Patrick Leonard ''Pads'' drive in poker explained(my own view)
Hi all,
I want to share some thoughts on Patrick Leonard’s performance and what fuels his drive in poker. I’ve seen people ask on his Instagram stories how he does it, and talking with other poker players, many are surprised by the level of effort he puts in. I’m sharing my perspective based on what I learned in college studying Nutrition and Health, combined with insights from my own six-year journey recovering from a serious brain injury — which made me completely reevaluate my approach to performance and healing, since conventional doctors and psychologists weren’t able to help.
If you follow Patrick Leonard, you’ve seen him dominate in poker. But what really sets him apart is his insane drive: studying poker relentlessly, running 20 high-level tables at once, engaging on social media, and coaching others.
Many aspiring players want that level of focus and drive, but most can’t imagine it. Burnout, lack of discipline, and low energy make it feel miles away. And for most, it really is. But there’s more behind Pads’ drive than just mindset.
This is based on my own observations, things I’ve noticed from watching his Instagram, as well as stories I’ve heard from other poker players who know him personally.
Where the drive comes from
Pads’ journey started young. He played competitive sports like football and running—and did well. Early athletic success suggests his energy system (ATP) worked efficiently, and his high metabolism gave him natural stamina. Genetics, good nutrition, minimal antibiotics, and a low-toxin environment likely helped too.
Intense sports also flood the brain with compounds like BDNF, dopamine, norepinephrine, endorphins, IGF-1, and acetylcholine, which:
Boost learning and memory
Improve focus and reaction time
Enhance mood and resilience
Support long-term brain plasticity
Over the years, Pads maintained his posture, high metabolism, and healthy lifestyle. Clean eating, regular coffee, fruits, vegetables(+ginger shots), and proteins keep his energy high, hormones balanced (including DHT), thyroid working well, liver working well, blood flow optimized, and mitochondria and gut microbiome healthy.
Why metabolism, hormones, and inflammation matter
High metabolism: burns calories efficiently, keeps energy up, supports brain and body performance.
DHT hormone: enhances focus, drive, reaction time, and mitochondrial efficiency in neurons.
Thyroid (T3): steady ATP production, sharp attention, better memory, balanced mood, adaptability during long poker sessions.
Low inflammation: reduces brain fog, protects dopamine pathways, improves learning and reaction time, prevents fatigue, stabilizes emotions, keeps mitochondria efficient.
The result? Pads can grind long sessions without burning out, stay calm under pressure, make clearer decisions, and adapt quickly to changing tables and opponents.
His brain is not fixed, it’s dynamic, constantly reshaping its connections (synapses) between neurons.
Pads’ success isn’t just mindset—it’s a more then that
When you’re under constant pressure in poker, your body and brain burns through key nutrients (B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin C, glutathione, amino acids etc) faster. That drains your whole system. The nervous system gets overstimulated, the brain inflamed, the gut irritated, liver has a hard time breaking down cortisol. Over time, less fuel, less focus, less drive and more anxiety and depression symptoms
If you’re like-minded or struggling with some of this topics and want to dive deeper or ask questions, hit me up on Discord:
pokercoaching444
