Laird Hamilton
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton invites Graham to Hawaii for a couple days of paddleboarding, Extreme Performance Training and a sit-down interview in which Hamilton opens up about his abusive childhood and a relentless pursuit to push boundaries today. Hamilton – who helped pioneer tow-in surfing and foilboarding – shares stories of near-death experiences while tackling some of the biggest waves in surfing history and how his personality traits thrive in the open water. Plus, his wife Gabrielle Reece joins the conversation to offer perspective on their marriage and Laird’s intensity.
Laird Hamilton
EPISODES
Laird Hamilton: Bullied by racists at school
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton on being bullied for looking different than most of his Hawaiian classmates and the final straw after Hamilton retaliated to a bully who slammed his head against a desk.
Laird Hamilton: Learning to surf as a toddler
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton talks of getting on a surfboard as a toddler and how pushing the limits even at as a child led to frequent, almost daily rescues.
Laird Hamilton: I’m dead if I fall
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton reflects on the risk of death and serious injury when surfing monster waves, comparing various waves to dog breeds and being the first to risk his life surfing the Jaws surf break in Maui. Hamilton also talks of realizing a lifelong dream surfing an “unrideable” wave at Teahupoo in Tahiti.
Laird Hamilton: My closest calls with death
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton recounts some of the incidents he believed would end his life, plus the frequency and importance of rescues during tow-in surfing adventures and losing trust in one friend who wouldn’t put his life on the line to make a save.
Laird Hamilton: PTSD from surfing
Laird Hamilton contemplates mental observations of surfing, including how expert surfers can read the water and interpret what’s in front of them to understand the weight of what lurks behind them. Hamilton also talks about surfers learning to recover from post-traumatic big-wave syndrome, as there’s nowhere to go mentally but down after surviving a monster wave.
Laird Hamilton: Surfing AFTER puncturing face
Big-wave surfer and extreme sports icon Laird Hamilton shares a story of getting up on another wave after puncturing a hole in his cheek, just so he could end on a positive note. Hamilton goes on to share his laundry list of serious injuries over the years and his approach to staying young and active.
Laird Hamilton: Forgiving my stepdad
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton opens up about the importance of his mom’s constant presence in the wake of his biological father and later his stepdad walking out on the family. Hamilton also shares stories of meeting his biological father and frequent, physical abuse from his stepdad.
Laird Hamilton & Gabby Reece on almost divorcing
Laird Hamilton and his wife of 20 years – Gabby Reece – recount how they both shattered stereotypes and found love at first conversation, plus overcame a tumultuous period involving heavy drinking and an alter ego to both save and strengthen their marriage.
Gabby Reece & Laird Hamilton: Competing with each other
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton and his wife Gabby Reece share stories of his intensely competitive nature, plus Laird describes his intentional shift to drop anger from the equation.
Laird Hamilton: I’m bipolar and have Asperger’s?
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton responds to how friends and family described his personality and points out that whatever behavioral traits he possesses has worked for him and can be directly attributed to his success today.
Training with Laird Hamilton
Laird Hamilton takes Graham Bensinger through some of his Extreme Performance Training (XPT) experiences, which includes underwater breathing exercises, heat and ice training (alternating between a sauna and ice bath) and paddleboarding.
Laird Hamilton on surfing at 2020 Olympics
Laird Hamilton offers his take on bringing surfing to the 2020 Summer Olympics, the current state of artificial waves and compares his career and skill set to Kelly Slater’s 11 world championships.
Laird Hamilton: My three daughters
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton discusses life as a father to three daughters – comparing parenting to the tempering of a samurai sword – and shares his biggest surprise about the homeschooling process.
Laird Hamilton: My intense diet
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton details his diet, which is heavy on foods with high fat content. Hamilton says his fatty diet helps with concentration and enables him to perform at a vigorous pace for hours.
Paddling and surfing with Laird Hamilton
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton takes Graham stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) near his home in Kauai, Hawaii. Later, Laird get towed in to some waves on his foilboard.
Laird Hamilton: Tour of my workshop
Laird Hamilton – who typically doesn’t emphasize material goods – says his current surf foilboard is his most valuable possession. He also offers a tour of his barn and workshop in Kauai, Hawaii, which includes a large collection of record-breaking surfboards.
