Fitness instructor and influencer Ashton Hall addressed the craze surrounding his six-hour viral morning routine, which featured him dunking his face into ice-cold water, hitting the gym, and massaging his face with a banana peel. It went viral on X over the weekend, amassing over 157 million views after the @tipsformenx account reposted it. However, it was originally posted on Hall's TikTok and Instagram in February.
On March 24, 2025, the wellness entrepreneur took to TikTok and shared that he was there to speak about the "nonsense" going around, with "duplicates" of his videos reaching him.
"This is for the creators that are sick and tired of the work being copied. Listen to me well. You're either going to be a leader or a follower. And it's okay to be either one. But you have to choose. If you're going to be a leader, people are going to follow you. What is the issue?" he began.
Ashton Hall mentioned that earlier, he used to "block" anyone who used to copy his work and wondered what was "wrong" with them. However, he later realized he was "great" at what he did and drew comparisons to Jesus Christ.
"Why do the same thing as me? What is up? Then I realized bro, like people follow Jesus, why? Because he was great. As a Christian man, why are you angry if they're following you? Matter of fact, if you're doing something good, with good intention, this should be a great thing," Hall explained.
In the wake of his now-viral response, social media users are having diverse reactions. For instance, Instagram user @tornado_in_paradise commented on the post reshared by HollywoodUnlocked.
“His voice don’t match his body,” the user wrote.
Many people joined the conversation and shared similar reactions on the platform, trolling Ashton Hall.
More about Ashton Hall’s response in wake of his viral morning routine video
In his Monday post responding to the rage surrounding his viral morning routine video, Ashton Hall shared that it took him a long time to "realize God has me here to lead, not to follow anyone."
"So, that's what I'm gonna do. When I see somebody following away, I should be hyped. Now, I'm not perfect by any means. I used to get p*ssed off. The running videos, the ASMR workouts. I'm not gonna act I used to be a saint," he stated.
He further added:
"So, coming from someone who's been in your shoes, just know if people are doing what you're doing, after they see what you're doing is working for you, you're doing something right. Don't allow this to get you upset. This is the name of the game."
In another separate video, Hall moved away from a verbal response to a physical one. He leaped into the air and hovered while the clock showed the end of four minutes, alluding to people trolling him online for his morning routine.
"The Morning routine. Easy routes don't pay well, get up," the clip was captioned.
Other embedded references to the online discussion surrounding him he included in his reply were: plunging his face in icy Saratoga Spring Water, reaching the first 10,000 steps, and facial using a banana peel, among others.
Towards the end, he directly addressed becoming a meme as he reviewed posts about him from A-listers, including Canadian rapper Drake and internet personality Mr. Beast, alongside media outlets such as The Shade Room.
Ashton Hall has become an online phenomenon, earning over 8.9 million followers on Instagram and 4.8 million on TikTok. His original 4 am morning wellness routine video that was uploaded last month was captioned:
"Day 191 of the morning routine that changed my life. 3:50am to 9:30am… If you're dealing with a weak mind, bad decisions, or lack of productivity, go to sleep early. 4:00am – 8:00am no one's calling or distracting your productivity, they are sleep... 8:00[am] – 12:00pm is the opposite. Just try 30 days."
The video showed Hall using banana peels on his face, taking an ice-cold face bath, going for a run and swim, spending time at the gymnasium, mouth-taping, and seemingly floating in the air for four minutes. It also saw Hall meditate and read as part of his daily routine.
Ashton Hall is a former footballer for Alcorn State University in Mississippi who later became a wellness and lifestyle coach, influencer, and entrepreneur.
