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Thứ Hai, 7 tháng 11, 2016

What it’s really like to train with volleyball goddess Gabby Reece

Ever wonder what life is like for Gabrielle Reece and Laird Hamilton? Well, wonder no more. Gabby and Laird, along with Brian MacKenzie, a human performance specialist, have created The XPT Experience, a three-day turbo-charged immersion into their lives. XPT stands for Extreme Performance Training and for $5000, you get full access to this trio and a roster of the most buzzed about – although you may not have heard about them yet — trainers, coaches, health and wellness experts. The XPT Experience is an action-packed program of workouts, lectures, and playtime too, all of which comes from the cutting edge training, nutrition and recovery these professional athletes have integrated into their daily lives.
For those who don’t know this Amazonian beauty, Gabby Reece is a former professional beach volleyball player, model, best-selling author, mother, and world-renowned fitness personality, most recently seen as the host of NBC’s Strong. At 6’3 she is a towering presence, and at 47 years old, as gorgeous and fit as ever, enhanced by a big heart and generosity as large. Husband Laird Hamilton is the world-famous big wave surfer, who at 53 defies age and gravity, riding massive walls of water for a living and inventing new water sports for the rest of us to enjoy. He is recognized as the creator of Stand Up Paddleboarding. His rock hard physique and hunky good looks are hard to ignore, along with an engaging stream of dialogue that questions many common assumptions on health and fitness, while offering alternative ways of thinking with the latest discoveries in human performance.
Then there is Brian MacKenzie, the third member of the XPT trio, whose intensity matches, if not outdoes, this duo’s. Equally irreverent, he is a renowned strength and conditioning coach, and endurance expert, with multiple 100-mile ultra-marathons under his belt. Tattoo covered with a no-excuses attitude and a rapid fire delivery that demands attention, much of what he expounds, along with Gabby and Laird and the others to whom you are introduced at XPT, is antithetical to what you think you know. This is the anti-authoritarian approach to fitness, that teaches you to question everything and be your own judge of what works. Says Brian, “Before anybody was doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), I had exercise physiologists coming in saying I was going to kill these people. They just kept getting better and better and fitter and healthier. Nothing I teach has not been done by me first. Then we share.”
I’ve had the opportunity to attend two of these XPT Experiences, one in The Hamptons last summer and one a couple of weeks ago in Malibu, Calif. The itineraries vary with each, but the most recent included: Hamilton’s beach workout; Reece’s High-X circuit training; and MacKenzie’s strength and alignment clinic; as well as a seminar with nutritional sports performance guru, Mark Sisson, founder of Mark’s Daily Apple and author of The Primal Blueprint, who lectured on ketogenics, and using fat instead of carbohydrates for training fuel. And besides workouts, although equally physical, are activities like stand-up paddleboarding and mountain biking. XPT is centered around the notion of enjoying being fit, and all activities are designed to be entertaining. I’ll take running with a sandbag and rolling a tire down the beach over lifting weights in the gym any day.
With Gabby Reece and husband Laird Hamilton at the XPT Experience. (Photo courtesy of Claudia Lebenthal)
With Gabby Reece and husband Laird Hamilton at the XPT Experience. (Photo credit Claudia Lebenthal)
These are just a few of the highlights, but at the center of the both XPT Experiences has been the pool training and breathing clinics. XPT originally stood for Extreme Pool Training, the underwater workout Hamilton developed as a way to train in his off season. At its origin, the pool training was designed to prepare for being held underwater after wiping out on a giant wave, but this has evolved into much more. This is a workout for the rest of us. As Hamilton says, “It’s not so much about under, as in, and your ability to move through the water more efficiently, more confidently, effortlessly.”
If you pull up to Reece and Hamilton’s hilltop home in Malibu on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, you will find their pool filled with an elite group of athletes, celebrities, and other by-special-invite only friends. Gabby and Laird have turned their pool into an underwater gym. Around the deck are dumbbell racks filled with an assortment of weights and a cabinet filled with scuba masks. Grab one and jump in. In the pool all are engaged in a variety of drills performed with weights and without oxygen, like underwater running, explosive plyometric movements, and swimming drills. There is a sauna barrel, almost like a sweat lodge, at one end of the pool, and an ice bath at the other, with people alternating between the two extremes for post-workout recovery.
Describes Reece, ”The thing with Laird is that SUP and pool training have all been birthed out of, ‘What I do in the off season to prepare. I’m bored out of my mind. I can’t stand swimming laps but I want to do stuff in the water to expand my lung capacity and be in water.’ It became another form of training that yes, would compliment his surfing, but was a way to do dynamic explosive work with low impact as well.”
Underwater breath holding is another example and has evolved into XPT Performance Breathing. There are 45-minute sessions everyday on the XPT Experiences consisting of long and short intervals of inhales, exhales and breath holds designed to get more oxygen into the lungs and in the blood. At the core is training to stay underwater for long periods of time if necessary, but there are also more practical applications. Picture yourself breathing heavily after sprinting, trying to get as much oxygen into your lungs as possible. What if you did that before a workout? The theory is increasing lung capacity and getting more oxygen translates into more endurance and better performance in any sport. Conversely breathing drills are taught to relax the body after a workout. Exercises on land as well, like those on our beach training session, were performed for only as long as we could hold our breath. If you think dragging a log down the beach is difficult, now try it without air! You can only get stronger from that.
It is access to this exclusive kind of training that XPT offers. On the Malibu XPT experiences Reece and Hamilton open their pool and offer this workout to anyone who can afford it, and given the jam-packed itinerary, the $5,000 price tag, that includes food and lodging, seems pretty reasonable. Participants range from everyday folks looking to expand their fitness horizon to professional athletes like beach volleyball star and four-time Olympic medalist (three golds and one bronze) Kerri Walsh Jennings, who joined us with her husband, another pro beach volleyball player, Casey Jennings, not just for the Experience but as a featured part of the program. Regardless of skill level, how many people can say they were coached by Kerri Walsh Jennings in volleyball drills? How often does one get to spend three days with that level of athlete, and not just as a coach but as a team member? Walsh Jennings was my partner in the gym, spotting me on deadlifts, as I did her. Says Walsh Jennings, “We were there to share our love for our sport with the group, but we wanted the experience too. This is quality time for Casey and I. Hearing everyone’s reasons for being there… everyone’s answers were my answers.”  
Partnered with four-time Olympic medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings for a beach workout at the XPT Experience. (Photo courtesy of Claudia Lebenthal)
Partnered with four-time Olympic medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings for a beach workout at the XPT Experience. (Photo courtesy of Claudia Lebenthal)
The common thread of all the programs on an XPT Experience is performance. Athletes don’t workout to stare at themselves in the mirror, although their bodies show the results. “Viewing fitness, strength, and conditioning through lens of performance is fundamentally talking about training not just for the sake of training,” says Logan Gelbrich, owner of Deuce Gym in Venice Beach, Calif., who was one of the featured instructors on the Malibu XPT.  A “Strongman” competitor and coach — think large men with Swedish names pulling cars on ESPN2 — he has a far more regular sized and functional athletic build. Gelbrich taught us to lift, carry, and run with Atlas Stones and Sandbags weighing up to 65lbs, and has found this training to be very effective “helping general people achieve general goals.”
Says Gelbrich, “The movements in Strongman are very basic and rudimentary — lift, drag, push, pull. If I am humble enough as a coach to think about why people are coming to me – they want to look better, feel better, perform better — I should at least consider the lowest hanging fruit of training. I can teach you to flip a tire or carry a sandbag and in four minutes you’re going to be a competent mover. In seven minutes you’re going to be able to be under load and with intensity, which means you’re getting fit right now. Plenty of people come to me and say, ‘I’m not interested in heavy weights or running fast. I’m getting married and just want to look great.’ If you are faster, more flexible, and stronger you’ll probably look the part as well. Without some tangible measurement to hang your hat on then were just looking at ourselves in the mirror and the feedback loop is always negative.”
For all of the featured coaches and and speakers, as well as Reece, Hamilton, and MacKenzie too, the XPT Experiences are as much about learning as they are teaching. All participate in the other’s programs, but also get back data from us — seeing what works and what doesn’t, what we take away from the three days and what we leave behind. Beyond that though is a desire to share that learning. Says Hamilton, “We get so much exposure. We’re just doing what we love to do. Part of this is the unselfish act of giving, but we’re always learning and were going to learn from you guys. This is an evolving concept. It’s never going to be the same twice. In fact, none of our workouts are ever the same twice, because nothing is ever the same. The day is never the same. Your performance is never the same. Everything is always evolving. ”

More games: friv

Thứ Ba, 13 tháng 9, 2016

Gabby Reece raising awareness to help others fight opioid epidemic

As the opioid epidemic rages on in the U.S., a new study finds that the use of opioids to treat pain after surgery is leading to addiction at alarming rates. According to a national survey, one in ten patients admit they've become addicted to or dependent on opioids after being exposed to these powerful medications following an operation.
With 70 million surgical patients in the U.S. receiving an opioid annually, these findings suggest that as many as 7 million patients could develop an opioid addiction or dependency this year following a surgical procedure.
Given the clear need to cultivate better communication between patients and surgeons regarding all available postsurgical pain treatments, Pacira Pharmaceuticals and ASER are launching the Choices Matter program.
The initiative aims to educate both patients and physicians about their options when it comes to postsurgical pain control in order to promote proactive discussions before surgery about non-opioid alternatives. Former star volleyball player, Gabrielle Reece, whose recent knee replacement surgery has made this issue personal, is joining the campaign.
Reece had the chance to talk with AOL.com about her experiences and the campaign.
Q: What was your motivation for getting involved with this campaign?
A: I got involved with the campaign because I had knee replaced three months ago. Going in, I knew I wanted to try and avoid opiates. In the hospital, I got strong anti-inflammatory pain killers but then when I was home, I was on my own. I had to grind it out. The site www.planagainstpain.com is here and now there's all new and exciting products that aren't opiates, but can help with pain. They have these products available for right after surgery, which is typically the most painful time. I wanted to be involved, as an advocate for being in health.

Even for younger people, if they get addicted, the people who stick them in their cabinets at home, you have young people who get their hands on it. I have three daughters, I spent a lifetime trying to be as healthy as I can. When you start reading this, but realize other options, I was exciting to talking about it. Not that I can relate to it, but I know people don't have to go through it either. So when they say 10 percent are getting addicted, it's time to take a look.

Q: Have you found in your research and promotion of this campaign that opiates are more prevalent in certain sports? 

A: One interesting thing about the opiates. It doesn't matter about sport, gender, religion, age, ethnicity -- if you have the switch you have the switch. In football, athletes are getting surgery more often, in sports where you're getting beat up -- you have to wonder, how do they function weekend to weekend? These guys are going to battle ...
USA-ENTERTAINMENT/

Q: What's the most valuable piece of advice you can give regarding health and wellness? 

A: It's important to come to place where you realize, this is the No. 1 asset we own. We clean our car, we dry clean clothes. But we often forget to treat our bodies right. If you have bad habits, can you slowly take them away? Get the bad stuff out of your habits. The problem is when people try to get everything out at once. And the movement is important. People say 'I hate the gym'. So, make the place you exercise not the gym. It's not about a lot at once. Consistency is key. Recruit somebody. A friend, a mentor, a teammate or ally who can work out with you -- someone you're accountable to.
Q: Is it difficult balancing your career, being a mom and your health? How do you find time?
A: I always say this: we have a lot of hats that we wear and our tendency is to put others first. You have to be 'good selfish'. You have to take care of yourself so you can take care of others. You want to be a good example to your children about valuing health and being diligent about protecting that space.

Thứ Ba, 26 tháng 7, 2016

Gabrielle Reece on parenting, staying healthy and fitting in fitness

Most people know Gabrielle Reece as a model and volleyball legend — but today, her most important role is being a mom.
Olympian Gabby Reece practices yogaJen Cawley
Gabby Reece takes an hour to work out every day.
Reece and her husband, professional surfer Laird Hamilton, are raising three young girls and trying to teach them to love their bodies — in a world where the perfect, #nofilter images on Instagram receive the most likes. Last week, Reece took a break from her role as presenter at the Robb Report Health + Wellness Summit to chat about parenting, staying fit and living life to the fullest.
"I'm aware that my kids are navigating something [social media] I never did at their age. So I try to keep an open dialogue and equip them with the truth, and keep the door open to have the conversation," Reece said, reflecting on the impact of today's social platforms.
Reece also realizes she has a strong influence on how they feel, too, and noted that real-life examples of body positivity are the best way to demonstrate it.
"Children are watching more than they're listening," she explained to TODAY. "So I'm constantly checking myself: Am I discussing my weight? Am I critiquing my clothing? I try to convey that your body is a tool that brings you experiences — it's not just 'How do I look in my jeans?'"
Reece, who most recently appeared as the host of NBC's "Strong", a competition reality show where trainers worked to help their trainees improve their physical fitness, hasn't always felt great about how she looked.
"I was 6 feet tall by the time I was 12 years old, so there was no way I was going to look like everyone else," Reece remembered. "But growing up in the sports world, I was around women who were clearly imperfect, but were having fun and felt comfortable in their own skin. I learned to connect with my body in different ways."
Clearly Reece's empowering views are having a positive effect on her daughters. In June, she and daughter Reece posted a video on Facebook sharing their current weights. Gabrielle Reece had recently undergone knee surgery and hadn't been able to work out, and thus was disappointed to learn she had lost some muscle and a few pounds.
When her daughter got on the scale and realized she weighed more than her mom, she was excited. For once, she had more muscle than her mom. A woman in the locker room was confused by their mother-daughter exchange, which is why Reece decided to share it with the world.
"We're all different," she said in the video. "We give so much to the scale, when really, we should be giving it to how do we feel, are we our own personal best? And not worry about comparing or worry about the scale."
Aside from not stressing about a number, Reece wants her daughters to develop who they are — and not to rely on their looks.
"I tell my girls: If you're offering pretty hair and butt, there are millions of those on Instagram," she explained. "Instead, send a signal of your worth — develop a skill set and personality, and let being pretty be a bonus because it's not that unusual."
Reece has a lot going on, but still manages to find time for herself, which is an important part of being a mother.
"As women, we'll clean the house, cars and make sure our nails are done, but we won't take care of ourselves, and there's no better investment. Don't apologize for taking 'me' time," Reece said.
For her, that means an hour of exercise about six days a week. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, it's high-intensity interval training for about 48 minutes. On Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, she trains in the pool or practices meditative breathing exercises.
When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, her number one tip is this: "Have fun," she stressed. If you hate the gym, get outside. Invest in yourself and your family will feel the benefits, too.

Thứ Tư, 22 tháng 6, 2016

Gabrielle Reece made a super-important video with her tween daughter about body image

Gabrielle Reece made a super-important video with her tween daughter about body image

Gabrielle Reece made a super-important video with her tween daughter about body image
Gabrielle Reece made a super-important video with her tween daughter about body image
Volleyball star Gabrielle Reece and her tween daughter Reece Hamilton just released a video about body image on Facebook and it’s kind of a game changer.
Gabrielle starts the video off by saying that naturally, she’s 6’3″ and about 175 pounds, but after a recent knee surgery, she wasn’t able to train as hard and recently stepped on the scale to discover that she’s down to 160 pounds. For Gabrielle, this weight loss wasn’t something to celebrate. It was actually devastating to see her weight drop so drastically. As an athlete, it meant less muscle, lost strength. It represented her inability to train at the highest level. She was lighter, but she didn’t feel like her normal, powerful self.
Gabrielle’s daughter Reece was with her when this happened, and she stepped on the scale too. At this point in recounting the story, Gabrielle has Reece spin around so viewers can see how different her body is from her mom’s. Reece is shorter (which makes sense since she’s so young), but she already has a noticeably different build: she’s sturdier and more muscular.
“Reece, what did the scale say when you looked at it?” Gabrielle asks her daughter in the video.
“162,” says Reece.
“How did you feel about that?” asks her mom.

The post Gabrielle Reece made a super-important video with her tween daughter about body image appeared first on HelloGiggles.

Thứ Ba, 17 tháng 5, 2016

Gabrielle Reece to Host Strong: a 'Sexy' New Fitness Competition Show with Hot Trainers (Photos)

Ten women from around the country will be teaming up with 10 of the best male trainers with various areas of expertise to lose weight and transform their lives on NBC's new reality fitness competition show, STRONG, premiering April 13. 

"It has a high level of difficulty," host Gabrielle Reece tells PEOPLE of the show. "It's sexy! The sets are really attractive. And I think it has a really human quality to it. The cast's stories are stories that everyone can relate to." 

The contestants include a stay-at-home mom of three, a former cheerleader and a 30-year-old looking for love, all of whom must face epic physical challenges along with their trainers to advance in the competition. 

Gabrielle Reece to Host Strong: a 'Sexy' New Fitness Competition Show with Hot Trainers (Photos)| NBC, Diet & Fitness, Diets, Fitness, Nutrition, Bodywatch
Trainers Adam Von Rothfelder (left) and Dan Wells
"The trainers have to deliver as well," says Reece, 46. "It's not just them telling people what to do, they're showing with their actions. The trainer is very invested in helping the woman [they're paired with], and then he's also busting his butt for her." 

RELATED VIDEO: Celeb Trainer Harley Pasternak Shows You How to Get Buns Like Beyoncé

Reece wanted to be involved with the show because of the focus on self-improvement. 


"[I was drawn to] the notion of people going through life, and then deciding, 'I'm going to be better'," says the world-class athlete. "For me, coming from a sports background, it was always about trying to be better. That doesn't mean just physically. It's this idea of, 'How do I approach obstacles or challenges?' " 

Gabrielle Reece to Host Strong: a 'Sexy' New Fitness Competition Show with Hot Trainers (Photos)| NBC, Diet & Fitness, Diets, Fitness, Nutrition, Bodywatch
Trainers Chris Ryan (left) and Wesley Okerson
"I loved the idea of these women saying, I want to either find the old me or get myself defined and find my real voice," she continues. "I'm very inspired by [them]." 

While viewers are sure to find the women relatable and root for them, the trainers are an appealing reason to tune in to the show. 

"The trainers are badass," says Reece, "and they're not awful to look at!"

The Real-Life Diet of Laird Hamilton, Surf Icon and Nutrition Nerd

laird-hamilton.jpg
Professional athletes don't get to the top by accident. It takes superhuman levels of time, dedication, and focus—and that includes paying attention to what they put in their bellies. In this series, GQ takes a look at what pro athletes in different sports eat on a daily basis to perform at their best. Here's a look at the unorthodox diet of big-wave legend Laird Hamilton.
Calling Laird Hamilton just a surfer feels, well, inadequate. He is a surfer of course, arguably the best big wave surfer in the world at 52. His resumé speaks volumes: In 2000, he surfed the heaviest wave in history off the coasts of Tahiti. He helped invent tow-in surfing, allowing surfers to catch bigger and faster waves than ever before. The Washington Post once called him the greatest athlete in the world, and once upon a time, he even saved a stranger’s life in Malibu.
But over the course of his career, the 52-year-old has become a fitness sage, regularly writing workout and diet advice, and even putting out his own line of superfood. At 17 he transitioned from modeling to surfing, and since then he’s been experimenting with all the different facets of fitness and nutrition. “You continue to evolve as an athlete and an innovator and it doesn’t end until you end. You have an obligation as an organism living here to evolve and innovate and learn,” he says. “Clothing, fitness—all part of the evolution of Laird the athlete and Laird the brand. I want to keep evolving that.”
Currently, Hamilton is preparing for the Laird Hamilton Lifestyle Weekend, a retreat he’s hosting with his wife, volleyball superstar Gabrielle Reece. When we spoke, he was between what he called “baking soda purges,” which is not as industrial-severe as it sounds, but rather starting the day off drinking dissolved baking soda in water. (There’s research to suggest that baking soda can prevent the build-up of lactic acid in muscles).

“When things don’t have an effect I stop using them. At one point I was drinking a lot of lemon water in order to eat more alkaline, and I learned you just can’t eat your way into alkalinity.” I ask if he’s developed a bullshit-meter for trends, and he responds politely and professionally: “My approach is more mathematical. If the math doesn’t pan out then I will question it. There’s always stuff that doesn’t sound right even if it is, but you still learn to use your instincts. Your body is smarter than you give it credit for.”
One of those things that doesn’t sound right, even though it is, is the idea that eating fat doesn’t make you fat. The biggest and most fundamental change Hamilton has made over the years was to embrace the necessity of fat, and to eliminate as much sugar as possible from his diet. He’s even cut down the amount of fruit he eats, stressing that fruit is meant to be eaten seasonally and not stockpiled year-round. That’s a huge shift in anyone’s diet, but he eased into it. “The biggest mistake anyone can make is being too strict. That stress far outweighs the value of what you’re doing. There’s a disciplined way to do things.”
Breakfast 
Tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in water 
Espresso with coconut oil
During the day 
Kombucha
Turmeric juice
Lunch 
Fish with roasted cauliflower and arugula salad
Dinner 
Beef vegetable stew.

Thứ Năm, 7 tháng 4, 2016

WEEK IN SLOTH

Thursday 7
“American Idol” (KASA-2 7pm) “American Idol” shuffles off this mortal coil by crowning a final idol on its series finale. But how, in a post-“Idol” world, will we know what singers to ignore on iTunes? ... Other than by watching the 23 other singing competitions on TV right now?
“2016 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony” (USA 8pm)Sting, Big Boss Man, The Fabulous Freebirds and Joan Lunden are among this year’s ... Wait. Did I just say Joan Lunden?
“Party Down South: Reunion—The Final Funnel” (CMT 11pm) What has the cast of CMT’s redneck reality show been doing since the seventh season finale ended it all earlier tonight? ... Binge drinking, you say? Imagine that.
Friday 8
“Adult Swim Golf Classic” (Cartoon Network 12:30am)Comedians Jon Daly and Adam Scott star as noted historical golfers Jon Daly and Adam Scott in this goofball sports special set in 1966. Don’t bother trying to understand. Just watch.
Saturday 9
The Cheerleader Murders (Lifetime 6pm) Cheerleaders: Always an excellent choice for horror movies or pornographic films.
Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper(HBO 7pm) Journalist Anderson Cooper examines the life and legacy of his mother, fashion icon Gloria Vanderbilt.
Sunday 10
“The Other Kingdom” (Nickelodeon 5pm) Princess Astral leaves the fairy world behind for a chance to enroll in human high school in Nick’s newest fantasy sitcom. ... I gotta say, princess, you’ve made a very poor life choice.
“The Girlfriend Experience” (Starz 6pm) Starz turns Steven Soderbergh’s 2009 sex drama about a prostitute who spends the night with clients into a weekly series.
“2016 MTV Movie Awards” (TV Land/BET/VH1/Comedy/MTV 6pm) The Rock and Kevin Hart host. ... That or they’re starring in a “Sesame Street” sketch about the difference between “big” and “small.”
Monday 11
“Cupcake Wars” (Food 6pm) Food Network is in a video game mood tonight. Celebrities Mel B, Mayim Bialik, Andy Dick and Jennie Garth bake Atari-themed cupcakes. OK, this makes less sense than Joan Lunden at the WWE Hall of Fame.
“Hunters” (Syfy 8:06pm) An FBI agent with PTSD searches for his missing wife and finds a secret government agency fighting alien terrorists. This sci-fi drama is based on Whitley Strieber’s novel Alien Hunter.
“The Detour” (TBS 7pm) Married comedy couple Jason Jones and Samantha Bee created this manic sitcom about a family (led by Jones) whose week-long vacation goes increasingly off the rails.
Tuesday 12
“Game of Silence” (KOB-4 9pm) In this twisty drama, a successful Atlanta attorney’s life is turned upside down when his long-lost childhood friends show up talking about getting revenge for a 25-year-old incident that got them six months in what looks like the same sadistic juvenile detention center Brad Pitt, Jason Patric and Billy Crudup wound up in inSleepers.
Wednesday 13
“Strong” (KOB-4 8pm) Professional volleyball player Gabrielle Reece hosts this exercise reality show in which 10 women from various backgrounds pair up with elite male trainers to “embark on a journey of both mental and physical self-improvement.”

“The Last Panthers” (Sundance 11pm) An insurance investigator (Samantha Morton, Minority Report) goes after a mysterious gang of European jewel thieves in this six-part crime series.
 
 
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