMRAP

## Superset 2

### Front Squat

3x6–8

paired with

### Nordic Curl / Hamstring Curl / RDL if not available

3x8–10

## Superset 3

### Incline press

3x8–10

paired with

### Face Pulls

3x15

# THURSDAY — Engine Building

This is one of the most important days for developing your work capacity, via long, steady-state cardio.

## 60 Minutes Continuous

Choose:

- MTB

- elliptical

- ruck

- incline treadmill if available

Goal:  

Zone 2 heart rate.

# FRIDAY — ATHLETIC FULL BODY

## Superset 1

### Deadlift

3x5

paired with

### Pushups

3x15–20

## Superset 2

### Dumbbell Walking Lunges

3x10 each leg

paired with

### Row

3x

## Superset 3

### Dumbbell Curl

3x

paired with

### Skullcrusher or Overhead Tricep Extension

3x

### finish with loaded carries.

# SATURDAY - Slayer PT

## 60 Minutes

### 20 min ruck

55 lb  

steady pace

### 20 min strength circuit

Rotate:

- front squats

- push press

- rows

- pullups

- weighted vest pushups

### 10 min gas mask conditioning

WARNING: LOW intensity only. You will probably pass out otherwise.

Do not:

- sprint

- max effort

- induce panic breathing

### 10 min mobility/recovery

# SUNDAY -Regeneration

## 1 Hour

- long walk

- easy bike

- mobility

- stretching

- breathwork

- sunlight exposure

Daily 10-Minute Evening Routine

Wash face with warm water.

Apply moisturizer + beard oil.

Neck posture:

* chin tucks

* wall posture hold

Magnesium + glycine.

Sleep Optimization Rules

* same wake time daily - this may have to be 4AM. Maintain this on weekends whenever possible.

* dark, cold room. Sleep without sheets if needed. Use a fan.

* no caffeine after 12pm (noon), and prefer tea intake over coffee for marginal benefits of herbal teas.

* get sunlight as early as possible after waking

* no heavy food 2 hrs before bed

* low light/no blue lights after sunset.

Goal:

6.5+ hours consistently.

II. Intellectual & Spiritual

We often forget that a semester of college is only a few months of classes, with a fairly brief period of time committed to each class in the course of a week. A typical 4 credit class, per convention, equates to a 12 hour weekly commitment. Yet on those subjects we pay close attention to, given good course material and a good professor, that short period of learning bears the fruit of immense intellectual growth, which often broadens our understanding to levels that would have been inconceivable prior to the start of the semester. 

You will have 30 hours of exercise (or more) in one month. This is 60 hours of audio at double speed. Excluding your commute time, showers, etc. you can finish 2 audio books that are 30 hr.+ listens at over this month. These would be monumentally large/long works. Or you could finish 5+ modern 250-pagers. Due to the conventions of modern publishing, the majority of books released nowadays are 8 hrs or so of audio at single speed.

Again, that is assuming 0 additional hours of commute time - the average American commute is 27 minutes each direction according to Finance Buzz (https://financebuzz.com/commuting-statistics). We will round this to one hour - so assuming 3 days a week of commute, this would come out to a minimum of an additional 2 hours a day of double-speed audio, which works out to 6 hours a week, or 24 hours in the month, of additional audiobook time. 

Then you have your weekend time running errands (drive 15 minutes to the hardware store, look for stuff for 30 minutes, drive 15 minutes back, work on your project for 1 hour) that's an additional 2-4 hours per week.

This brings your single-speed listening time to upwards of 80 hours in one month assuming you listen at double speed. Even at single speed, 40+ hours is substantial.

This means that in your workout time alone you could finish 4 to 8 books amounting to dozens of hours of history, philosophy, and theology, which will help build deeper knowledge of civilizational framework, your soul, your God, your mind, your family, your role in your community and in society and in the universe.

A combination of physical fitness, historical literacy, theological depth, personal composure, and discipline is almost unheard of in modern American adults because so few escape the warm and cozy coverings of their e-cocoon. Do something more with your time than burn it listening to music and doom-scrolling.

What I've read in the first few weeks of this protocol so far this month:

1. Pierce Brown - Red Rising (finished)

2. John Milton - Paradise Lost (finished)

3. Drew Hunter - Made for Friendship

3. Lou Priolo - The Heart of Anger

4. Stephen Fry - Troy (finished)

A few books on the "wish list" to burn through this month:

Cahill - Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea

Holland - Rubicon

Everitt - Augustus

Beard - SPQR

Magee - The Story of Philosophy

Holland - Dominion

Johnson - A History of the Western World

Barzun - From Dawn to Decadence

Watson - Ideas

Homer - The Iliad

Tolkien's translation of Beowulf

Plato - The Republic

Pressfield - Gates of Fire

Boethius - The Consolation of Philosophy

Lewis - The Abolition of Man

Milton - Areopagitiica

Athanasius -  On the Incarnation

Workday Passive Curriculum (2 hrs/day)

You can only apply limited focus while working, most of us have menial administrative tasks that allow for background noise. Obviously we'll avoid ultra-dense philosophy and theology during this time.

Instead, we'll listen through stuff like:

* history

* cultural analysis

* longform lectures/video essays

* military analysis

* civilization studies

Best Channels

YouTube

* [The Great War Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@TheGreatWar?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

* [Kings and Generals](https://www.youtube.com/@KingsandGenerals?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

* [The Operations Room](https://www.youtube.com/@TheOperationsRoom?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

* [Ryan Reeves](https://www.youtube.com/@RyanReevesM?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

That said, in addition to the 1 hr of mental and physical prep, I will execute approx. 45 minutes of spiritual time in the morning, to include Bible reading, journaling & prayer, and worship playing/singing. This should be a part of the routine already, so I won't give much more time to it here.

III. Dietary routine

Your diet is the source of building blocks for your body and brain. Ecclesiastes calls us to enjoy food, drink, and the wives of our youths. Do not let your dietary constraints impinge your cultural life, your marriage, your time with your kids, or your enjoyment with friends. 

By exercising discipline in your "alone time" - in the morning and at work - you set yourself up for success in the other areas and leave margin for more enjoyment in the settings mentioned above, without compromising on functionality. Oatmeal, yogurt, coffee, beef, rice, tuna, turkey, and eggs can be delicious, too. Just put in the work to do it right.

Breakfasts: 

K.I.S.S. - keep it simple, stupid. Reproducible, packable, available at a convenience store in a pinch. Get a serving of fruit in while you're at it. Combine a few of the following according to your caloric and protein needs:

• 2x hardboiled or fried eggs
• Oatmeal
• Greek yogurt
• Fruit
• Coffee
• Bread/toast

Lunches:

a few options that should essentially provide an inexhaustible range of combinations, while still being healthy. No buying lunch out unless absolutely necessary - added perk is saving some money.

Option 1 — The Bowl

This is the best & most versatile default.

• rice or potatoes. "seeds of change" pouches from costco work great.
• meat
• veggies

easy day.

Option 2 -The old timey lunch

• hardboiled eggs
• cheese
• apples
• nuts
• sourdough/low-ingredient count bread
• cured/deli-style meat if you're feeling froggy.

Super easy to piece together when you are out and about if needed, but also super easy to pack in a lunch box or paper bag. Extremely filling and allows for "snacking" throughout the day.

Option 3 -“Peasant Stew”

My wife hates that I could live on this, and this alone. Sear the meat in the pot, then remove it once it has browned. Add the following in the pot and saute until onions are translucent:

• potatoes
• onions
• carrots
• celery

Add in the broth and meat and simmer until potatoes and carrots are almost done cooking, and add in the beans/lentils.

Then finish cooking until the potatoes and carrots are done.

What I've also done is just boil some undrained beans with a bit of extra water, add some bouillon cubes, and spoon it over left over chicken and rice.

If you want to upgrade to the deluxe edition, blend the beans in their can water before adding them in, to make the soup creamy.

Supplements

Based on my (AI-assisted) research, these are the highest ROI supplements and the dosage that makes sense for an adult man:

Magnesium Glycinate

• critical for ATP production, muscle contraction/relaxation, nerve function.
• Active individuals may have higher needs due to sweat losses and energy turnover
• This form of magnesium has good absorption and low GI upset
• Proven to improve sleep & musculoskeletal system recovery.
• 300–400mg daily
• ~$15 for a container.

Glycine Powder

• non-essential amino acid important in protein/collagen synthesis, creatine production, and as a neurotransmitter. 
• promotes sleep quality and recovery, supports collagen in joints/ligaments, and is a substrate for creatine.
• recommended dose is 3–5g daily
• ~$15 for a container. Also in the “every day dose” coffee. 

Collagen

• proven to aid in soft tissue recovery. 
• Also excellent for gut health.
• using the "every day does" coffee to also get mushroom & nootropics. Collagen comes built-in to the supplement which rivals the cost-per-cup of K-cups and even raw coffee beans ground at home for espresso. Unless you are using pre-ground, low-quality coffee purchased in bulk, this is financially reasonable.

Vitamin D3 + K2

• Critical for bone health, muscle function, and immune support. 
• Enhances calcium and phosphate absorption
• Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) helps activate proteins that bind calcium into bone and prevent arterial calcification. 
• D3 and K2 act synergistically on calcium metabolism. 
• Prevents stress fractures and support performance
• 1000-2000 iu daily
• prioritize If indoors for work.
• best absorbed with fat, prioritize integration with breakfast.
• ~$15 for a container.

Ghost Size - $30 for container, dosages are all in line with general guidelines for usage with resistance training.

• Creatine - 
• one of the best studied supplements; highly effective and cheap. This is a no-brainer, and this specific brand of creatine comes with a bunch of really good extras for a reasonable price:
• Betaine nitrate & betaine anhydrous - 

• A 2019 meta-analysis found betaine reduced total body fat mass and body fat percentage while long term use with resistance training has been linked to increased training volume, strength, and power, 
• A 2021 meta-analysis found betaine supplements reliably lowered levels of certain cardiovascular risk markers
• A meta-analysis of 11 studies found a significant protective association between betaine consumption and cancer incidence, with each 100 mg/day increment of combined choline + betaine intake associated with an 11% reduction in cancer risk. Obviously significant and a nice add! 
• ATP 

• this is the raw resource that your muscles use for energy; it has also been proven by studies to be effective in improving performance
• Epicatechin

• Epicatechin is suggested to be a natural myostatin inhibitor, augmenting anaerobic training adaptations and muscle building.
• Epicatechin has been shown to increase blood flow via nitric oxide production
• Research has demonstrated diverse health benefits including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, alongside performance benefits such as increased muscle size, strength, and enhanced blood flow.
• Panax notoginseng root & rosa canina fruit extracts

• Ginseng improved endurance and lowered blood pressure in randomized controlled trials, generally found to increase athletic endurance.
• Rosea caninawas found to enhance strength and improve endurance, as well as reduce muscle atrophy. This is less significant. but it also comes in your creatine supplement for free, so whatever!
• Astragalus 

• supports immune system, aerobic performance, anti-fatigue, and in animal trials it increased endurance capacity and muscle glycogen content while reducing accumulation of lactic acid and ammonia in blood.

I will post as I go through this and post a reflection at the end of the 30 day period.

Log: 

week 1: went well - i have been extremely sore every day as I have not trained legs while also running in about 7 years. I have finished red rising and paradise lost and am moving on to "Rubicon" next. I had to rearrange some of the days because I was too sore.

(starting half way through the week)

Wed - Lift & 3.5 mi bike ride

Thurs - 2 mi run, 3 mi bike ride

Fri - Lift, run with weighted vest, 2 mi bike ride

week 2: went well - I missed Tuesday's workout, but still got a bike ride in. Food has been going very well - even when buying lunch, I have prioritized a healthy and complete meal. The Everyday Dose coffee has been a game-changer in terms of focus and the collagen has been huge for gut comfort. I have forgotten to use the mouth tape most nights, but for the most part sleep has felt great. I feel tired every night when i hit the bed and don't remember waking up for anything besides my alarm, seems like the glycine and magnesium are doing their jobs.

Mon - lift, 2 mi run

Tues - mountain bike ride

Wed - Jiu jitsu, lift, 2.5 mi bike ride

Thurs - 1.5 mi walk, 2.5 mi bike ride, 4 mi/43 min mountain biking on trail

Fri - Jiu Jitsu

Sat - Walked all day in the sun at a historical battle reenactment

week 3: was mostly solid; diet slipped a bit, though. Activities are listed below. I had to switch Wednesday's lift out with a Physical Therapy session and skipped Friday & Saturday with family coming in from out of town. I hit a 4-mile ruck with 35 pounds in the pack, plus a long bike ride on Sunday to remediate the missed workouts from Fri & Sat. Overall I am feeling really good; 

Sun - 3 mi trail run

Mon - 3 mi walk, lift

Tues - 3 mi walk, lift

Wed - Jiu Jitsu, Physical Therapy session (1:30 hr), 3.5 mi bike ride. Big party at work; I had a huge lunch replete with free cheeseburgers and ice cream.

Thurs - 2 mi walk, 3 mi trail run, 2 mi bike ride

Fri & Sat - lazy

week 4: 

Mon: Jiu Jitsu & lift

Tues: Lift (skipped run due to late night)

Wed: PT (1:30 hrs session)