Elite training methods, distilled into a structured, progressive system for busy dads. 

General Dad Prep is a comprehensive program designed for fathers who want a lasting health and performance transformation. 

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Who We’ve Worked With

Why do I need a Program for Fathers?

As men enter their 30s and 40s, physiological changes can cause things to start to go south. Sorry fellas.

Your competitive days aren’t over, but you have entered a new season in life.

In this new chapter, training needs to adapt or we can begin to lose vital physical qualities.

General Dad Prep mirrors the athletic world’s General Preparatory Period, a phase of training aimed at rebuilding our athletic foundation, to counter these changes.

This program is designed to help you manage the diverse challenges of fatherhood, enhancing your ability to handle everything your kids throw at you parenting throws your way.

Tailored to Combat Age-Related Changes

Depressing facts below:

General Dad Prep is specifically designed to address these challenges, by integrating:

  • targeted speed and strength training to combat power and neuromuscular decline.
  • cardiovascular training that improves metabolic function and decreases disease risk.
  • lifestyle interventions to optimize hormonal health and support your immune system.
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more than just an exercise program

There are plenty of good training programs out there that can improve your cardio or increase your strength, but these are just pieces of a bigger puzzle.

I created this program to provide you with a comprehensive set of tools to improve your holistic health.

You might be lucky enough to still look good in a speedo, but does that matter if you’re sleeping like s*** and have the blood work of a fast-food mascot?

My goal is to help you reframe how you think about health and fitness.

4 months of training
separated into two phases

01. Acceleration
02. transition

The program combines a continuous exercise regimen and targeted health and well-being modules.
Each block builds strategically on the last.

4 months of training

separated into two phases
01. Acceleration
02. transition

The program combines a continuous exercise regimen and targeted health and well-being modules.
Each block builds strategically on the last.

the training plan

3 x Gym based sessions per week

Full body splits covering speed, strength & hypertrophy.

Complete robustness routine

Mobility, stability, and recovery sessions you can squeeze into your weekly schedule.

All-in-One App

1 x StandAlone Energy system session per week

A targeted cardiovascular session that can be adapted to your preferred modality.

1 x standalone speed session per week

A mixture of linear and multi-directional speed progressions, to get you moving quicker and more efficient.

Training is organized using a readiness-based model, Giving you the ability to switch days or shorten sessions as needed.
Clear instructions on how to adapt training to your daily energy level and time constraints, is provided inside the app.

In-Depth Session Guidance
Guided Cardio & Speed Sessions
In-App Meal Tracking

the modules

The Foundation

Fatherhood’s tough on the body – this module doens’t sugarcoat it.

Learn why you should adapt your training as your body starts to make those involuntary grunt noises.

Acceleration

  • How Your Body Changes & What to Do About It
  • Strength Platforms for Explosive Movement
  • Energy System Development
  • Mobility & Stability for Movement Efficiency

Transition

  • Injury Mitigation Frameworks
  • Managing Injuries
  • Motor Control for Reducing Cognitive Decline
  • Planning Your Performance Program

The mechanism

Fix the pillars that drive everything — hormones, metabolism, and performance.

Discover how to harness stress, not just manage it, and incorporate essential recovery techniques into everyday life.

Acceleration

  • stress to adapt
  • sleep fundamentals
  • shifting your physical state
  • Shifting your mental state

Transition

  • Plan for stress
  • Building your sleep tactics
  • Long term stress
  • Routine Optimization

The fuel

Gain a deep understanding of how food fuels your body and impacts your entire well-being, enabling you to make informed choices that benefit both you and your family.

No fad diets or food cults.

Acceleration

  • Nutritional Foundations
  • Eating for Energy
  • Basics of Gut Health
  • Fine-Tuning Your Diet for Performance

Transition

  • Advanced Dietary Techniques
  • Supplements and Nutritional Gaps
  • Fuel your family
  • Managing Diet Over the Long Term

The clean-up

Take practical steps to reduce unnecessary chemicals in your home.

Protect your family and help everyone feel a little better without turning your life upside down.

Acceleration

  • Understanding Environmental Toxins
  • Improving Indoor Air Quality
  • Food and Water Purity
  • Safer Alternatives for Cleaning & Personal Care

Transition

  • family practices & awkward conversations
  • Your Outdoor Space
  • Hidden Household Sludge
  • realistic expectations

the training plan

3 x Gym based sessions per week

Full body splits covering speed, strength & hypertrophy.

1 x StandAlone Energy system session per week

A targeted cardiovascular session that can be adapted to your preferred modality.

1 x standalone speed session per week

A mixture of linear and multi-directional speed progressions, to get you moving quicker and more efficient.

Complete robustness routine

Mobility, stability, and recovery sessions you can squeeze into your weekly schedule.

All-in-one app
In-Depth Session Guidance
In-App Meal Tracking
2-3 Cardio Sessions Per Week

Training is organized using a readiness-based model, Giving you the ability to switch days or shorten sessions as needed.
Clear instructions on how to adapt training to your daily energy level and time constraints, is provided inside the app.

the modules

Training longevity

Fatherhood’s tough on the body – this module doesn’t sugarcoat it.

Learn why you should adapt your training as your body starts to make those involuntary grunt noises.

Acceleration

  • How Your Body Changes & What to Do About It
  • Strength Platforms for Explosive Movement
  • Energy System Development
  • Mobility & Stability for Movement Efficiency

Transition

  • Injury Mitigation Frameworks
  • Managing Injuries
  • Motor Control for Reducing Cognitive Decline
  • Planning Your Performance Program

stress & Recovery

Fix the pillars that drive everything — hormones, metabolism, and performance.

Discover how to harness stress, not just manage it, and incorporate essential recovery techniques into everyday life.

Acceleration

  • stress to adapt
  • sleep fundamentals
  • shifting your physical state
  • Shifting your mental state

Transition

  • Plan for stress
  • Building your sleep tactics
  • Long term stress
  • Routine Optimization

Nutrition & Metabolic Health

Gain a deep understanding of how food fuels your body and impacts your entire well-being, enabling you to make informed choices that benefit both you and your family.

No fad diets or food cults.

Acceleration

  • Nutritional Foundations
  • Eating for Energy
  • Basics of Gut Health
  • Fine-Tuning Your Diet for Performance

Transition

  • Advanced Dietary Techniques
  • Supplements and Nutritional Gaps
  • Fuel your family
  • Managing Diet Over the Long Term

home & environment

Take practical steps to reduce unnecessary chemicals in your home.

Protect your family and help everyone feel a little better without turning your life upside down.

Acceleration

  • Understanding Environmental Toxins
  • Improving Indoor Air Quality
  • Food and Water Purity
  • Safer Alternatives for Cleaning & Personal Care

Transition

  • family practices & awkward conversations
  • Your Outdoor Space
  • Hidden Household Sludge
  • realistic expectations

Strength & conditioning plan

video education content

nutrition tracking

Progress monitoring

Habit coaching

In-app messaging

Community access

wearable integration

Full exercise demonstration

An image of Ryan Hicks.
I’m the one in the back!

Hi, I’m Ryan Hicks.

If you’ve made it this far, you probably know me to some degree. If not—welcome.

I’ve been a coach and sports scientist for over 15 years. During that time, I’ve had the fortune of working with a wide range of clients — from Paralympic gold medalists to stunt drivers, and even organizations like the NFL and RFU.

A few years ago, I became a dad, alongside many friends and clients. This experience made me realize just how pivotal this moment is for a man’s health.

That realization led me to start In Pursuit of Fatherhood — a way to put my coaching and behavioral change skills to good use.

My aim is to help men make real, lasting changes in their health and performance through accessible, no-nonsense programs.

No BS — just practical, proven methods.

I hope what you find here helps.

“Watching Ryan develop over the years has been truly rewarding. He combines deep knowledge with a practical approach that really resonates. He’s not just a colleague, he’s a standout in the field and a great friend.”
Dan Howells
PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE COACH – Wasps rugby, GB Rugby 7s, & Houston Astros
“Ryan was a crucial part of my early career, educating me on what it takes to be successful in professional rugby. he always brings energy and his programming is second to none. I couldn’t recommend him more highly to anyone looking to improve themselves and understand the training process.”
Jack Willis
Rugby player – Toulouse & England
Placeholder comment
Bryan burnstein
Head of Performance – Cirque du Solil & The Circus Arts Conservatory
“Ryan is genuinely one of the best coaches I’ve worked with. Not only has he worked with world-class athletes across a variety of sports, but what really makes him stand out is his depth of knowledge and its effective application, whether you’re a world champion or a real-world person. If you’re a dad looking to train smarter without wasting your time, he’s your go-to guy. That’s why I still work with him today.”
Paul holmes
Physiotherapist to RFU, UFC, & Francis Ngannou
“Ryan is one of the most knowledgable and dedicated professionals I’ve worked with. His ability to bridge the gap between data and athlete performance is unmatched. he truely understands how to dig beneath the surface to find what really matters.”
Donald rich
Athletic Trainer to Boise State & Seattle Seahawks
Place holder Will Stuart
Will Stuart
Rugby player – BAth & England

How to Get Started

Choose your Program, Acceleration, Transition, or the Full GDP.

Acceleration Phase: Ideal if you’re new to structured training or returning after a break. This phase will build your foundation and get you up to speed.

Transition Phase: Suited for those with a training background and a good grasp of the education modules. This phase will advance your skills and deepen your understanding.

Acceleration

$299 $199

2-months of foundational skills and expert support tailored for newcomers or those restarting their fitness regimen.

Transition

$299 $199

2-months to Elevate your existing training with deeper educational insights desigformned for experienced individuals.

Full GDP

$550 $350

Get the complete 4-month program that builds from basic to advanced. a thorough fitness and wellness transformation.

program drops march 2025

Don’t hang about – get on the early access list and snag the discount shown above.

We promise to never sell your information.

14 day money back guarantee

If after 14 days, you decide the programs not for you, let us know and we’ll give you your money back. Simple.

Frequently asked questions

This program is tailored for those looking for comprehensive physical training paired with actionable health education. It’s not a university degree, but the key concepts broken down into practical, easily digestible steps.

It’s perfect for fathers aiming to improve their fitness, manage stress, and be role models for their families.

Of course, we’d love to have ya.

While the program is tailored for fathers, the skills and training are beneficial to anyone interested in improving their fitness and wellness.

The Acceleration phase is designed for beginners or those returning after a break, focusing on building foundational skills. The Transition phase is for those with a solid training background, aiming to deepen knowledge and skills with more advanced techniques.

It’s recommended to complete the Acceleration phase first to ensure you have the necessary foundation. However, if you purchased both and you feel ready, switching is possible.

We offer a 14-day money-back guarantee if you find the program isn’t the right fit for you.

Each week includes 3 full-body resistance training sessions, one speed session, and one cardio session. There are also scheduled robustness and recovery days.

All activities are scheduled in the app’s calendar to optimize your body’s response to the varied training stimuli.

If your schedule conflicts with the planned sessions, you have the flexibility to move sessions around. Detailed guidance on how to effectively adjust your training days is provided within the app to ensure you can still achieve optimal results.

No. Missing an occasional training session won’t derail your progress, but consistency missing them will!

We’ve designed the program to be flexible around your goals and daily constraints. For example, if you only have 30 minutes for a weight session today, we provide guidance on how to shorten it effectively to focus on the session’s priorities. Similarly, if you’re active in other sports and prefer to skip the cardio sessions, that’s fine too.

Think of the program’s structure as a pyramid: The weight sessions form the base and are the most crucial. Cardio sessions add another layer and can be adjusted based on your other activities. While robustness and recovery sessions are recommended, they are not mandatory.

This setup ensures you can adapt the training to fit your lifestyle without compromising your overall progress.

A well-equipped gym offers the best variety and adaptability. However, you can manage well with basic fitness equipment at home.

For a typical gym session, you’ll need bands, dumbbells, a barbell, a rack, a bench, something to pull, and something to throw.

Cardio and speed sessions are versatile and can be adapted to your preferred setting, whether it’s flat turf, grass, a stationary bike, or a versa climber etc.

For exercises that usually require specific equipment, we provide alternative modifications to ensure you can still complete your training effectively.

You’ll have access to a community forum, and direct support via our platform.

Full-body workouts are both efficient and effective, targeting multiple muscle groups in a single session to make the most of your training time.

For those training with athletic goals in mind, they’re also the best approach for managing load and optimizing recovery.

If you’re injured or an exercise causes pain, STOP. Don’t be a hero mate.

Stop any exercise that causes pain, and consult with a healthcare provider if necessary.

Within the program, we provide alternative exercises and modifications to accommodate injuries or discomfort where possible.

Focus on what you CAN do. If after trying, that turns out to be not much, get some help and we’ll see you on a return to performance program.

Educational content within our app is delivered in different formats, including video tutorials, downloadable guides, and daily habit tracking tools. This multi-format approach is designed to suit various learning style.

Much like the exercise program, the educational content is strategically rolled out over time, not all at once. This phased approach is grounded in behavioral science to enhance your learning and retention.

By spacing the content and integrating it with practical applications, we ensure that you not only learn but also apply.

Final thoughts & Program Background

I saw it happen a few too many times with friends and colleagues. They became dads, and their health quickly went downhill.

More stress, less sleep, worse habits. Before they knew it, they’re full-blown “father figures”.

It’s easy to look at the dad who’s still have a decent rig and think they’ve got their s*** together, but I think most of us know that actual health is more than just maintaining the same notch on your belt.

To be honest, I think our whole view of health is screwed up.

Have a look at the athletes we admire every weekend, you might assume they’re in peak physical health, but that’s often not the case. I can tell you firsthand that many are abusing their bodies, and they often pay a heavy price later in life.

Dads aren’t much different. We put ourselves last, sacrificing our own well-being — until a health scare forces us to take a look at the bigger picture.

So, I built this.

Not to get you ripped, but to keep you in the game — strong, mobile, and properly healthy.

This might sound grandiose, but I also hope that helping a few dads out will put some kids on a better path too.

And the thought of that? Helps me — and hopefully you — sleep a little better at night.

Cheers,
Ryan