In this exclusive AARP interview, beach volleyball champion Gabby Reece (54) and her husband, pro surfer Laird Hamilton (59), share their secrets on how to live a healthy life. The husband-and-wife team discuss how their fitness lifestyle has evolved over the years and how they’ve used the wisdom they’ve gained from professional coaches and trainers to create a routine that is sustainable. They highlight that the most important things in any fitness goal are consistency and fun.
Reece fell in love with volleyball when she was 7 years old, playing at a club, throughout high school, then at the collegiate level at Florida State University. That was where she won the 1989 Dodge National Athletics Award for most inspiring collegiate athlete. In the same year, she was one of the athletes recognized in Rolling Stone magazine’s “Wonder Women of Sports.” Soon she began modeling and acting and became a spokesperson for various health and fitness brands, including Nike. After college, Reece played professional volleyball and continued to model and act, appearing in several movies and television shows. She hosts The Gabby Reece Show, a podcast where she invites top experts to discuss information that could help people navigate health, fitness, parenting and business.
In addition to being a professional surfer, Laird Hamilton is a world-renowned waterman and adrenaline junkie. He has been a pivotal influence behind many aquatic innovations, including tow-in surfing, stand-up paddleboarding and hydrofoil boarding. He grew up on the North Shore of Oahu where his mother married big-wave surfer Bill Hamilton, who coached him in the sport. As a teenager, Laird left school to pursue a modeling career, landing a photo shoot with actress Brooke Shields in 1983. On Aug. 17, 2000, Hamilton confirmed his place in history by surfing the 70-foot Millennium Wave in Teahupo’o, Tahiti. It was the first time a wave of that size had ever been ridden. Despite not wanting to surf competitively, Hamilton gained popularity due to his athletic feats, and he received acting and stunt requests for movies. He was a stuntman for Kevin Costner in Waterworld (1995) and for Pierce Brosnan, who played James Bond in the movie Die Another Day (2002).
00:00 Introduction
00:21 Gabby Reece and Laird Hamilton
00:33 Gabby Reece isn't defined by her age
00:51 Beach volleyball champion and Nike spokesperson
01:33 Laird Hamilton pioneered big-wave surfing
02:10 New outlets for passion for fitness
02:48 Gabby Reece: Consistency is key
03:05 Laird Hamilton: Make fitness fun
03:32 How Gabby and Laird stay motivated to work out
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