alex
honnold

Professional rock climber · first to free solo El Capitan

11 steps · last checked 20 oct 2026

greens in water and no coffee, 30 to 40 hours of climbing a week on a two-on, one-off cycle, bars instead of lunch, mostly vegetarian, and asleep from 10 to 6.

in his own words to Business Insider (October 2025) and GQ (January 2026), plus a 2023 list of his favourite things for The Strategist. He’s an investor in AG1 (Athletic Greens) from its 25 January 2022 round, so it isn’t in his stack.

what alex uses see the routine

sleep10 pm–6 am
climbing30–40 hrs a week
coffeenever
cycle2 days on, 1 off

the protocol · at a glance

what alex uses.

protocol as of oct 2025

3 items

gear3

Beastmaker 2000 Series hangboardhis go-to training tool, one in the van and one at home (2023)
ProBar Bolt Organic Energy Chews“the most kind on my stomach” on 16- and 32-hour days (2023)
Dr. Squatch Summer Citrus soapbig enough to hold, with grit for exfoliation (2023)

copy the protocol

food · what he has described

what alex eats.

first thingon waking
athletic greens in water
“you just drink a bunch of water in the morning.” no coffee (2025).
1·’25
breakfastmorning
muesli and fruit, or eggs, toast, avocado
one or the other most days (2025).
1·’25
on the wallmidday
bars, gels, chews
no real lunch; bars bought in bulk, probar bolt chews on very long days (2023, 2025).
1·’25 3·’23
dinnerevening
pasta and veg, or noodles and tofu
more salads at home; mac and cheese or tuna in the van (2025).
1·’25

largely vegetarian; fish sometimes, flexible when travelling2·’26
no coffee1·’25
thinks protein is overhyped, but drinks “some protein stuff”2·’26

the routine · 11 steps

alex’s day.

morning3 steps week1 step day3 steps any time1 step evening1 step night2 steps

morning

On waking
Greens in water, never coffee
“I wake up and I have my green juice from Athletic Greens, which is a powder you mix with water.” Coffee: “I think it tastes disgusting.”
nutrition energy
Breakfast
Muesli and fruit, or eggs and avocado
“Usually either muesli and fruit or eggs, toast, and avocado.”
nutrition
After school drop-off
Climb until pick-up
he drops his daughter at school, climbs at a nearby cliff until pick-up, and climbs “around 30 to 40 hours a week.”
fitness

week

Every week
Two days on, one day off
every day is a climbing day or a rest day. Rest days “just mean resting your skin and physically resting your muscles,” with podcast, foundation and speaking work.
fitness recovery

day

On the wall
Bars and gels instead of lunch
“I typically don’t eat lunch and just snack during the day.” He buys bars, gels and goos in bulk.
nutrition energy
At home
Hangboard training
his Beastmaker 2000 hangboard has been “my go-to training tool,” in the van and at home (2023). He still does “supplemental finger workouts” (2026).
fitness
Climbing days
Sand the fingertips
“I have a sanding block. You just sand your skin.” Loose flaps of skin tear, so he files them down.
recovery

any time

Travel
Exercise every day, whatever the schedule
a non-negotiable is some form of exercise, even a climbing gym. He walks to events or takes bike shares and scooters.
fitness

evening

Dinner
Mostly vegetarian
“I’m kind of a flexible vegetarian. I eat fish sometimes.” Dinner is often pasta and veggies or Asian noodles and tofu; in the van, mac and cheese or tuna.
nutrition

night

Before bed
Nonfiction
he almost always reads nonfiction, at night and on planes.
focus
10 pm–6 am
Asleep from 10 to 6
“Ideally, we try to get to bed early because the kids wake up early… That means trying to be asleep from 10 to 6 every day.”
sleep

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more routines.

andrew huberman

neuroscientist · huberman lab

daylight in the first hour, caffeine before an early workout, three lifting days and three cardio days a week, sauna and cold on the rest day, and dim lights at night.

see the habits