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Tim Ferriss

Laird Hamilton, The King of Big Wave Surfing (Plus: Gabrielle Reece and Brian MacKenzie) (#89)

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Laird Hamilton on the Tim Ferriss Show2

“There are no new ideas, just new applications of old ideas.”

– Laird Hamilton

Laird Hamilton (@LairdLife) is widely considered the greatest big wave surfer of all-time. He is credited with the creation of tow-in surfing, as well as the rebirth of stand-up paddle boarding. To get amped for my below interview with him, check out a few minutes of this insanity:

Hamilton has starred in multiple surfing films and was the centerpiece of Riding Giants, a documentary about big wave surfing. Laird was also Tim’s teacher in the surfing episode of The Tim Ferriss Experiment, which took place in Hawaii.

Laird is known for using his sports fame to raise money for charities including Race Across America, Pipeline for a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis, and Rain Catcher, among others.

Gabrielle Reece (@GabbyReece) has been named one of the “20 Most Influential Women In Sports” and is best known for her success in volleyball.

Reece led the Women’s Beach Volleyball League in kills for four consecutive seasons.

Elle magazine once called Reece “one of the five most beautiful women in the world,” and Rolling Stone placed her on their “Wonder Women” list.  She parlayed that into a successful modeling career and then starred as a trainer on The Biggest Loser. Her crossover success led to her becoming the first female athlete to ever design a shoe for Nike.

Brian MacKenzie (@iamunscared) is the founder of CrossFit Endurance and the author of the New York Times best-selling book Unbreakable Runner.

MacKenzie has created controversy by suggesting a counterintuitively minimalist approach to distance running. He challenges not only high-mileage runs, but also high-carb diets, and he incorporates intense strength training to conquer everything from 5K runs to ultra-marathons. He was also prominently featured in The 4-Hour Body, where he revealed how to prepare for a marathon in record time.  

MacKenzie has been featured in Runner’s World, Men’s Journal, ESPN, Outside, and The Economist.

#89: Laird Hamilton, The King of Big Wave Surfing (Plus: Gabrielle Reece and Brian MacKenzie)

Want to hear another podcast discussing underwater training from a friend of Laird Hamilton? — Listen to my conversation with Rick Rubin. In this episode, we discuss cultivating world-class artists (Jay Z, Johnny Cash, etc.), losing 100+ pounds, and breaking down the complex (stream below or right-click here to download):

#76: Rick Rubin, The Seclusive Zen Master

This episode is sponsored by Athletic Greens. I get asked all the time, “If you could only use one supplement, what would it be?” My answer is, inevitably, Athletic Greens. It is my all-in-one nutritional insurance. I recommended it in the The 4-Hour Body and did not get paid to do so. Get 50% off your order at Athletic Greens.com/Tim

This podcast is also brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade.  Give it a test run…

QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: Of the topics covered in this episode, which would you like to hear more about in the future? And what questions do you have for Laird and Co.? Please let me know in the comments.

Scroll below for links and show notes…

Enjoy!

Selected Links from the Episode

Athlete Cell | Instagram | Twitter

  • Learn more about Gabby Reece:

GabbyAndLaird.com | GabbyReece.com | High X | Twitter | Instagram

  • Learn more about Laird Hamilton:

LairdHamilton.com | LairdStandUp.com | LairdLife.com | GolfBoard.com

Show Notes

  • Challenging yourself with underwater weightlifting and elevation masks [6:39]
  • Laird Hamilton’s potent yellow energy elixir [16:39]
  • Gabby’s experience with fear as a volleyball champion and the host of The Extremists [18:24]
  • When MacKenzie thinks of successful, who comes to mind, and what are the characteristics that make people great? [23:24]
  • On a healthy integrated life, and how Hamilton and Reece think about parenting [26:09]
  • On how to cultivate a thriving relationship: training, confidants, and value Systems [34:49]
  • Most gifted books [41:09]
  • Laird Hamilton’s formula for invention in sports [46:54]
  • On the foil board and the goal to ride the biggest waves in the world [53:29]
  • What makes Laird Hamilton so resilient [1:02:54]
  • Advice for an beat-up athlete hoping to get back to high performance [1:05:49]
  • Laird Hamilton’s mantra of “training for life” [1:08:39]
  • On isolating your weaknesses, identifying flaws, and working to fix them [1:13:49]
  • Discussing Don Wildman and his incredible physical prowess at the age of 82 [1:19:54]
  • Who are the people who inspire Brian MacKenzie? [1:26:39]
  • Advice for your 30-year old self from Gabby, Laird, Brian, and Tim [1:31:29]
  • Recommendations and asks for the audience [1:39:59]

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