Growing up Ashton Hall had one dream, that is playing in the NFL. He was an athlete who stayed super-focused on making it to the league. But sometimes, life takes other turns. And Ashton admitted the struggles come along with it, “I was feeling quite depressed. Being in the NFL was all I could think about.” For this, after college, he stopped working out for a year or two, something that felt totally foreign to him. It wasn’t just about losing muscle or gaining weight, it was the mental struggle of realizing that his football journey had hit a dead end.
In a Q&A session with Ritz Herald, Ashton opened up about his journey. He said, “I went to see some of my homeboys, and they cracked some jokes on my weight and physique at the time.” That got him thinking. He dug up some old photos, looking at the shape he used to be in, and something clicked. “Man, I’ve got to keep going.” But this time it wasn’t NFL, rather keeping up with his athlete spirit, he chose to train, and push himself.
He started working as a personal training director at a gym, but when the 2020 pandemic hit, everything got shut down. But keeping up the spirit, he chose not to sit down and went online. “I just decided to launch an online training platform,” he explained. He started posting workout videos, showing people how to stay fit at home with nothing but their body weight. And the response was huge. “My fans appreciated the inspiration. They adored my athletic journey, and they wished they knew what I did to get to where I’m at.”
It didn’t take long for Ashton to realize he had something special. “I saw the insane growth in support and saw how many lives I was impacting.” His gym job quickly lost its appeal, especially when management told him he had to delete his social media presence. That was the breaking point. “I simply resigned and left that day,” he said. And just like that, his full-time fitness journey began.
Looking back at Ashton’s football journey, he was a total beast back in his high school at Camden County, racking up over 100 tackles, snagging picks, and even scoring touchdowns on offense. He rocked a 39-inch vertical and blazing 4.5-second 40-yard dash. Then he took his talents to Marshall, where he balled out as a defensive back. Over his college career, he stacked up 218 tackles and three picks, even earning All-Conference USA honors. More than that, he broke Randy Moss’s school record with a ridiculous 44-inch vertical.
After college, he chased the NFL dream, signing with the Ravens in 2010. But after offseason workouts, they let him go. The Colts gave him another shot later that year, but he never made it to a regular-season game. While the NFL didn’t work out, Ashton Hall is now one of the biggest names in fitness. His online coaching programs, training videos, and motivational content have made him a proper fitness guru.
What is Ashton Hall’s 4 AM morning routine?
If you’ve ever scrolled through fitness content on Instagram, chances are you’ve come across Ashton Hall. The former LA fitness trainer whose morning routine just went viral. Hall posted a video on February 8, 2025. The clip, which racked up 157 million views and over six million likes, had people either completely inspired or questioning his sanity. Some called it motivational; others? Extreme. I mean, who would dunk their face in ice-cold water as a part of morning routine, and it’s not just that, there’s a lot more to his now viral routine. So, what exactly does this brutal 4 AM routine look like?
3:50 AM – While most people are still in deep sleep, Ashton is up with no snooze button in sight. He explained the timings, “I just decided to launch an online training platform. I immediately began uploading videos everywhere. You see, my fans appreciated the inspiration, they adored my athletic journey, and they wished they knew what I did to get to where I’m at.” Yep, he’s built differently.
4:00 AM: The first order of business is to hit the gym. We’re talking weights, cardio, and sheer discipline. Hall’s entire fitness journey started with a wake-up call—both literal and figurative. After stepping away from training for almost two years, his friends’ jokes about his weight got to him. That moment flipped a switch in his mind. Now, his morning routine is non-negotiable.
6:00 AM: After the gym, Hall hits the pool. Swimming helps with muscle recovery, endurance, and mental clarity. It’s one of those low-impact but high-reward exercises that separates elite athletes from the rest of us.
7:00 AM: Once his body has been through the wringer, it’s time to train the mind. Meditation and silent focus time are key parts of Hall’s routine. He believes in sharpening not just his body, but also his mentality. His journey from a struggling ex-athlete to a social media mogul required discipline beyond the weights. “I was feeling quite depressed. Being in the NFL was all I could think about. I, however, stopped working out for maybe a year or two after that.” That mental shift is why Hall takes this time seriously. It’s not just about looking good, it’s about staying focused.
9:30 AM: It’s wrap-up time, after five hours. But this is where the most surprising part of his routine comes up. After cooling down with meditation, Hall literally cools himself down by dunking his face in ice-cold water. And this early morning grind sets him apart in the fitness industry. Hall loves to push himself beyond his comfort zone. Moving to Los Angeles was just another challenge in his book. His words, “I reached a point in Orlando where I realized, ‘I made it!’ I was receiving plenty of compliments, you know. I was also growing comfy. But when I went to LA, I felt incredibly little, like a small fish in the Pacific. And I enjoy that sensation.”
And that’s how Hall eventually went from quitting NFL to finally finding a path of fitness and mental healing. While some might call it extreme, it works for him, and maybe a lot of his followers.
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