How does Laird Hamilton stay in such good shape? That is a question that many people have asked themselves. After all, he is one of the most physically fit people on the planet. His workout routine is something that should be studied by anyone who wants to get into great shape. In this blog post, we will take a look at his workout routine and find out what makes it so effective.
Who Is Laird Hamilton?
Laird Hamilton is one of the most well-known big wave surfers in the world. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of tow-in surfing, which involves being towed into waves by a jet ski or other vehicle. He has also been credited with popularizing stand-up paddleboarding. Hamilton was born in San Diego, California on March 2, 1964. His father, L.G. Zerfas left the family before Laird’s first birthday. His mother, Joann, and him moved to Hawaii when Laird was still an infant.
In 1967, Laird was a young kid living on Oahu when he met 1960s surfer William Stuart “Bill” Hamilton, on the North Shore. Bill was a surfboard shaper and glassed on Oahu and had a small business that made high-performance surfboards for big wave surfers. The two hit it off and Laird ended up introducing his then-single mother to Bill. Later they got married and Bill became Laird’s adoptive father.
Read more about Laird’s personal life here.
For those of you who didn’t know about Laird, now you know a bit. If you’re like me and a little bit obsessed with Laird, you probably knew most of that, or at least a portion of it.
What Is Laird Hamilton’s Morning Routine?
On average, Laird wakes up at 5:30am. The first thing he does is shower, rotating between hot/cold. He starts off with a pretty hot shower and finishes up with cold. He also brushes his teeth and flosses, and makes his half of the bed. Making the bed in the morning gives him his first “win” for the day to start the process of completing tasks. Task completion is a big thing for him.
He then has water with himalyan salt, sometimes lemon. He’s started using Activate Daily Jumpstart by Laird Superfood.
Here’s a good video to look into the mind of Laird where he briefly explains the morning routine:
For those looking to improve their surfing performance, the Laird Hamilton diet is a popular choice. The diet focuses on eating whole, unprocessed foods that are high in nutrients and low in toxins. This helps to reduce inflammation and promote a healthy gut biome, both of which are essential for peak performance. Laird himself swears by the diet, and many top athletes have followed suit. While the Laird Hamilton diet may not be suitable for everyone, it is definitely worth considering for those looking to boost their surfing performance.
Related: A Surfer’s Diet: What to Eat and Drink Before and After a Surf Session
The Laird Hamilton Diet
- Breakfast:
Laird will enjoy three shots of espresso with any of the Laird Superfood creamer – he switches up the flavors between the turmeric and original ones. Occasionally, Laird will add half a teaspoon of coconut oil and ghee, along with a scoop of the creamer. He also uses the Performance Mushroom Powder in his morning coffee. Although at the time of writing this, it’s out of stock. (I guess a lot of people are using it) - Lunch (beginning at noon or 1 p.m.):
Around noon or 1pm is when Laird’s first meal happens. He’ll typically eat a small amount of high-quality animal protein that’s paired with vegetables.- Protein choices in rotation: Chicken, turkey, red meat, lamb, buffalo, eggs.
- Vegetable choices: Colorful options like kale, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, squash (kombucha, butternut, etc.), swiss chard, spinach, brussels sprouts, beets, garlic, celery, sprouts, bok choy, cucumbers, avocado, rapini, eggplant, etc.
- He typically limits the number of carbs (like potatoes) and grains he consumes.
- Laird also doesn’t eat much dairy, if he does, it’s raw and unpasteurized.
- He mainly uses these oils: coconut, olive, and avocado.
- Dinner:
His wife Gabby cooks almost every night. As you might have guessed by now, it keeps with the nutritional demands of the Laird Hamilton diet. That means there’s always plenty of high-quality protein like very lean steak that’s seasoned with sea salt. It’s usually served with a variety of vegetables, quinoa and a big salad.
Laird will also drink a Kombucha or two with dinner. I also came across him drinking coffee or Chaga mushroom tea that’s combined with shilajit resin. It’s a black tar that’s made from 100 percent plant-based ionic minerals.
Once or twice a week, Laird will also do a small fast where he will only eat one meal per day. It’s typically a dinner. Other days he might not eat any animal protein and only eat vegetables for the day. - Suggested Habits to go along with the Laird Hamilton Diet
- Don’t drink alcohol
- No snacking unless it’s macadamia nuts or pili nuts
- PLENTY of water
- No desserts
- Hydration is key to optimum performance, recovery, and flexibility – try to incorporate sauna sessions into evening routine and use Hydrate Laird Superfood products to intake minerals.
Keep in mind that if you’re just going to throw yourself into the Laird Hamilton diet, you’ll likely fail. Laird did an interview with GQ where he said “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.”
If you’re interested in this, it’s best to slowly incorporate a few of these things at a time so you can adjust.
What is Laird Hamilton’s workout routine like
Laird believes that exercise doesn’t need to be complicated. Focusing on everyday actions like pushing, pulling, squats, bends, lunges, and rotating are all great ways to get in shape. Instead of relying on fancy gear and elaborate routines, he tends to focus on those six primal human motions. When you hit all six of these, you’ll be working out every major muscle group, improving flexibility, and strengthening all the muscles that surround and protect your joints.
This particular setup is straight from the Laird Hamilton website post from 2015 written by Laird himself.
On the Road
This equipment-free routine provides a combo of strength and cardio. Perform each of the following six movements for one minute, notching as many reps as you can with good form, and immediately moving to the next exercise:
- pushups
- pullups
- jumping squats
- good mornings (stand with hands behind head, knees soft, and slowly hinge forward at the waist, keeping back flat as you push hips back until your hamstrings engage, then stand back up)
- walking lunges
- and bicycle crunches.
Rest one minute, and repeat the circuit two more times.
At the Gym
Perform 10 perfect reps of each of the following exercises, resting as needed between moves:
- Barbell overhead presses
- dumbbell bent-over rows
- goblet squats (hold a dumbbell at your chest, and squat as low as you can)
- kettlebell swings
- step-ups to a box
- and Russian twists. (Sit with knees bent, feet off the floor, and hold a weighted ball at your chest. Tap it on the floor at one side of your hip, then the other.)
Do the circuit three times.
If You’ve Got Only Five Minutes
Do the bear crawl. It combines the push, pull, squat, bend, lunge, and rotation together, and is one of my favorite primal exercises. Crouch on all fours, hips high, and neck neutral. Walk your hands and feet forward. Keep it up for 30 seconds, take a quick breather, and repeat for five minutes. When I want a quick burn, a few bear-crawl laps around my pool is all it takes.
Laird’s extreme functional workout #1
Laird Hamilton demonstrates 16 extreme functional training exercises designed to help improve sports performance. This is workout #1 of a 12 part series.
What makes this routine so effective?
This routine works for all the major muscle groups and helps improve flexibility. It is also a routine that can be done anywhere, which makes it very convenient. Another great thing about this routine is that it does not require any fancy equipment or elaborate routines. All you need is your own body weight and some space to move around.
How can you apply some of the same principles to your own workout routine?
If you want to try a similar routine, focus on exercises that work for the major muscle groups and help improve flexibility. You can also do this routine without any equipment, which makes it very convenient. Another great thing about this routine is that it does not require any fancy equipment or elaborate routines. All you need is your own body weight and some time.
Related: Gabrielle Reece’s Workout Secrets for a Fit Body
Sample exercises that you can do to get started
- Pushups
- Pull-ups
- Jumping squats
- Good mornings
- Walking lunges
- Bicycle crunches
- Barbell overhead presses
- Dumbbell bent-over rows
- Goblet squats
- Kettlebell swings
- Step-ups to a box
- Russian twists
- Bear crawl
Laird Hamilton’s top tips for staying in great shape
Laird Hamilton’s workout routine is one that is based on functional fitness. This means that all of the exercises that he does are ones that will help him to perform better in his everyday life. For example, he spends a lot of time doing exercises that will improve his balance and coordination. These are two things that are essential for surfing. He also does a lot of strength training exercises.
While Laird Hamilton’s workout routine may be different than most people’s, there are still some principles that we can all learn from it. First, we should focus on exercises that work for the major muscle groups. Second, we should try to do our workouts without any equipment. This will help to improve our flexibility and coordination. Third, we should focus on doing exercises that will help us perform better in our everyday lives. By following these principles, we can all get into great shape.
Laird’s Ultimate Abdominal Workout
Perform 9 exercises with 10 reps each. Lie on your back with your legs straight in front of you. Use your hands under the base of your spine (palms down) to support your lower back.
- Low-v leg lifts
- Alternating scissor kicks
- Leg-circles
- V-leg raises
- Straight-legged oblique reach
- Straight-legged toe touch
- Bent knee toe ankle tap
- Diving through abdominal crunch
- Bicycle crunch
Gabby and Laird – Ice Bath and Sauna
Laird Hamilton and his wife Gabrielle Reece talk about the benefits of alternating cold and hot baths. Interview in Biarritz at the Hôtel du Palais on April the 16th, 2017, by Dr. Guillaume Barucq for Surf Prevention.