Matt Silva : From Farm Roots to Resilient Role Model
From his early days on a row crop farm in California's Central Valley to his current life as a manufacturing engineer and devoted father, Matt Silva has forged a path defined by hard work, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of fitness. Here's a deep dive into his fitness philosophy, daily routines, nutritional strategies, core values, and the motivations that drive him to be the best version of himself for his daughter and community.
From a young age, I enjoyed working with my hands and creating things. I learned to weld and machine and eventually became a manufacturing engineer. At a very young age I helped my dad on the farm, the work we would do was very physical and required a lot of strength and stamina. There were days I just wanted to play and be a kid, but looking back it did help me grow a very strong base for strength and endurance as well as a solid work ethic. Growing up on a farm, you learn how to care for and nurture many different types of plants and animals, this education has helped me immensely as I raise and care for my one-year-old daughter.
Fitness to me is about being able to fulfill certain roles or tasks. For men, that can be a multitude of things throughout the day. Not only that, but I believe fitness pertains to one’s ability to survive in a given environment; that environment can change and shift at a moment’s notice not just physical location or weather, but also socially and economically. In recent years, we've been faced with the realization that if sh*t really hits the fan, nobody; especially our government, can be relied upon to come save us. To me, it's our duty to have a plan and be physically fit and ready for the worst possible scenarios and conditions. I think about my daughter, she looks to me for protection, what kind of man would I be if I didn’t have a plan to protect her in the face of extreme adversity? I don't have all the answers, but I can at least make damn sure I'm prepared with a plan, and being physically fit seems to be a plus when it comes to survival... After all it's called "survival of the fittest" for a reason.
My schedule fluctuates each week, I prioritize training Jiu-jitsu and try to get at least 6 hours of training in per week. I usually get one evening class in and one-weekend class in, and those are usually an hour each. I teach three-morning classes per week, those classes are about two hours. On the days I don't have my daughter with me, I roll. On the days I do, I teach class while I hold her, and I'll pop her in her walker for a couple of minutes when I need to free my hands to show the moves we're working on that day or expand on some details. It's a handful, but it's pretty amazing what you can pull off when you just do your best to make things work, and it's really neat to be able to introduce my daughter to my favorite martial art at such a young age!
For strength and conditioning, I try to get in at least a one-and-a-half-hour workout five days per week. The workout typically consists of 10 minutes of running, 5 minutes of battle ropes, 90 air squats, 100 sit-ups, 35lb x 45 hammer curls, 35lb x 45 regular dumbbell curls, 45lb plate behind the head, and press above head x 100 (this really helps defend against rear naked chokes both strength and flexibility behind the head and over the shoulders).
I'll usually finish up by hitting the rower for 15-30 minutes, followed by the stair climber at #12 speed for 10 minutes. Some of my workouts throughout the week, and quite honestly my favorite, consist of being outdoors. I'll try and do at least one to two workouts per week (weather pending), where I do a mile with my 100lb 5.11 brand sandbag. Once I'm done, I rest for about 2 minutes then I try to do as many squats as I can without dropping the bag. I'll then perform 90 push-ups broken up into 3 sets (30x3).
After that, I'll run a mile, sometimes with a 25lb weighted vest (just depends on how I feel that day). Living in Southern California, it's my preference to workout outside. I try to keep my indoor gym time to when it's dark out, either early in the morning or late at night. If you live in a place that has a lot of natural trails and beaches, and the weather is nice, it just seems like a no-brainer to load your car up with a few exercise bands, a weighted vest, and a sandbag and go outside to get your free vitamins. You can workout in a stuffy gym or garage whenever the hell you want, might as well make hay while the sun shines!
My goal is to eat healthy 75% of the week. I start my day with superfood greens mixed with a hydration packet and a scoop of Zeolite powder (volcanic ash). I then take 1,500mg of vitamin C, a standard men's multivitamin, and a grass-fed organ blend from 'Ancient Nutrition' (I take three caps daily). I try to drink at least three liters of water per day. I eat a lot of ground Bison and chicken for protein, and I eat mostly broccoli and Brussels sprouts for my vegetables. For carbs, it's usually rice or sourdough bread. If I'm working on the road, and I'm not going to be able to train Jiu-jitsu that day, I'll usually skip a meal, and try to eat when I get home, or I'll order fish for dinner if I'm staying in a hotel. If I'm getting really hungry, and I'm on the go with no meals with me, I'll usually eat In-n-out, Chick-fil-A, or Chipotle. I try to stay away from candy and dessert during the week, but I do have a sweet tooth. I believe what allows me the cushion to eat a little unhealthy, is the fact that I rarely drink. I probably only have a few drinks in a year, if any. I prefer being sober and having a clear mind. Life is unpredictable enough, I feel like drinking only adds more variables and honestly, it's way more expensive to have a drinking habit, than a dessert habit, in my opinion.
For inflammation I don't take ibuprofen or any pharmaceuticals. I only take a CBD, turmeric, and ginger gummy from 'Charlotte's Web'. Other than that, it's usually just a mix of hitting the sauna, stretching, and the occasional cold shower for me. As for caffeine, I usually have one to two espresso beverages per day, but recently cut caffeine out to take a break. I was completely addicted to caffeine and I could really feel it taking me out of the present when I'm doing anything that required focus. The withdrawals are not fun, but the benefits have been extremely positive!
"Hell on earth would be to meet the man you could have been”
I think about this quote every day, especially at times when I'm not feeling motivated or I feel like slacking off, or maybe my ego is tempting me to be selfish. Since my divorce, I have really thought hard about who I am as a man, and what example I'll set for my daughter if I don't do what is right. Working on myself and knowing that I am the best chance for stability in my daughter's life, gives me all the motivation I need to succeed in all aspects of my life. Before my daughter, I looked at everything as sort of compartmentalized, but now see that EVERYTHING I do matters and will either positively or negatively impact her. So showing up to life every day and doing my best, is really the only option here.
I believe that if you work hard to positively impact your community, your love, dedication, words, and actions will transcend the time you have here on earth. It's my hope that no matter what, my daughter is surrounded by a community of amazing people that I have grown through my devotion to being there for others and sharing my passion for martial arts with them. To look down one day and watch my daughter bump into an old friend, student, or neighbor and to hear them say "Your father was a good man", would make it all worth it. I want my daughter to know that being human starts with love, kindness, and the willingness to help others; to really be there for them.
When I train and compete I always say "It's me versus me". What fuels me is simple, to conquer my former weaker self, daily.
My goal is to be my daughter's rock. To provide, to protect, to love, and show her through my actions that life is truly what you make it.
Resist porn, it kills your drive and ambition. Take breaks from caffeine and alcohol so you can maintain a natural balance and keep a handle on impulse control. Prioritize sleep. Understand that women on social media who are objectifying themselves are digital prostitutes and only want your money, attention, and sponsorships; most often, all of the above... Just know they don't give a damn about you or how much they hinder your productivity. Don't let your girlfriend, wife, or kids, get addicted to social media, set firm boundaries and be careful what you share on social media, there are people out there who just want to see your relationship fail because they're unhappy with their own lives.
Just because someone is good at a skill or has a high ranking in something, doesn't make them a good or trustworthy person.
One of the best ways to maintain a stable environment for your family is to stay organized and tidy, pay your bills on time, and keep your finances in check. Have a plan if sh*t hits the fan. Try to prep for the worst but keep faith that it's for the best. Don't let petty things get in the way of loving someone you care about. Practice gratitude, especially when life is testing you. If it's an activity you can do into your 80s, do it after you've killed yourself at the gym.
If you're lucky enough to have your parents or grandparents, call them, you made it this far because of them, it's probably because they love you; show them how much you love and appreciate them by spending time with them. You won't regret it down the road.
Matt and I have been long distance friends for a while now, if you need some solid inspiration or motivation Matt is your guy. He was the first one to sign up for my month long sandbag carry challenge where for the month of January we carried a 100# sandbag 800 meters every day. Even faced with the challenge of travelling for work, Matt killed the challenge and was even seen carrying the sandbag down the Las Vegas Strip…I mean, how much more dedication can one have? Give him a follow, @matt_the_mutant_
