Fight by Design

07/10/2025

When people think reading’s just for geeks… but the ones who read before bed are the ones quietly outworking everyone!!!

You can keep Netflix, TikTok, and that last doom scroll that adds zero to your life, or you can start building a mind that actually recovers, resets, and focuses wayyy more than your competition.
Reading before bed isn’t about pretending to be smart.

It’s about slowing your nervous system, lowering cortisol, improving sleep quality, and feeding your brain with something that actually pushes you forward, yes, as an athlete this is an essential.

Here’s the reality:
Reading = Recovery for your mind.
Better recovery = Better performance.
Better focus = Better decisions in the ring, in training, in life.

While most people are “relaxing” by frying their dopamine before bed every single night, the best are reading a few pages, falling asleep faster, and waking up so much more calm, clear, and ready to destroy another awesome day.

So yeah, reading might look like it’s for geeks.

But those “geeks” are showing up more on point, more focused, and winning longer.

Try it tonight. 10 minutes, No blue light, Just something that feeds your head, tell me how you feel in the morning and also how much more calmer you feel in the bed.

Do it again, 2-3 night, you’ll feel the huge difference by the end of the week.

BTW this book here is something i advise for every single athlete, it will change your life and performance!

11/07/2025

Which are you?

Fighter A who takes the Loss. Blames the ref, Blames the cut, Blames his camp or his team. Sits in the suck, Doesn’t review the fight footage, Doesn’t learn a damn thing. Mentally quits before the next one even starts.

Or fighter B? The one who owns it, Breaks it down and rebuilds. Who watches every second, analyses and works on fixing the gaps. Shows up on point, meaner, and more locked in the next week.

📌 Only one is actually more dangerous next time they climb in that ring.

And here’s what most don’t know:
Neuroscience shows that your brain literally rewires after a setback. IF you choose to face it.

The anterior midcingulate cortex (aMCC) controls effort and bounce back. Every time you choose to push through, review, and rebuild - you strengthen it. Every time you avoid, quit, or blame - you weaken it.

Guys, this isn’t mindset fluff. This is hard, real, science.
Resilience is a neural circuit. And just like a muscle - it grows when you train it.

🧠 So no - you didn’t “lose.”
You just uploaded an upgrade.

Don’t just fight. Fight by design.

11/07/2025

Most fighters, or athletes, train hard physically… but crash mentally when it counts.

This blog dives deep into how to build a real killer instinct, and really flip that mental switch when it is most needed. If you've ever felt like crashing the last round, on the last few reps or struggled to stay aggressive under pressure, this is a must read.

I break down how to hardwire your brain to stay on point, dangerous, and fully in control, no matter what’s happening in the fight, the same way I use for my elite athletes.

👉 Read it here:

By Leroy Saunders | Strength & Conditioning Coach, Fight by Design It happened, you faced a tough loss, a knockout in the third round after having it in the bag the first 2. What made that loss sting a lot was realizing that your opponent simply wanted it more in the final round. They

16/09/2023

Lifeguard or swim coach?

09/09/2023

Lets settle this once and for all

The Blue Zones are a cherry-picked myth, despite what the TV tells you!

The Blue Zones are regions around the world where people are reported to live longer, healthier lives compared to the global average.⁣ These areas have gained attention for their high concentration of centenarians and low rates of age-related diseases.⁣

Some well-known Blue Zones include Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica), Ikaria (Greece), and Loma Linda (California, USA).⁣ However, the concept of Blue Zones lacks scientific validation.⁣ While these regions may have longer-lived populations, the idea of Blue Zones has been popularized by media and marketing rather than through comprehensive scientific studies.⁣

The criteria for defining a Blue Zone vary, and the longevity of these populations is attributed to a complex interplay of genetic, cultural, lifestyle, and environmental factors.⁣ This is why attempting to draw firm conclusions about their longevity secrets—such as their purported low protein, minimal animal food diets, is nonsensical.⁣ Plus, what about the studies that show countries with the highest meat and protein intake live longer? (See below!).

Centenarians may live longer in spite of their alleged low protein, vegetarian-leaning diets, not because of it.⁣ The Blue Zones can certainly offer insights into healthy living, but they should be viewed more as observational anecdotes rather than scientifically established principles for longevity.⁣

In the meantime, I’ll keep employing the nutritional power of animal-source foods to reach my best health.

But wait...

Dispelling Blue Zones myths: High meat intake is associated with longevity

In this population study from 2021, researchers sought to establish if there was an association between high meat intake, life expectancies, and childhood mortality across 175 countries. Spoiler alert! There was. Using multi-step statistical analysis, researchers found that meat intake positively correlated with longer life expectancies and lower childhood mortality, and this effect remained significant after controlling for confounding factors attributed to longevity (GDP, education level, calorie intake, and obesity). Take that, Blue Zones!

Taking it a step further, meat intake was also one of the most significant predictors of longevity, whereas carbohydrates showed a weak and negative correlation. This makes sense given meat has been a part of our ancestral diet for millennia, as evidenced by its high digestibility, tolerance, and complete amino acid profile.

What's more, it's nutrient profile is likely a major contributor to human survival and evolution in the first place. While the luxuries of modern life make it possible to survive on a vegan or vegetarian diet, it can’t compare to the nutrient density of an omnivorous diet. But don’t take my word for it. The authors state, “Well-planned vegetarian diets, including vegan diets, are nutritionally adequate… but only because their nutritional composition adequately imitates and replaces what is commonly provided by meat.” BOOM! Of course, the study is observational, so we can't say that meat intake is causally longevity-promoting. If we did, we'd be making the same mistake many Blue Zone advocates make!

This golden information laid out by Max Lugavere

https://www.dovepress.com/total-meat-intake-is-associated-with-life-expectancy-a-cross-sectional-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJGM

15/08/2023

Every year I coached I knew more but did less. ⁣
⁣
Youthful arrogance makes us think we will outsmart or out specialize our competition. ⁣
⁣
Likely you won’t.⁣
⁣
So perhaps focus on out communicating and out executing.⁣
⁣

28/07/2023

38 years on this big beautiful planet we call home⁣
⁣
7 things I know keeps me young even though I’m getting “older” ⁣
⁣
- Avoiding mainstream media nutrition advice ⁣
- Not settling for mediocre coffee⁣
- Absorbing the sun as if it might disappear one day⁣
- Exercising in a way that works specifically for me: 2-3 CrossFit sessions a week, some body building, weightlifting and a lil wakeboard ⁣
- Working hard but smart and making time for play ⁣
- Not taking life so serious, no one gets out alive anyway⁣
- Not everyone is going to like you especially if you don’t conform, it’s ok to stand out⁣
⁣
Cheers to another year, grateful for all the beautiful people in my life and I really, truly appreciate every one of you 🙏🏻⁣
⁣

17/07/2023

Coming in hot

Final strength & conditioning session with the champ, ตะวันฉาย P.K, before his big Kickboxing fight night at One Championship 5 Aug 2023

Last few weeks we have placed a lot of emphases on power and drive specifically from the hip while working on improving speed and strength in specific areas

Going to be an interesting and most definitely an entertaining fight

Always a pleasure working with this guy, never has he questioned, you ask him to perform and he goes above and beyond, he knows the results he gets from every minute of grind he puts in

Lets GO!

ONTRACK ASIA

25/06/2023

Overnight success ⁣
⁣
Lol I wish… ⁣
⁣
You know those dramatic 'overnight' before-and-after photos? The truth is, transformation – especially in performance – takes time. Building real muscle is less a sprint, more a marathon.⁣
⁣
Reflecting on my own journey, I see how consistent, small habits has been the fuel to my overall results. ⁣
⁣
Over the past year, I've committed to:⁣
⁣
✅ More Whole Foods⁣
✅ Prioritized protein (1.5g+ per kg body weight daily)⁣
✅ Followed smart training protocols specific to me⁣
✅ Ensured daily movement aka walking⁣
✅ Sun & sleep a priority ⁣
⁣
These might seem like tiny, obvious changes, but done regularly, they've added up to significant progress.⁣
⁣
Did I undergo a drastic transformation overnight? Absolutely not! ⁣
⁣
But have I seen the fruits of my consistency? Undoubtedly!⁣
⁣
I’m a huge believer of the phrase “The fruit is only as healthy as the tree” ⁣
⁣
But let's remember, transformation isn't only about the physical changes. ⁣
⁣
Improved performance, enhanced health metrics, increased energy - these are powerful signs of transformation often overlooked.⁣
⁣
And the most important lesson? Transformation is a journey, not a destination. Is change easy, no! It requires consistent work towards your goals, despite the hurdles of other responsibilities, like building business, coaching and many other daily responsibilities. ⁣
⁣
So, to everyone on their own transformation journey, remember - never compare your journey to that of others and keep in mind, small, consistent habits can lead to really big sustainable changes. It doesn’t matter how busy your day is, or how crazy your life may be, making that small 1% effort each day is huge, and definitely worth it, when adding it up over a year or more. ⁣
⁣
Keep going, keep growing! ⁣
⁣
Lastly, Don’t forget to celebrate each and every small victory on the journey. ⁣
⁣
Now go enjoy some steak and sunshine 😉⁣
⁣

19/06/2023

So, there's this study called "Total Meat Intake is Associated with Life Expectancy: A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis of 175 Contemporary Populations" that looked into the connection between how much meat people eat and how long they live. They gathered data from 175 countries and territories, thanks to the United Nations.

Now, here's the deal. Some folks have been questioning previous research that claimed eating a plant-based diet, like being a vegetarian, leads to a longer life. They said the earlier studies didn't have enough diverse data and didn't consider other things that could affect the results, like lifestyle choices.

To settle the debate, the researchers used a lot of fancy statistical methods to analyze the relationship between meat intake, carbohydrate crop intake (like grains and starchy foods), and life expectancy. They also took into account factors we already know impact how long we live, like how many calories we consume, how urbanized our areas are, how chubby we are, and our education levels.

Guess what? The study found a positive link between eating meat and longer life expectancy across the globe. And get this, even after considering all those other factors I just mentioned, the connection between meat and life expectancy still held up. But hold on, carbohydrate crops didn't fare so well. They showed a weak and negative correlation with life expectancy, imagine that!

But here's the kicker. When they ran their fancy analysis, they found that meat intake, not carbohydrate crops, was a significant predictor of life expectancy. In other words, if we want to predict how long someone might live, we better not ignore their meat-eating habits. Boom.

Now, let's talk about the ongoing debate about whether meat is good or bad for us. Some studies claimed that going vegetarian can add years to our lives. But critics said those studies didn't have enough variety in the people they studied and didn't consider other lifestyle factors. The researchers behind this study argued that meat has been a part of our diets for ages and provides important nutrients. They even mentioned that we can produce meat artificially, which could be a game-changer for those who have moral concerns about animals.

To sum it up, this study suggests that eating more meat might be associated with longer life expectancy on a population level. It reminds us that if we want to predict how long someone will live, we better not ignore their meat-eating habits. And hey, it again challenges the idea that being a vegetarian always means a longer life, especially when we take other factors into account.

Study link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8881926/