FINDING MAGIC AND FREEDOM | BROOKE BURKE

When we first met actress, host, fitness/wellness entrepreneur, and author Brooke Burke, it was back in our collegiate days as we watched her take us to an array of locale's on E!'s Wild On! From there, she continued to stay on our screens whether it was Dancing with the Stars, hosting Miss America pageants, seeing her on copious Skechers commercials and always adding that element of fitness and lifestyle to everything she touches!

We wanted to find out about how Brooke got into the industry, how she created her opportunities that began to structure what the Brooke Burke brands means, current projects she's involved in, the importance of fitness and wellness, her upcoming wedding, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Hello! How are you!

BROOKE BURKE: I’m home in Malibu and it’s my day off and I’m so excited to be able to talk to you!

AM: Of course! Well before we talk about your phenomenal career, did you think that it would always involve being a model, being a TV host, acting, being in fitness, and an author?

BB: You know, to be honest, I studied Broadcast Journalism in Business Advertising and I always thought that I would be a business woman. I accidently got into the business, but I always had a love affair with fitness and wellness. I didn’t grow up with that sort of guidance, I think that I took a big pivot after high school mostly because of the industry. Then I had an opportunity to work with some of the most brilliant wellness instructors and to make a business out of it 10 years ago because I wanted to show people how to live longer and stronger and to take better care of themselves as well as to be able to do it all over the world – whether you’re traveling, a busy mom, or you don’t have time, and even if you don’t like fitness! Just find a way to be able to get it done without excuses and to create energy – it’s so much more than a fitness app. I mean Brooke Bourke Body started as a fitness app, but now it is an intentional wellness space, it’s about community, and energy, and mindset – it just feels really good – I love this space, maybe more than I love the entertainment business?

AM: Well, when I first became aware of who you were, I was in college and I was a fan of E!’s Wild On!

BB: Oh those were the days!

AM: Oh yeah! I remember looking at it and I thought, I don’t think at that time, that there was anything even like that in terms of format, blending travel, food, culture, and nightlife.

BB: Oh my gosh! See, I will always be that travel girl to some people! It really was the greatest time of my life – that was reality TV before reality TV!

AM: Exactly!

BB: I mean, it was so guerilla, it was like me and a young crew! We all had a zest for life. We just went around the world, traveled like locals, had the best time, and did things that you could never do today!

AM: Yup!

BB: It was really an amazing gig and I have done some pretty cool things in my career, but that one, I’d love to be able to reboot that show and I’d like to get back out there on the road!

AM: Yes!

BB: Yes and I want to do it again! I meet people like you all over the world that are like, “I took that vacation because I saw you do it. I explored the world through your eyes.” And that, that feels so good and I feel that that connected me to so many different cultures, different types of people, and my mom – from my mom to my daughter, who doesn’t love to explore the world? It’s the greatest education that I have ever had!

AM: What drew you, because clearly before the show started, you didn’t realize that it would have all of these elements to it. What drew you to that to be part of that experience?

BB: To be honest with you, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Nor would I have probably signed up to jump off of planes and to sign rockets or to swim with sharks or whatnot! I have always had an adventurous appetite or an adrenaline junkie if you will! But I also was so naïve and growing up in Tucson, Arizona to grow up and have the privilege to just see the world. I just believed in taking chances and I was never a young girl and hopefully I’m raising my children the same way, I wasn’t going to leave here wondering what if! I had no idea what to expect and it was crazy, absolutely bananas! I would do it again and again and again! It was an adventure and I made friends around the world. I would tell everyone that to travel is to live! Take that adventure and just expand and open your mind!

AM: What do you love about hosting? You have hosted shows from so many different types of verticals whether it was Rock Star, She’s Got the Look, Dancing with the Stars, or Miss America? What do you love about being that central force in those particular shows as a host?

BB: I think that I have always done scary things! But I also love live energy, I love people, I love connection, I love the energy of a live audience! I’ve learned now as a more seasoned host, I like when things go wrong, I like when things go right, I like spontaneity, I like uncertainty, there’s just something about being in front of a live audience that just ignites me and I think that that’s why I work in the wellness space, I teach classes with live audiences even in health and wellness, to guide, to teach, to connect, to connect the dots, to connect people. I get so much out of it and it’s really different in front of a live audience!

It's been a minute, but joining the Fool Us cast last season, I forgot how much fun it was to be on a stage! Las Vegas, live, and magic! There aren’t a lot of live shows anymore so I just forgot how much I love it because I’ve been in health and wellness as a space so passionately; more so, than in television. So I feel like I get the best of both worlds.

AM: Last month in our issue of Athleisure Mag, we interviewed Penn + Teller about a number of things, but also about Fool Us as well! What did you love about – in addition to it being live and interacting with people as you said, what drew you to be on this show?

BB: Oh, I love magic and genuinely! I feel like it’s a time where it’s a family show for a family viewing! It’s an opportunity where we need a little hope, we need a little uncertainty, it’s escapism. They’re incredible and iconic, it’s such an honor and a pleasure to share the stage with them! I feel like this was a show that was celebrating talent! Whether the magicians got the Fools trophy or not, they were also thrilled to be there and to have the opportunity to be part of something! I’m somebody, my daughter was on production with me, she was so frustrated because she wanted to know how every trick was being done – but a magician will never tell! I on the other hand didn’t want to know because it’s so much fun to wonder and to be surprised, or to cry and laugh!

AM: Before you were hosting DWTS, you won S7 with Derek Hough! What was it like being a competitor on that season and then also, how difficult was it to learn so many different dances from week to week?

BB: It was the hardest thing that I have ever done in my entire life including being a mother to 4 children! It was terrifying to be honest. I love music, I love rhythm, I love dance. I didn’t grow up a dancer. I think putting yourself out there and learning something new is awesome for your entire inner network, but it is also terrifying, unfamiliar, uncomfortable, then you’re being judged for it, then you’re performing live – like live live – not live to tape! At the time, it was 15M – 20M viewers! It was bananas and it was the hardest thing that I have ever done. It was also filled with so many life lessons about how to perform under pressure, about how not to overthink things, how to have faith in my body - there are actually a lot of lessons that I bring into my transformational work and retreats. How to trust your body, how to just let go and to know that what you have done is good enough and how to just show up and you know overthinking can be such a demon and it can be a bully until we learn how to quiet it down and that voice inside is really fear based!

But It’s just all fear. So learning how to quiet down all of that noise was the greatest life lesson! And then an amazing opportunity to let America see me not as a host, but a person, human, and out of my comfort zone. All of that stuff and it’s so important! We rarely get to do that in my business and you know, especially in live television, there’s just not a lot of time to play. It was just an awesome opportunity and I think that that gave me the opportunity to do so many other things. It was fun and it was such a great show!

AM: You’re focus on fitness and this whole wellness industry – we always like to ask our faves about the workouts that they do that we can incorporate into our routines to shake things up especially since we are heading into the Spring/Summer.

So what are 3 workouts that we could do for toned arms, legs, or abs?

BB: Good question! There are so many things that we could do at home and I’m a big believer in working out – sweating in a smart way because of time, life, ability, age, hormones – you name it! The reason why I started Brooke Burke Body is to teach people how to get it in whatever limited time that you have! I have a lot of target toning opportunities and of course specific opportunities that are really designed for all of the areas that women are complaining about – compound moves which means that we spend less time. I have a 4 Week Ab Attack, a 4 Week Booty Challenge, I’ve got 30 Mins or Less Body Weight Workouts where you don’t even need equipment! I also have Zoom classes every Fri. So wherever you are whether it’s a hotel, you’re busy and don’t have time to get to a class, you can’t afford that class! People from all over the world Zoom in and it’s really fun! Then we develop a community that’s real and it holds you accountable.

I would say get an app, get on YouTube, find free content, join my app that is free for the first week! It’s just find something that keeps you interested! We’ve got about a 3 month attention span and then most people either fall off because they are looking for a quick fix and they are bored. But for me, it’s about developing a sustainable lifestyle that is about energy and mobility. It’s about living longer, stronger and it’s just about a booty or a bikini body. We don’t even use those kinds of words anymore right? It’s all about building strength and we have a strong community and a strong commitment. It’s about building strength, functional fitness, intentional wellness, and protecting our body so that we can do all of the things that we want to do without injury.

I have great trainers also, it’s not just me and I celebrate them as I love variety! So there is a little bit of everything on there!

AM: That’s exciting!

BB: I really do love it and it’s so fun! And mostly, it’s because of the community which is what is really good about it!

AM: It’s also good for accountability!

BB: Of course! Fitness shouldn’t be isolated when it's 11:30 and your friend is asking where you are, sometimes you need a little love, you need a little nudge, we need to increase our self-care, we need a little love! Body confidence is key! We are in a very interesting time where it’s an amazing time to be a woman, I think! I’m raising 4 daughters, Scott has 2 children – I have 4. It’s about inner dialogue, it’s about body confidence, and really it’s about strength and coordination, and lowering our stress levels. You know, we’re hearing all of these things now and there’s so much science behind the value of lowering our stress levels. How are we going to do that? Better learn how to create adrenaline and dopamine and oxytocin – like when I’m stressed out, I workout. I can sweat myself into a new space in a moment right?

AM: Oh exactly!

BB: Of course and I hope you try it out and would love to have you – no pressure in our Zoom classes. I don’t know if that’s your thing?

AM: It’s nice to be able to learn something and just to see how it sits with you.

BB: You’re bringing up a really good point! The best piece of advice that I have been given and have realized as someone who is an advocate for women’s health, we have to be a detective of our own bodies. What works for me, may not work for you. That’s why I have different people and even in my retreats I say that if it’s not me that they are responding to try to find somebody else that you do respond to and find your community!

AM: Tell me more about your health and wellness retreats because it seems like you have quite a few coming up!

BB: I do! I love the work that I do! By the time this issue has dropped, I would have just finished Carefree Arizona at the CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa, but I am doing another one there in the fall. I’ll do a couple of wellness events here in Malibu at the property at my home. That’s called Soul Creek Wellness, We’ve got Costa Rica a yoga retreat in 2025 and the nice thing about being organized about them is that you can fundshare, you can do a payment plan, and to find a way to afford these plans if they are meaningful to you. I get so much out of doing this work. I get more than I give. I connect with like minded women and men – they are invited as well. Beyond the workout, we are transforming our mind, we are doing deep work, meditation, journaling, rhythm, movement, energy - it’s really been a beautiful ride for me. I’ve had an incredible company called Yogando it means yoga in Italian. She’s my partner and she does retreats all over the world! We have a really great thing going and we brings the spirit, the soul, the energy, the experts, it’s been amazing! I really love this work!

What we put into our body is as important as how we train our body. How we speak to our body is as equally as important. So that’s why we have shifted from BB Body, to BB Body + Soul, and now it’s about energy and intentional wellness because they are all connected! Meditation, lowers your stress levels, it gives you clarity, the more you workout, the more you want to do. When you have a community, you're connected, and you're accountable! So all of those things for me as a woman is essential for wellness and I think that it goes beyond fitness and being a great patient, getting that physical, being mindful of your nutrition and whatever that means! Being part of a community, supporting one another. We did a deep dive into the Blue Zones in Costa Rica, we were out there and we will do it again in 2025.

I’m really excited about teaching people on how they can create their own Blue Zone wherever they are meaning you can do it at home. You can find your tribe, your community, you can fuel your body – mine is different then yours. I intermittent fast which is great for my body for recovery and for repair!

I’m a big believer in that! But I also eat and I eat for fuel, I eat for energy, I eat mostly plant-based, but I do also eat meat. I drink a tremendous amount of water! I try to keep it as natural, colorful, and as fresh as possible! I fill my body with fresh, bright, and colorful vegetables. I eat lean meats, great sauces, spice, things with flavor and really good fats. I believe in fuel, I believe in energy. Back to what I said before, being a detective of your own body and understanding what makes you tired, what makes you bloated, what makes you retain water, what makes your joints hurt, what makes you sleepy? We really have to learn and then of course, we have to correct. I’m always testing different things and I’m a bit of a biohacking geek as well. So I really increasing our NAD production, and doing things that really help to manipulate the system! I mean, I’m 52, so let’s go!

AM: I completely agree and sometimes I'm realizing that we may be in different like cycles as we navigate a month. So if I’m more stressed in those times of the month due to closing the issues or other things going on, I may not be able to eat the same types of things I could when I am in more of a normal situation.

BB: I think that it’s great that you tune into that. I think that the older that we get, we have an ability to know when we have to turn it up or to turn it down. And it’s about really learning how to listen to our body! I have a mindful carousel that is in the app that is just for meditation. Stretch and Recovery, Morning Mobility – you have to listen to your body and to create that energy! It might mean having to take a day off. There’s a lot of bootcamps out there and kick your ass programs, and a lot of quick fix diets where you will starve yourself – but then you put it all back on! I just don’t engage in that. For me, I want a healthy lifestyle that is sustainable and works for me so that is doable.

AM: And flexible like you said! What I can do Tues, I may not be able to do it on Wed for whatever that reason is!

BB: And that’s ok! I think that we have earned a little bit of grace! Tough love my friend!

AM: You are in the middle of preparing to get married! So congratulations!

BB: Thank you!

AM: How is it to navigate the planning process of that while also juggling all these other things that you are obviously already doing!

BB: Well, it's slow in planning – just starting with that honesty! We have 4 daughters that are excited about this wedding so we can’t phone it in! I want it to be spectacular, I want it to be about hope, I want people to be able to believe in the next chapter! I want people to believe that they can redesign their life and that they can love again! Even if it looks different, it feels different, it sounds different! I thought that I would never get married again and then I happened to meet the most wonderful man! I would probably say that I would never want to get married again, but I want to get married to him.

When you least expect it, love comes along. I was just able to receive it! We’re planning it, we’re all consumed with building our new home! We’re blending our families, work, and our life. So it’s coming up, but it’s not coming up quick enough!

AM: What are you the most excited about in terms of your wedding day?

BB: I think that celebrating love – knowing that his family is on board and we’re willing to raise each other and to do it with integrity and acceptance. It makes me a really proud mom and woman. Watching our children grow without any resistance in love which is very key and very challenging because I have been on both sides of that. Nobody ever thinks that they’re going to do it again, nobody ever thinks that they’re going to do it wrong, so to find a love like I have with Scott that has flow, it’s just a really nice flow – I feel really lucky, safe, and blessed and it’s sexy. It’s meaningful.

AM: How do you take time for yourself when you want to give those moments to yourself for peace and zen?

BB: Most of my me time sounds like a contrast because it’s shared with people. My wellness space and my yoga is kind of my temple. Yoga for me is not a workout or a practice, it is a total necessity. So I teach and I walk the talk. I meditate everyday, I get up early, I try to rise with the sun. This is a new thing for me. I am retraining my brand. I sleep when I’m sleepy that’s also a new thing for me. I’m really listening to my body and so my me time is maybe those extra 10 mins in the morning, it’s my Savasa yoga and I will carve out 10 mins for that. It’s time for me to quiet down so that I can actually hear my soul and my spirit. I spend a lot of time with sound baths and I get a lot out of that. I really do believe in sound frequency. I am in this space, so I have a lot of access to it and I create a lot of different offerings and it has changed my life. We’re hearing a lot more about it and I feel that when we hear the word mindfulness, people think that it’s all woo woo. I live in Malibu so you can only imagine. Just simply learning about doing nothing sometimes and learning how to slow down and how to listen to your body on most days, that is the gamechanger for me! I can teach people how to get into bikini shape all year long and that would be easy and boring. But what I hope I’m teaching is inspiring people to slow down and listen. We’re in a grind culture. You’re grinding and I’m grinding. Grind Culture – we need to navigate that. Meditation for me has been a big game changer.

It’s hard. I tell people that they have to meet meet themselves with a little bit of compassion and surrender. Meditation is different for everyone. I don’t feel like I need to sit down and just breathe, sometimes it’s a walking meditation, or a guided meditation, or a journey through music. I’m also a Breathwork Facilitator so I do a lot of different things to just slow down and to check in! Let’s just call it that! People put such high expectations on this concept to meditate. Just take a moment! Your meditation might look different than someone else’s and it’s good enough.

AM: That’s where I had to find out for myself and to be ok with a bit of trial and error, but if I can figure out the perfect shoe for my foot, I need to be able to find the perfect meditation that works for me!

BB: That’s right! Oh my God, I love that analogy! Just making it up on your own. 100%, we spend more time doing so many other things as opposed to checking in!

AM: So what do you want the Brooke Burke Legacy to be as you look back at all of the amazing things that you have contributed to the world?

BB: That’s such a hard question! Today is my son’s birthday, so today I am all gooey and emotional because he’s my baby and he’s 16 and he has 3 older sisters that worship this kid. He’s a football player and I have just watched him grind and grind so hard and he is everything that I respect and I am so lucky to be able to say that. So I guess, I feel like I'm just getting warmed up in my passion projects because I’m in my 50s and you’d think that I’d be winding down.

I feel so lucky to be doing something purposeful and I guess on a deeper space and I am so tapped into it today, I just want my children to know and they were raised in it that they are in a safe and loving space where they had freedom. Freedom for me is my thing. It's freedom to start over, it’s freedom to fuck up. It’s a loaded concept for me and I think that as women, we’re in this space as well. It’s freedom to be able to do whatever you want to do or not at all.

AM: Right and it’s a freedom to know that even if you mess it up, it’s ok.

BB: Totally! My daughter is taking a mandatory day off today, because I made her do it. I was like, you’re 16 years old, you’re going to take the time to do what 16 year olds do. I’m listening and learning!

IG @brookeburke

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Body By Brooke Burke

Read the MAR ISSUE #99 of Athleisure Mag and see FINDING MAGIC AND FREEDOM | Brooke Burke in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | BROOKE BURKE

Read the MAR ISSUE #99 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Brooke Burke in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | JETSET PILATES

JETSET Pilates was founded by Tamara Galinsky in 2010 in Miami Beach and has grown to become an internationally recognized brand with a growing, loyal community devoted to the unique 50-minute modern Pilates workout that challenges body and mind.

This studio has 8 locations throughout South Florida - Coral Gables, Downtown Miami, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Brickell, South of Fifth neighborhood in Miami, Edgewater, and Sunset Harbour. There our 20 in-development studios include NYC (multiple locations), Tampa FL (multiple locations), North Miami, West Palm Beach FL, Orlando FL, and Melbourne Australia, to name a few!

JETSET's custom-made reformer is designed to elevate the pilates experiences. With a unique configuration of seven springs, each varying in weight, this reformer offers unparalleled versatility in resistance exercises. When working at the front, the springs seamlessly assist movements, providing support tailored to individual’s needs. Conversely, shifting to the back intensifies the challenge as the springs add resistance, ensuring a well-rounded and dynamic workout. The reformer's platforms and carriage are equipped with strategically placed leverage straps and pockets, enhancing stability and control throughout the session.

Their private sessions offer an exclusive 50-minute class, delivering a signature total body workout with the added benefit of personalized attention. With a dedicated instructor at your side, the session is entirely tailored to fit clients' unique needs and body, ensuringa workout that aligns seamlessly with goals. Private sessions are offered either in private pilates rooms as a single or duet (two clients) in select studios or in the main studio space.

JETSET's Arms and Abs class is a 50-minute session that zeroes in on sculpting the upper body, center core, and obliques. They're also rolling out more specialty classes such as Fundamentals and lower-body focused.

Pre/post-workout, they have cold water in eco-conscious packaging and pre/post-workout drinks such as Amino Lean. Some studios feature a selection of local juices available for purchase. You can also purchase JETSET Pilates apparel and accessories as well.

JETSET PILATES

110 Washington Ave

Miami Beach, FL 33137

For your nearest location or studios that are opening in your area, visit their website.

jetsetpilates.com

IG @jetsetpilates

PHOTOGRAPHY | JETSET Pilates

Read the FEB ISSUE #98 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | JETSET Pilates in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | SEBASTIEN LAGREE

Read the FEB ISSUE #98 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Sebastien Lagree in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | NOBU HOTEL LONDON PORTMAN SQUARE

Nobu Hotel London Portman Square has an amazing experience that you can enjoy that brings in all of the senses as we kick off the new year with Shiawase. This is a Japanese philosophy that celebrates happiness, contentment, peace and wellbeing. It is a feeling that is associated with fulfillment and accomplishments and entails actions of devoting oneself to pursuits of enjoyment.

Nobu Hotel London Portman Square embodies a guest experience that offers luxury, immersion-focused experiences and holistic practices, which is emphasized through the opportunity for guests to celebrate Shiawase. Each of these elements create a unique and fulfilling sense of wellbeing, personalised service, attention to detail, connection, mindfulness, and presence, which is reflected throughout the property's amenities and guest offerings to improve health, wellness, enjoyment and harmony.

Whether travelers are seeking a Winter escape after the busy holiday season or a little light and rejuvenation in the dark months, their Shiawase Overnight Stay Package offers the perfect two-night stay escape to reconnect and reboot the senses to feel more grounded and content as they enter 2024. Guests who book the package will have the opportunity to immerse into the Japanese culture and philosophy of Shiawase to celebrate wellbeing and happiness through an empowering Pilates class (this hotel is home to the world's first Nobu Pilates Reformer studio), a special Detox Bento Box created by Chef Michael that is paired with a range of Everleaf mocktails to enjoy at Nobu Restaurant.

The new Detox Bento Box at Nobu Restaurant combines high-energy ingredients that nourishes the body and combats common Winter deficiencies. Inside the box, guests will find a high-protein Sushi and Nigiri selection, a Dragon Fruit Ceviche, which is loaded with Vitamin C and prebiotic properties, as well as Vegetable Spicy Garlic Donburi, Grilled Chicken with Goma Dressing and Spinach Dry Miso. The box is also packed with antioxidants, miso which aids gut health, and sesame which supports digestion and bone health, whilst chili boosts immunity and promotes healthy skin. It is completed with a refreshing mix of seasonal berries with coconut and lime sorbet.

For those focused on Dry January, they have partnered with Everleaf, an award winning non-alcoholic aperitif, to bring a specially curated non-alcoholic cocktail menu to Nobu Bar and focus on wellness and renewal going into the new year.

NOBU HOTEL LONDON PORTMAN SQUARE

22 Portman Square,

London W1H

7BG, United Kingdom

london-portman.nobuhotels.com

IG @nobulondonportman

PHOTOGRAPHY | Nobu Hotel London Portman Square

Read the JAN ISSUE #97 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Nobu Hotel London Portman Square in mag.

9DRIP | SEBASTIEN LAGREE

Read the DEC ISSUE #97 of Athleisure Mag and see 9DRIP | Sebastien Lagree in mag.

METHOD + DISCIPLINE | SEBASTIEN LAGREE

There are a number of workouts and studio fitness methods that we all talk about and have incorporated into our routines! Lagree Fitness is one of them and we had the chance to connect with the founder, Sebastien Lagree to talk more about the method, the equipment, and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: In addition to creating your method, you also have the equipment as well. Can you tell us about the equipment that you offer and why one would use those as we are all looking at what we should add to our home gyms.

SEBASTIEN LAGREE: Sure. You cannot do my method unless you train on my equipment; I continuously evolve both and both are inseparable. First off, I design all my equipment around the user. I need to make sure it accommodates both small and large frame. Second, the equipment has to be intuitive which most fitness equipment are not. I've become extremely critical of fitness equipment and I can say that the majority of fitness machines are built very poorly. Fitness in general has gone downhill.

AM: In addition to your machines, you have a number of accessories that can be added to the equipment as well as to allow you to continue to workout in the method when you're not home. What are some of your favorites that we should know about?

SL: Correct, the accessories are necessary to perform more exercises and target specific muscles in the body. My favorite is the long black cable which adds hundreds of moves to the machine.

AM: You are available in studios across the country, can you tell us about your On Demand offerings?

SL: Correct, we have almost 600 studios worldwide and we do also offer classes on our virtual platform www.lagreeod.com. That platform is super convenient for those who don't have a studio nearby or for the students who want to make sure they have perfect form.

AM: For those that are new to the method, what are some tips that you suggest that we should keep in mind?

SL: Yes, when you do Lagree, try to move as slow and for as long as possible while maintaining perfect form. It sounds simple but it’s actually super challenging. Lagree is not a workout that you are going to master. There is no finish line.

AM: For those that are looking to get that Ken and Barbie physique? How can they go about it by doing your method?

SL: To achieve the K&B look, you need to do a muscular endurance workout which is exactly what Lagree does.

You need to keep your muscles under tension for a long long time. You also need to eat super clean.

AM: Are there upcoming events that you have coming up that you would like to share?

SL: Yes, we are hosting our first Lagree Summit in Vegas next year at MGM Hotel next year March 1st, 2nd and 3rd. This will be our first Lagree Trade Show.

AM: What's next for you and the method?

SL: A lot, I have many new designs and models that I am launching next year. I am adding electronics and eventually AI to my models. I also launched Lagree 2.0 this year and now I am working on Lagree 3.0

IG @sebastien.lagree

@lagreefitness

@lagreeondemand

PHOTO CREDITS | Sebastien Lagree

Read the NOV ISSUE #95 of Athleisure Mag and see METHOD + DISCIPLINE | Sebastian Lagree in mag.

9LIST STORI3S | SEBASTIEN LAGREE

Read the NOV ISSUE #95 of Athleisure Mag and see 9LIST STORI3S | Sebastien Lagree in mag.

FORCES OF NATURE | LAIRD HAMILTON & GABRIELLE REECE

We're excited for this month's cover as we have a powerhouse couple that is known for dominanting the beach and the water! We have Beach Volleyball great, Gabby Reece. We always enjoyed seeing her on a number of her Nike commercials, gracing the covers of Elle, and being in a number of shows appearing as herself. As someone who modeled, performed during her matches, is a TV personality, fitness/wellness expert and continues that passion of wellness with her podcasts, projects and is the Co-Founder with her husband Laird Hamilton with their brands that include Laird Superfood, Laird Apparel, and XPT (Extreme Performance Training).

Laird Hamilton is the ultimate waterman, pioneer in action sports (he is known for crossover board sports including being the co-inventor of tow-in-surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, and hydrofoil boarding) and big wave surfing legend! He is an inventor, author, stunt man (he performed the stunts in James Bond's Die Another Day in the opening sequence), model, producer, TV host, fitness and nutrition expert, and adrenaline junkie. His passion for wellness and nutrition, led him to him Co-Founding Laird Superfood.

Last fall, we talked with Gabby Reece and we knew then that we'd love to have her and Laird together to find out more about them, their businesses, their assortment, how they navigate their coupleship in business and their partnership.

ATHLEISURE MAG: It is so great to be able to chat with you guys! We had the pleasure of chatting with Gabby last fall and we were talking about power couples, so it’s great to have you both! As she knows, Athleisure Mag’s Co-Founders are also a couple so it’s good vibes all around.

GABBY REECE: Hello!

LAIRD HAMILTON: Well yeah, you know, mixing work and pleasure is always dangerous!

AM: It is always dangerous; it can definitely be tricky cocktail.

LH: It can be or it can be all natural!

AM: Well there are moments on each side depending on the moments we're caught in!

It’s exciting to be able to talk about Laird Superfood and the businesses that you both have together. I know that readers will be so excited as well. The last time I chatted with Gabby, we talked about her background and career. So to catch our readers up, when did you fall in love with surfing and what do you love about being an iconic waterman as you’re so talented?

LH: Well, I think that my relationship with the ocean and water happened very early. My mom had stories of me crawling towards water before I could walk. So I think that I was just drawn to water and I think that that’s pretty natural because we are water. So my kind of relationship with water started before I could remember and then my surfing, I think that I had my own board – I mean usually I had pieces of boards because in those days, there were no boards for kids. There were no boogie boards or anything like that. Usually, you got a piece of a broken board from an adult and then you made that your board! So, I always just thought in terms of swimming and surfing, that was what you did and that that was what everybody does. So if someone said, “I don’t swim,” when I was younger, I felt like saying that you don’t swim was like saying that you don’t walk.

AM: Right!

LH: Yeah, it’s like, “is there something wrong?” But yeah, it’s in my foundation.

AM: That’s amazing and what was the moment when you realized that you both wanted to launch these businesses together? How did it take place and how did you decide on who would do what?

GR: Well, in the case of Laird Superfood, well most of our businesses actually, were almost accidents. Laird Superfood was not on purpose. It was based on a drink that Laird was making in our kitchen and shared with his friends before they would train and go out in the water.

One of these friends would ask what’s in it and how much it was. One of our other friends who is the other Co-Founder, is a serial entrepreneur and he thought that if Laird benefits from it and he was feeling this, maybe we can create this for other people and so Laird Superfood was created in 2015 around the premise of Laird originally sharing something that was working for him.

LH: Yeah, and I think that our desire to have businesses had stemmed before that. I think that just being athletes and then I would kind of say, supporting other businesses as you evolve, I think that it is only natural that you would want to go into as I describe – being your own sponsor.

AM: Oh yeah!

LH: So once you build your brand to a certain level, it was like, “ok, we’ll go into business,” but like the businesses themselves came organically like Gabby said. It either came through a habit we had or some other practice that we were doing and that seemed the easiest given the authenticity. So, it was real authentic and it was not something that seemed like we were making something that was a departure from our philosophy and our beliefs which I think is really important because then everything becomes a lot easier because you’re not trying to learn how you’re going to support the business. You’re already naturally doing it.

GR: Our roles were almost an extension of how our everyday lives go. I think that we naturally have different strengths and things that we lean into and those showed up as well in the business. So on the business side, Laird is one of the gatekeepers and he is the creative and always curious and messing around with concoctions if you will.

LH: It’s like we built a house together and that can either get people to be in a deeper relationship or not be in one after depending on people’s roles. I think that it’s similar in that the businesses are similar to building a house. I’m all about the structure of it, how strong is it, where’s the drainage and Gabby’s into the aesthetics like in the situation of Laird Superfood, I’m about the function of the products. Gabby is about the flavor and the taste of it. She makes the house look pretty and taste good, it’s wonderful. I’m like, “ok, does it support me, does it do the thing and how does it all work?” Then there’s also some overlap, but that’s kind of the basis of our teamwork.

AM: Well I’m a huge fan of the Hydrate + Electrolyte Coconut Water packets and the Prebiotic Daily Greens. Those are my 2 favorites. I’m not a coffee drinker. How do you guys decide on the types of products that will be in the Laird Superfood assortment?

GR: Well, a lot of this was an extension. First of all, it’s always a commitment to the ingredients. So whatever it’s going to be – it’s going to focus on can we make this with a value, make it taste great, and still follow our guidelines for real ingredients. With something in the case of the Hydrate On the Go, and the greens they are good as there's a lot of gaps in people’s nutrition. We are huge advocates of being able to get everything from your food, that’s what we want from you. It’s pretty hard to do with the quality of our soil and hence, that’s the greens. Hydration is – a lot of times, things that are on the market are really loaded with sugars and things like that. So we thought, “ok, people are really looking for high quality hydration without a ton of added sugar. That made a lot of sense and that really stems from Laird’s deep relationship with drinking coconuts himself! He'd come in from surfing and literally cut a coconut down in Kawaii and hence, the freeze-dried coconut at the source and adding some of the minerals.

LH: And also the philosophy that the ratios in nature are perfect. When you start trying to play with those, I think that you run into trouble, so like Gabby said, I think that we implement the kind of values such as adding in whole food ingredients or food-based ingredients. Your body is more used to those things and so it’s not like, “what’s this foreign object?” It doesn’t have to pull away from and take away from your own body’s health in order to deal with it. I think that that’s one of the places in looking at areas where people are lacking in their diet. We’re looking at the convenience of it, how easy is it – you just put it in there and you drink it. We’re looking for areas in people’s lives where we can best benefit them so we look at their daily rituals. That’s the philosophy of the brand. It’s a daily ritual and you know that you’re going to have to hydrate, you know that you’re gonna at some point need some snacks. We’re going to make bars. I’m not a huge snacker myself, but people are gonna snack, so can we supply them with good things on a daily basis? Again, one of the values is if you’re doing something everyday, that you really wanna try to make that a good habit.

AM: Right.

LH: Because it’s a culmination over time. So a little bit of good over a long time is a lot of good! A little bit of bad over a long period of time is bad. I think that sometimes we think that it’s a little bit of bad so it’s not a problem because it’s a little bit, but then you’re like, “well yeah, a little bit all of the time can eventually accumulate.”

AM: It starts stacking.

LH: Yeah, there’s some stuff in there.

AM: As we’re in the fall and we’re looking towards the holiday, are there any products that are new that are going to be out?

GR: Well we have some incredible instant products –

LH: Ooo yes. So we make chai – we make Instant Chai, Instant Matcha –

GR: Pumpkin Spice –

LH: Pumpkin Spice will be the holiday –

GR: And then Peppermint Mocha.

LH: Peppermint Mocha, yes.

GR: We’ve got some grown men around here who swoon for that stuff, so the thing that I love about these products is that they’re seasonal and we want to honor that people really love these flavors and these traditions. Like it reminds them of the holidays, but we’re able to do it in a way that the ingredients are excellent and you don’t have to sacrifice that experience. So we have it in pumpkin, we have it in a lot of things.

LH: Multiple!

GR: We have it in instant products, a creamer, a bar, and our liquid creamer as well.

LH: We’re going hard after the pumpkin spice! I mean, it’s something that I really enjoy and I think that I may have eaten a few whole pumpkin pies during Thanksgiving over the years haha!

AM: What are your favorite foods that you like eating from your brand?

GR: Well for me personally, I’m not a matcha or a chai person, but our people who love matcha and chai – we have a high quality matcha and really great chai. But for me, I’m using obviously the coffees and creamers. I personally, go for the mocha, Laird is a turmeric guy.

“Because it’s a culmination over time. So a little bit of good over a long time is a lot of good! A little bit of bad over a long period of time is bad. I think that sometimes we think that it’s a little bit of bad so it’s not a problem because it’s a little bit, but then you’re like, “well yeah, a little bit all of the time can eventually accumulate.”

— Laird Hamilton

LH: Believe me, hers is not a coffee, it’s a hot chocolate that happens to have coffee in it, but you wouldn’t know it’s coffee in it.

GR: When we travel, we use our instant products. So, the instant latte, what’s great is that people who are now working in the office, all you have to do is add hot water. So, we have all of these incredible flavors and let’s say you’re on an airplane and you’re hungry, but you don’t want to eat that airplane food. It really curbs you.

LH: Yeah, the convenience of the powders, especially the instant products, makes it simple. You just get a cup of hot water. I’ll go into a lot of coffee shops where I know that I won’t be able to get a cup of really good coffee without just burying it in a bunch of sweeteners to cut how bad the coffee is. So, I’ll just get hot water and add that product to it. But the bars, the greens – Gabby is on the greens.

GR: I use the greens in the morning.

LH: All the time –

GR: I use the greens in the morning first thing. So, most of us are dehydrated in the morning because hopefully we have been sleeping for 8 hours. So, the way that I use the greens is that I put it in water first so that I can get that big glass of water which we need to do anyway. But because there’s no fillers in the greens and things like that and Laird mentioned the ingredients, your body does know what to do with it. I always feel like I’m on an empty stomach and I can just get everything in there.

LH: I like to use mine in a meal.

GR: Yeah, so, we’re opposite.

LH: Yeah, I like mine in a meal, because I’m already in digestive mode.

GR: Yeah.

LH: So, I’m going to digest and of course, the hydration products are always good after training, before training.

GR: That’s really important too for people to go to bed hydrated, especially women – hydrated. It’s hard on our hearts, literally to be dehydrated. The stress that it causes increases even more when we’re sleeping. It’s really important as a reminder in general however people want to be able to hydrate.

AM: Are there product categories that you don’t have now, but you are looking to add to the brand? Like if you had a wish me list?

LH: Well we’ve had, yeah, a list that we are considering like baked goods. It’s stuff that we have dabbled in before. So there are other areas that we are interested in. The truth is that we have a quite a few categories within what we have already to continue to develop. Because, you know, the greens, the bars, the creamers, the instant fuel products – there’s always another flavor too!

GR: And our coffees are excellent and also –

LH: Yeah!

GR: It’s been fortunate that that has been expanded so that we can add adaptogens and other nutrition into the coffee itself. So again, finding these little ways to sneak in the good stuff without compromising –

LH: We’re doing whole beans and ground. We’re already working on some samples for some instant coffees as well. We have the instant lattes, but we were also looking at the instant coffees as well just because of the convenience and I think that people really enjoy instant coffee because you get a faster absorption.

GR: Yeah. And we learned one thing from business for sure, which is to try to focus a little bit and to do a good job there. So, I would say that although we have all of these things that we really love, we’re also trying to offer and to educate our audience and to do a good job with what we have right now.

AM: We can imagine. Tell me about XPT. We were looking at it in prep for this interview and there are so many things that are around that and you have an event coming up – your retreat. Our readers would be interested in hearing about this as well.

GR: So XPT is -

LH: Sort of another one of those –

GR: It’s an extension of what we were naturally already doing with our friends at our house. A very close friend of ours that we work with said, “you know, we have to figure out how to condense this and you can share it with people over periods of days.” So, XPT was born and the pillars are Breathe, Move, and Recover. We would also put in there “To Connect.” That’s the thing, you can be perfect, and move everyday all day, but if you’re not connecting with other human beings, it’s a real no go to your health and sense of fulfillment. So XPT, we have incredible people that we work with and people come and see us for 2½ days. We do pool training, breathing, all mobility, and all of those things.

LH: Heat and ice!

GR: Yes, heat and the ice.

But now, they’ll be opening up XPT sort of recovery centers so that people wherever they live, they’ve been curious about seeing the heat and ice and some mobility.

AM: That sounds fantastic! How do you guys do all of this while being partners, married, and having children?

LH: We still don’t know if we’re going to survive! Right now, we’re just holding on.

GR: Like yesterday, we had a bumpy day yesterday –

LH: I had a bumpy day!

GR: You could just feel – I mean it’s we, it’s collective. You can feel that you have so much going on that maybe in Laird’s case, he’d rather and not be away from his family, but he’d rather be surfing or out in nature and not be running around on a freeway. For people like Laird, that takes a real toll on him. So it’s just – you know what it is about any relationship? How does each person get to satisfy their own sort of mission and calling and then how do you bring that together? But also how do you go about putting your children first and simultaneously still have that conversation about what you need. It’s just a dance.

“Yeah. And we learned one thing from business for sure, which is to try to focus a little bit and to do a good job there. So, I would say that although we have all of these things that we really love, we’re also trying to offer and to educate our audience and to do a good job with what we have right now.”

— Gabby Reece

LH: Well, I think that, listen, we both have a certain work capacity so we have a certain volume of work that we’re capable of doing. When you take care of yourself, you eat well, and you train hard and you have good community and relationships and get along, you expand your capacity. So now, you can even handle more volume and then if you’re cutting out a lot of stuff that is unnecessary and you’re not putting in a lot of time –

GR: We say no. We say no a lot.

LH: Then if it’s not important to you, then you’re not concerning yourself with these things that would take up the volume. I think that that allows you to go in and to be more productive.

GR: Yeah.

LH: And then a lot of it is the quality of the the work too. I mean you could just take any one of these situations and put all of your focus in on it, but more isn’t always better right?

AM: Absolutely.

LH: It’s like having that high quality impact and then shifting to the next thing. I think that both Gabby and I by the nature of our careers have had to be very versatile and do a plethora of different things in order to survive. Then it almost becomes how you are. You know, you’re interests are such that you need that stimuli to keep you going and so in a way, for me, we wouldn’t be – we couldn’t not be doing it like this. This just seems natural and from the outside, you might be saying, “how do you do all of that stuff?” But you know, again it has to do with the fact that we have worked our way towards this. Gabby will say about our children, “that they’re such troopers and it’s amazing!” I go, “yeah, but it’s like we trooped them.” We took them and included them in the way that we have navigated our schedules and we’re the same way. We’ve been doing all of this stuff, flying around, we’ve been dealing with all of these things.

GR: We used to step on each other’s toes occasionally. And you’re always learning.

LH: Always.

GR: There are phases and chapters. So being adaptable and I also know that this is cliché, but it's about the best that you can in occasionally being able to get that distance so that you can appreciate either your life, or the problems that you’re solving, but also your partner and the fact that like on the days that it’s crazy, you go, “and everybody’s healthy!”

AM: Exactly!

GR: It’s just trying to constantly recalibrate and everybody talks about gratitude, but really to find ways to feel that and to experience it - it really makes everything easier!

LH: Yeah! And well getting sleep! Yeah – you know just pull it back for a second.

AM: Yup!

LH: Let’s eat good, sleep, workout and I mean get the foundation. Because that can really allow you to endure some stuff.

AM: It’s such an honor to be able to talk with both of you as we’ve been fans of yours for years and to hear how as a power couple you continue to inspire, fuel, and push the boundaries it’s been a great time hanging with you guys!
LH: Let’s eat good, sleep, workout and I mean get the foundation. Because that can really allow you to endure some stuff.

AM: It’s such an honor to be able to talk with both of you as we’ve been fans of yours for years and to hear how as a power couple you continue to inspire, fuel, and push the boundaries it’s been a great time hanging with you guys!

GR: Thank you so much!

LH: Absolutely and what do we say, Aloha!

IG @gabbyreece

@lairdhamilton

@lairdsuperfood

@xptlife

PHOTO CREDITS | FRONT COVER Philip Dixon | PG 16 - 33 Courtesy Laird Hamilton + Gabby Reece | PG 34 + BACK COVER Anne Menke |

Read the OCT ISSUE #94 of Athleisure Mag and see FORCES OF NATURE | Laird Hamilton + Gabby Reece in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | LAIRD HAMILTON

Read the OCT ISSUE #94 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Laird Hamilton in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | CHUCK NORRIS

Read the OCT ISSUE #94 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Chuck Norris in mag.

IN & OUT OF THE POOL | NATHAN ADRIAN

We are 1 year away from the Summer Olympic Games in Paris 2024! There is nothing like that time of year when we cheer for our favorite athletes as they make their dreams a reality! This month, we caught up with Nathan Adrian 8X Team USA Swimming Olympic Medalist (5G, 1S and 2B). We enjoyed seeing him in Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016. We wanted to catch up with this freestyle swimmer to find out more about how he got into the sport, competing in it, his Olympic experience, safe sun that allows swimmers to enjoy being in the water without sacrificing their aesthetics, how he gives back to the sport, and how he continues to advocate for men's health.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with the water?

NATHAN ADRIAN: Oh haha, you know, I think before I was even old enough to make memories to be honest. Some of my earliest earliest memories are my mom going and doing laps and I would just turtle on her back and just cruise around. It was something that was just always deeply engrained in all of us as a family. My sister is 8½ years older than me, my brother is 6 years older than me, so it’s something that I was born into and it wasn’t just something that us as a family picked up.

AM: That’s amazing!

When did you realize that freestyle was going to be something that you wanted to continue to do and excel in?

NA: Oh yeah, good question! So like, swimming overall – freestyle is what I gravitated towards and I had a really good situation and set of coaches that gave me what I needed at that particular time in my life and my development as an athlete. So when I was young, it was just fun times and it was all games, happy smiles and lots of energy. That transitioned into games and also, “hey, let’s set some goals and try to focus while we’re here. Let’s try to show up more,” and that kind of thing. Then, eventually, it was, this is my life and this is how I did it. I set goals, I worked really hard, and through that, that’s how I think that I fell in love with that process. It also me as an individual, looking back, swimming was the perfect thing for me. I had a lot of energy, it helped me focus and it also allowed me to set those big goals and then you set those little goals and if you’re good at it, you can set little goals for every month of practice, every week of practice and down to everyday of practice. If you achieve that, whether you achieve them or don’t achieve them, if you reflect and then you figure out how you can be better, that’s just like a little puzzle that you’re trying to optimize and to figure out how you can be the best athlete that you can be.

AM: So true!

Did you always dream about going to the Olympics?

NA: So that started when I was watching the 2000 Olympics. I was about 11 and then in 2004, I was trying to qualify for the Olympic Trials and I did not and then in 2008, I was like, “hey, I’m 19 and I know that it’s kind of young, but maybe I can do this if the stars align.

AM: We enjoyed watching you and to know that you have participated in the Olympic Games of Beijing, London, and Rio where you medaled as an individual as well as a team of where you swam along with Lochte, Phelps, Murphy, and all of these amazing people, what was it like to work with those people and those various teams?

NA: Oh that was awesome! I feel very very blessed. I really got to experience what I consider to be one of the highlights of Team USA dominance in the sport. You know, people who were around during the 70s and stuff, they would argue back pretty hard core, but that’s ok. This is what I would call the modern era of swimming let’s call it that. There were guys like Michael Phelps (28X Medalist 23G, 3S, 2B), there was Jason Lezak (8X Medalist 4G, 2S, 2B), Aaron Peirsol (7X Medalist 5G, 2S), Ian Crocker (5X Medalist 3G, 1S, 1B), Brendan Hansen (6X Medalist 3G, 1S, 2B) – oh my gosh, these guys had world records in each of their events and then in my 2008 team, I was with Dara Torres (12X Medalist 4G, 4S, 4B), Katie Hoff (3X Medalist 1S, 2B) at the peak of her game, I was with Natalie Coughlin (12X Medalist 3G, 4S, 5B) when she won. There were so many athletes for me to watch and learn from. It was absolutely incredible for me to be part of that and especially on that 2008 team, that was a transition for me from being a fan to actually doing it on that international stage. So I got to see my heroes and watch them, talk to them, hang out with them, and be a part of their team. As you move on from that, as with all things, you see the times that swimmers are going so fast as they are now. You take what they did and try to bring it in to what you’re doing and make it better!

AM: What were some of your favorite moments in competing or just being with them?

NA: Oh gosh, I think that there’s a lot! I mean, I have 8 medals so those are obviously a favorite moment. The ones that aren’t just as public, are those that happen when you are with a team or a group for 3 or 5 weeks all day everyday – like summer camp for adults! But we’re all there for a job with a very, very serious purpose so there’s not much messing around. Whether it be someone I think playing a prank in 2008 and they put a cicada in the trail mix bag which was pretty funny. I mean it’s pretty gross because they’re so big!

Another one in 2012, I roomed with Matt Grevers (6X Medalist 4G, 2S) which is one of my best friends to this day. He looked at me and after we both won, he was like, “dude, think back to a year ago, who would have bet on us besides our parents?” You know? Special moments like that are awesome because in 2011, I didn't medal in any of the individual races and Matt didn’t even make the World Championships team – so we weren’t even on the radar for winning. But here we are at that point, we won gold and we’re preparing for the 4 X 100 medley relay after that. So that was really awesome.

Just eating in the dining hall and experiencing that. World Championships is similar, but not the same as the Olympics. The Olympics are just that special feeling because you have every sport there and to just people watch and to enjoy that. You can watch the pride that people have in their country and as they are getting ready to compete and do what they can to win those medals that’s just something that’s really special.

AM: Obviously swimming is such a great way to meet your fitness goals. Here at Athleisure Mag, we like to ask athletes what you like to do in and out of the water to stay fit that we can add to our fitness routines?

NA: You know, I actually think that one of the things that we did was a lot of good mobility. I actually find myself that after pouring that first cup of coffee, I will just do a really deep lunge hold. My hip flexors, I’m sitting in a chair right now, I need to stretch these hip flexors out. I’m probably not going to do it here at work, but in the morning is a great time as you’re getting your mobility going. Same thing with doing some thoracic spine mobility. Again, this is before my daughter and my wife is awake, I’m just sitting in the kitchen doing Spider-Man stretches which are different rotational stretches. It really is that if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it! I want to be able to keep that mobility and then I do my best to get pops of strength in.

Certain days when I can’t get into a weight room, you need to activate those muscles, you do a push up, a bodyweight squat, you can do a single leg squat – find an overhang and do a pull up. Do something just to activate it and keep those muscles moving. I’m in a pool right now, I work in a pool, but I just try to do it. I’m telling you what I want to do, and I don’t always live by it. But I do try to get into the pool and do some aerobic stuff because you’ve just got to keep that heart rate up and keep it moving.

Definitely another thing that if you don’t use it, you lose it! That’s where Dermasport really comes in nicely because I’ve used it. My break is usually smack dab in the middle of the day and we’re coming in on a California heat wave right now so it’s about to be bright and sunny and I’m swimming in it. So I need to wear my sunscreen and then afterwards, I need to be able to take it off so that I don’t look funky when we’re talking to kiddos and giving them lessons and things.

AM: How did your partnership with Dermasport come about and what was it that you felt was synergistic between you and the brand?

NA: Well, the partnership came about because I was actually working with somebody with some goggles and they knew about Dermasport and they introduced me to the team. They sent me a trial package and I loved it. I grew up in Seattle, so we were doing sunscreen over the summer, but I didn’t have that 365 exposure to the sun that we have here California now. So when I moved down here, it was like, what do I do? Everybody was just like zinc, zinc, zinc – everyone looked like a ghost, the creases in your elbows looked all white even though you scrubbed and did that whole song and dance. I tried this and it’s zinc sunscreen, but it also moisturizes my face and I feel better after I put it on as well as more hydrated than I did before – which is awesome. Then, you do the cleanser which gets it all off and then the moisturizer afterwards as it’s very refreshing. I mean, it’s a product that’s made for swimmers. Even though I’m not still swimming internationally, I'm still very much so a swimmer. I'm a swimmer in California that needs to protect my face. My sister is actually a derm PA so she’s constantly reminding me on my sunscreen. I’m like, “no, no – I got it covered. I’m doing what I can to protect my face from the sun.”

AM: What will you be doing with the brand in terms of clinics, partnerships etc. that people will be able to see?

NA: I think that we’re still working on that and developing it. There’s actually a meet coming up here that I’m hoping – I mean we just got the product launch happening, so if I can get my hands on some, I’d love to go and see some of those master swimmers and let them try. I mean, this is one of those things that I know that people just need to go and try it. You need to just get your hands on a sample, try it, and it will absolutely blow you away with the way that your face feels when using this sunscreen as opposed to the other ones that are made to be in the water. I will say that certainly other people have made sunscreens that make you feel hydrated, that make you feel nice, but this is something that’s taking a beating! We’re in chlorine water and the sun so it has to have some staying power and it does!

AM: Are there any projects that you’re involved in that you would like to share that we can keep an eye out for?

NA: Honestly, right now, I’ve got my hands full. My life has changed a lot since I was done competing. I have 2 daughters now, so that’s definitely a project, I’m here at the Swim School and we’re running swimming lessons trying to teach as many kiddos to swim as we can. I still do a lot of stuff with the USA Swimming Foundation, traveling around especially during Water Safety Month talking about the importance of swimming lessons and how it can save lives.

I also do a little bit of men’s health advocacy. You know, I was diagnosed with cancer and it’s kind of an uncomfortable thing to talk about for some people and I’m pretty comfortable talking with people about it especially because it was testicular cancer (Editor’s Note: At the age of 30 in 2018, Nathan was diagnosed, it was caught and treated.) and I think that there is just a cultural barrier for people – for men specifically to 1, see the doctor and 2, to talk about an issue with their reproductive organs. Most of the time, when testicular cancer is diagnosed, the patients know that something was wrong pretty well in advance. It’s really sad in that way when you talk to doctors and they’re like, “yeah, so many people wait and wait and they wait until their lower back is hurting or they’re coughing up blood because it spread and they just didn’t know.” You can just be out there whether it’s a blurb on the bottom of the ticker tape on ESPN or whatever it might be and say, “hey, testicular cancer is a thing and it affects young people too.” That’s something that means a lot to me.

AM: How do you give back to the sport to the next generation of people coming up?

NA: Well, I was in the water for about an hour today teaching kids how to swim! I have another couple of lessons coming up later on today around 1pm. I mean, just doing what I can! I feel very blessed. Summer is an absolute marathon, just because it’s summer time and that’s when we can run all day long because kids aren’t in school. But it’s an absolute dream come true to be able to do something that I love, to be able to spread my love for the sport and to maybe ignite some passion in some others as well as give a life saving skill. It’s the only sport that is a life saving skill! I just feel so lucky to be able to wake up and be excited for what I’m able to do and to feel good about what I do every day.

AM: What do you want your legacy to be in the sport or in general?

NA: I don’t know. People who ask me that, I thought that I would have a better answer by now. I think that just thinking about it off the top of my head, like I was talking about in 2008, me taking what other people were doing at that time, making it their own and making it better. Just being a small piece of that – maybe the athletes of today saw something that I did or how I approached my swimming. It doesn’t have to be that every athlete has to do their swimming the way that I did. I think that that is something that I learned back in 2008 where I said, “oh, ok I can’t do that.” I can try this, or this might work or I can see myself doing something like that could work. For those that see themselves in something that I do, them taking it and then working with their coaches and then bringing that further and further. The cool thing about swimming is that we’re still setting World Records pretty regularly. I mean track and field is pretty fun and super exciting, but – the 100 meter dash there hasn’t been a World Record in quite some time. So that’s what I love seeing. People pressing it further and further.

IG @nathangadrian

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 52 + 55 Courtesy Narthan Adrian | PG 56 Stephane Kempinaire KMSP DPPI Icon Sportwire | PG 59Zumapress/Icon Sportswire |

THE CLIMB | CASE WALKER

We always like to find out more about those on our favorite shows! For fans of HBO Max's The Other Two, you know that this show is about siblings Cary Dubek (Drew Tarver) who is trying to obtain better auditions and Brooke (Heléne York) who is trying to get her life together in general! Their brother, Chase, known as Chase Dreams (Case Walker), becomes an internet senation overnight. The show illustrates how they navigate their realities!

In this month's issue, we sit down with Case to talk about his character who will be back for it's 3rd season on May 4th on the streaming platform. He shares similarities and differences between himself and this character, how he became attached to the show and how he has enjoyed the process. He also talks about Monster High which will be out this fall.

In addition to his love for acting, he is also an avid rock climber and talks about how he is just as passionate about doing this sport, taking on the challenges that come along with it as well as a bucket list of locales that he would like to go to in his travels to do this activity that he is so proud of.

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be an actor?

CASE WALKER: I realized that I wanted to be an actor, probably when I was 8 years old and I realized that I could play characters and that that would entertain people. It got me hooked!

AM: How did The Other Two Come about? I’ve enjoyed watching this show, but for our readers that aren’t familiar, tell us about this.

CW: The Other Two was a project that I went out for I think 7 years ago now, maybe longer or earlier. I just went out for an audition, my dad took me out across LA and we went in like the usual kid actor would and it just really worked out! I connected with the casting director and I connected with Chris Kelly (Saturday Night Live, Crashing, Broad City) and Sarah Schneider (Saturday Night Live, Master of None, Goodnight, Sweet Prince) in the last audition. It worked out and it’s been amazing ever since.

AM: That’s amazing! You play Chase Dreams. Who is he and are there similarities and differences between yourself and the character that you play?

CW: Chase Dreams, well, he has grown a lot over the show. Early on, we were very similar in the 1st and the 2nd season. It paralleled a little bit to my life as a child actor in LA and going through the motions of the industry. This season, Chase gets to mature quite a bit. We jump a little bit into the future and Chase is older going through what I would say are adult challenges than he has ever gone through. Which is very similar to what I have gone through as well even in this season which is really fun!

AM: That’s great! The show obviously has an incredible cast with yourself, Molly Shannon (Saturday Night Live, White Lotus, Divorce), Ken Marino (Party Down, Black Monday, Veronica Mars), Wanda Sykes (Black-ish, Bad Moms, Curb Your Enthusiasm) along with former SNL writers Chris and Sarah. What is it like being on this show and what have you learned?

CW: Yeah, I’ve learned so much working on this show. All my co-stars have not only been friends and companions to me, but also talking to me so much about acting and especially how to operate on set and how to be on a television show to work together to produce art. I’ve also learned so much from them on the comedy side as well. They’ve just been amazing mentors, friends, and co-workers - all of the above.

AM: It’s always great when you have that dynamic in the chemistry. Are you able to tell us about the upcoming 3rd season and what we can expect?

CW: I can share a little bit. This season is a big jump from where we last were. It’s totally different and it’s bigger. I would say that it’s a lot bigger if you can believe it. Everyone, I would say this season – every character is kind of going through their own challenge. We’re a little bit more separate and individual this season and of course, as we always do, we end up back together as a family through all of our conflicts and challenges in the industry. It’s really fun to see how we all get through this season! There are some crazy things that happen and Chase goes through a lot of stuff! I personally felt that I was going through a lot of different sketches this season a little bit because you’ll see that Chase has a few things that are going on this season to solve his situations. It will be really fun to watch for sure.

AM: Looking forward to catch that! Are there other projects that we should keep an eye out for that you’re involved in?

CW: I worked on another project that’s a live action musical, the 2nd version of it called Monster High. It’s totally different than The Other Two which is going to be a blast and it will be out this fall!

AM: It’s always exciting to have something that’s ahead of you!

When you’re not on set, we know that you’re an avid rock climber. How did you get into this sport?

CW: Rock climbing, I got into it because my big brother was really into it. He had been doing it for a few years and as a little bro does, I kind of followed him into it. Then I stopped for a few years and then around COVID, I completely fell in love with it – especially outdoor bouldering. I’ve kind of run with it since then.

AM: You mentioned that your brother was a huge influence, but there are so many outdoor sports that you could have done, what is it about this specifically that you really love about it?

CW: I would describe bouldering and rock climbing as probably one of the most full value sports. While I’m in NY, I can train at the climbing gym nearby and find a community there and then when I’m home in Colorado, I can do a lot of outdoor bouldering. I can go to the Alpine or the Front Range. When I was in Canada filming, there was climbing everywhere. It’s a beautiful sport where you can do it a little bit, you could do it a lot, you can go outside and you can be inside and there's just this awesome community behind it. I find it to be one of the best sports in the world, it’s my favorite.

AM: Do you have a bucket list of locations that you would go to specifically around the world to continue to boulder or rock climb out there?

CW: Totally, yeah! There’s a bunch. There’s a place called Rocklands in South Africa that’s incredible, there’s a place called Fontainebleau in France which is amazing and it has a fun name – these are all just obviously legendary international bouldering spots. Where I’m at in Colorado, it’s a bucket list for a lot of people! So I just got to get a lot more boulders on my checklist here and I’ll definitely make my way to Spain and France and all of the above!

AM: When you’re climbing, how do you prepare? What are the things that you’re looking for to ensure that you’re having a good climb?

CW: To prepare for climbing, especially when you’re taking it to a whole other level, you really have to invest a lot more than you expected to it. So, it’s really mental, it’s emotional sometimes and obviously, it’s physical. A lot of people don’t grasp the mental aspect of it often times when you’ve spent a lot of time on a project which is what we call it. Like spending multiple days. It really does take a lot of mental focus and figuring out data. When I’m climbing, I just really try to be present because sometimes you can think about getting the route done or just overthinking it. At the end of the day, it’s really just about getting outside, climbing and having a great experience. When you do what we call a complete boulder or a complete climb, it’s a reward and it’s really fun. Really, climbing is just about climbing and being able to get out there and to challenge yourself.

AM: Have you ever done it competitively? Will we see you trying to go to the Olympics?

CW: You know, I have a friend who’s in the Olympics and he was one of our Olympians and I have a ton of friends in Colorado who obviously go to the National Team Trials. There’s actually a pretty big separation between outdoor bouldering and what we call comp style or competition style climbing. They kind of have a middle ground, but you end up training one or the other. I’ve been pretty focused on the outdoor stuff, but I also do a few competitions here and there! Just not maybe on the Olympic level!

IG @casewalker

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 92 -94 HBO Max/The Other Two | PG 97 Rocky Holloway | PG 98 Cooper Doe |

Read the APR ISSUE #88 of Athleisure Mag and see THE CLIMB | Case Walker in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | LEAH VAN DALE

Read the APR ISSUE #88 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Leah Van Dale in mag.

THE 9LIST

Read the APR ISSUE #88 of Athleisure Mag and see THE 9LIST in mag.

THE ENERGY INNOVATOR | JENNIFER MAXWELL

It's always good to pay hommage to those that created categories that started with a product that we continue to enjoy to this day. We enjoy energy bars and there are so many to choose from; however, back in 1985, this category started with the PowerBar. In the 90's, we threw these bars into our bag. Jennifer Maxwell and her husband, created this brand and after selling the brand in 2000, she came back to this category that she created to add JAMBAR into the conversation! We took some time to talk with this innovator about how she came to the industry, creating PowerBar, introducing JAMBAR and the ethos of this company.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been a fan of your work in the industry for a number of years! Tell me about your background as I know that you’re a mom, an athlete, a musician and a food science nutrition expert.

JENNIFER MAXWELL: That’s right! So I started as a young girl being very athletic in high school and in college. I’ve always been interested in nutrition and how that plays into overall wellness and performance as an athlete. I was at UC Berkely as an athlete on the track cross country team that my future husband, Brian at that time. We started a project together to create the PowerBar. So this was all the way back to 1985 and this was before energy bars were even a thing. We worked in our duplex apartment to come up with the formulation and launch PowerBar. We started the company in 1985 and we launched it 1987 and created a whole industry. It was really the love of athletics and performance that we were able to do that. We grew the company to be really large and then we sold it to Nestlé in 2000 and that was my initial interest in this industry.

AM: I remember in the 90s then I was in middle school and in high school, I would throw a PowerBar into my bag and it was great to keep my energy going. The fact that this was the first and it opened the door to the energy bar as a category, how does it feel to know that you started this and to see how it has grown?

JM: It’s very satisfying. It gave me the interest to go from what was PowerBar to JAMBAR. Now there are so many energy bars on the market. So I thought, what can I do now that so many years have gone by and I wanted to re-enter the category because I’m very passionate about organic nutrition. JAMBAR is an organic energy bar. I was really interested to see what was out there and what else that I could create.

AM: You launched JAMBAR in 2021. I have to tell you that I am obsessed with Chocolate Cha Cha. I love that flavor. We got the variety box but that one is my favorite. Can you tell us more about JAMBAR and the flavors and the ingredients that you have in them?

JM: Ok. So there’s 4, Cha Cha like you mentioned, Musical Mango, Jammin’ Jazzleberry and Malt Nut Melody. The thing about JAMBAR which is really interesting is the quality of the ingredients. We didn’t sacrifice and make any short cuts in the creation of it. I spent over 4 years looking at what is available in the marketplace for proteins, gluten-free grain, etc and what were the best quality ingredients using real sweeteners which was really important to me – sugars that are inherent in nature. I wanted to provide options for people. So within those flavors, 2 are plant-based proteins (Musical Mango and Jammin’ Jazzleberry) and 2 are whey based (Chocolate Cha Cha and Malt Nut Melody). We have options for people that want to eat plant-based protein which is 10g per bar. So it’s a pretty comprehensive product and it has 4g of fiber and that’s what I wanted to do. The taste is great! When I looked at a portfolio of products, I wanted to have not just a product that was kind of the same. At JAMBAR, the chocolate is a very deep and rich chocolate which is very different from the Malt Nut Melody which has peanut butter and vanilla. The Jazzleberry has a lot of freeze dried berries – raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. The Mango has big pieces of mango in it. So it's a lot of fruit and a lot of quality of ingredients in each one.

AM: I love it and I love the texture too. It’s a very flavorful and satisfying bar to have. It’s really exciting. I love that there is this sentiment of this energy artisan bar. I love that phrase, what do you mean by that?

JM: So artisan means that we take time to produce in order to create these bars. It’s not something where we have mass mass production. We do make a lot of bars, but we have a production facility here and we make our own product. We don’t have a copacker because they make tons of products for other people. We make our own product and we take the time to craft the quality.

AM: Each bar has a musical name which I love. Why is music part of the ethos of the brand?

JM: Well, music is really important to me as a musician. I play in 2 bands now. Music came into my life a couple of years after my husband, Brian passed away in 2004. Music was a savior to me and I have always been interested in music. Something called to me to be a musician in 2007. I’m a drummer, mostly jazz – music is a huge part of my recovery. After the passing of my husband and raising my 6 children, I needed something that I could feel good about, keep working on myself, meet people and to be happy. Music provides all of those things.

When I got the formulation of JAMBAR now and decided to launch this company, I wanted to have more than just a great product. I wanted to have a company that had more of a purpose. Since music was important to me, I thought well, I want to support organizations that support music. That’s what JAMBAR does. We donate 50% of our proceeds to organizations that promote music and active living. Active living would be running races. Music is music performances, schools, kids music programs, live music programs, etc. That’s a huge part of the company. You get your jam on and that’s a music connection! It's a big purpose and JAMBAR exists as an all organic fantastic tasting and healthy energy option for consumers, but to also have that greater purpose and to contribute to the community for music and active living.

AM: I really like that. I love music, here at Athleisure Mag, we cover a lot of artists, my great uncle was a jazz tenor saxophonist, Joe Henderson.

JM: Oh really! Oh my ok!! I know Joe Henderson. In fact, I have played many of his tunes oh wow!

AM: Yeah so music is something that I grew up with and I have styled a number of music artists and just as someone who enjoys listening to it, it fuels the soul and even when I have traveled to other countries where we don’t speak the same language, the notes, the music, the rhythm and the melody really connects people as a language on another level. I think that it’s so amazing that that’s what you do with the brand as well! It’s great messaging on top of the fact that I literally love this product.

JM: Thank you!

AM: Of course! Are you going to have additional flavors or limited edition flavors that you’ll do with this brand?

JM: Yes. That is something that interests me because we’re small enough, nimble and make our own product that we would be able to do that for a limited edition or seasonal offering. I am working on another flavor and when we launch it, that’s definitely going to be something super fun.

AM: We will have to keep an eye out for that one!

JM: Oh yeah and with our consumers, we ask, what flavors do you guys recommend?

AM: You’ll be at the Natural Products Expo West in March. What are you looking forward to at this tradeshow which focuses on natural and organic products?

JM: Yeah, it’s JAMBAR’s debut! It will be our first big tradeshow. We have done other ones, but this is a big debut. To be able to connect with everyone from retailers, distributors, brokers and interested people that want to learn more about JAMBAR, our mission and our product. We’re really excited about it.

AM: I know that the brand is available in the Bay Area, Southern California and the Pacific Northwest. What’s the distribution strategy and will you be available here in NY and where can we get them online?

JM: We sell on Amazon.

AM: Nice.

JM: As well as our own website so that’s pretty easy. Since we’re based in California, most of our distribution is on the West Coast like you mentioned. We’re in larger retailers in the Bay Area because we’re here. We’re opening up our distribution in Southern California and in the PNW. We also have some distribution in North Carolina. We have a little bit coming east.

AM: Are there any partnerships or collaborations that you will do this year that we should keep an eye out for?

JM: Well we do between 20-25 events a month. We just did the San Francisco Half Marathon which was about 1,000 runners. It was fantastic. It rained a little bit but the runners had their JAMBAR after the event. We have the Silicon Wellness Summit, San Diego Half Marathon, the La Jolla Half which will be in May. We also have some Ultra running events, the Jane Fonda Women’s Icon Event that’s really fun. We have the Asheville Marathon in mid-March as well as the Oakland Marathon. So we have events like that that have let’s say 5-10,000 people. Then we also have very small events like a girl's softball opening day event that has 250 people. So we go from 250 people to 5-10,000 people.

IG @eatjambar

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Jennifer Maxwell

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ENERGY INNOVATOR | Jennifer Maxwell in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | DAWN RUSSELL

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Dawn Russell in mag.

ATHLEISURE LIST | BODY SPACE FITNESS

Kelvin Gary is the founder of Body Space Fitness and is a former engineer, undergrad and a double engineering major and organic chem minor. He has an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business. While working corporate, he realized the negative impacts of sitting at a desk. This led him to training as a side hustle and the idea of BSF materialized.

He wanted to provide function training at a reasonable price. It was important to create a good, supportive, high-energy environment and culture to clients for a great experience.

BSF is a full-body function training facility that doesn’t focus on one tool or modality. They have a science-based system of training that incorporates multiple tools and modalities to build programming that help the client reach their goals.

With 14 coaches, all have a broad range of experience in different modalities. The coaches keep up with continuing education and learn all the tools necessary for the programming that takes place at BSF. Almost all of the coaches are pre/post-natal certified and one is also a boxing and MMA instructor.

Clients will participate in a strategy session where coaches get to know the client, learn about their goals, their starting point, training history, injuries and roadblocks. This information and assessment guides the needs of the clients training plan which includes exercise pregaming, recovery and nutrition if needed.

BSF uses the Inbody 570 which tells you how much muscle, bone and fat a client has. They can see this as it pertains to body fat and muscle by body part. It shows where gains and reduction needs to take place.

Clients participate in semi-private personal training in groups of 3 to work with one coach. Each client works their own customized program.

Group classes are pre-programmed with 16 people. Clients will supplement their customized training with group classes for additional workouts. Classes have a number of themes with some focused more on conditioning and some on strength.BODY SPACE FITNESS

BSF Union Square

47 W 14h St 5th Fl

NY, NY 10011

BSF Upper East

300 E 59th St

NY, NY 10022

bodyspacefitness.com

IG @bodyspacenyc

PHOTO CREDITS | Body Space Fitness

Read the DEC ISSUE #84 of Athleisure Mag and see ATHLEISURE LIST | Body Space Fitness in mag.

63MIX ROUTIN3S | GABRIELLE REECE

Read the DEC ISSUE #84 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Gabrielle Reece in mag.

CORE VISION | BRYAN MYERS

We're always excited to join a number of boutique fitness studio classes. There's nothing like being able to really enjoy a specific modality. When we started introducing pilates into our routines, [solidcore] was one of a few studios that we started trying. We spoke with their CEO Bryan Myers, we wanted to know more about his background, transitioning from sweetgreen (a fave of ours) to becoming the CEO and President of [solidcore] and finding out what he is focused on as he continue to exapnd the brand!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We’re excited to be able to connect with you! Before we dig into it, what was your career path that led you to being an alum of sweetgreen and currently at [solidcore]?

BRYAN MYERS: Thank you for having me! I come from a military family, and am a first generation college graduate. My parents have been supportive and proud of me my whole life, so that still pushes me to be my best every day. Post college, I followed a typical path for young professionals in DC – consulting. Craving more adventure and experience, I took a risk with a DC-based startup people have come to know and love as sweetgreen – the fast-casual salad chain that changed the way we think about the intersection of fast food and health food. I learned so much from the founders and leadership team, and it gave me what I needed to eventually join [solidcore] as COO and lead a rapidly growing team. And while the road hasn't always been easy - particulary the last two years - the challenging moments have been the most informative, impactful, and meaningful moments of my career to date. I wouldn't be the leader I am today without the setbacks and experiences I went through.

AM: Sweetgreen is one of our favorite salad places. As VP of Development for this fast casual chain, can you tell me what your responsibilities were as you grew them from a regional chain of 22 restaurants to 90 locations nationally for your 4 years there.

BM: One of the blessings of being a part of a rapidly growing organization is that you get the opportunity to wear many different hats. My experience was no different, but my final role there consisted of overseeing all of our new restaurant growth operations including real estate selection, restaurant design, and construction. It was a really challenging, but fun job that allowed me to play a first hand role in bringing sweetgreen to communities all over the country.

AM: Working with sweetgreen, what drew you to work with this brand and what did you learn from being in the food space?

BM: I was young and seeking something that felt more entrepreneurial. Although I loved my time in consulting, I realized that the true entrepreneurship that I craved wasn’t going to be possible in that environment. At the time, sweetgreen was poised for rapid growth and as an already-loyal consumer, I was already bought into the product! My wheels began turning immediately… I knew together sweetgreen and I had the tools to explode onto the fast-casual health scene, and that’s exactly what we did.

AM: In 2018, you came to [solidcore] what led you to join them as their COO?

BM: My journey with [solidcore] actually began in 2014 as a client. As a lover of the product, joining as COO allowed me to marry many of the skills and experiences that I had developed during my time at sweetgreen with another DC-founded company that I loved.

AM: We have covered two of [solidcore]’s locations in Athleisure Mag’s feature Athleisure List previously. For those that may not be familiar with this fitness studio, can you tell us about it?

BM: [solidcore] is a 50-minute, full-body, strength training workout. It is an entirely immersive experience - held in a dimly-lit room under blue lights, fueled by energizing music, and led by an experienced coach who offers personalized instruction. This is a workout like no other! We utilize our signature machine, [sweatlana]. The [solidcore] workout is one that will transform your body and deliver noticeable results. Whether considered a person’s primary workout, or a supplement to a regular training routine, [solidcore] is designed to make clients stronger and more resilient - physically and mentally.

AM: Since arriving in 2018, you moved on to being the President and COO and you are currently the President and CEO – what is your day-to-day like here?

BM: Everyday is different - and that’s the joy! Of course, at its core, as CEO I am responsible for setting our company’s strategy and building an incredible team to help execute it. I’m so proud of the work that our team has accomplished: we’re near opening our 100th studio, we just wrapped up our Greatness Within campaign where we challenged our clients to discover their inner greatness, we launched a first of its kind partnership with the WNBA Washington Mystics, and so much more. I also coach classes and travel the country to meet our team and clients, which is one of the most rewarding parts of my role! All of it has excitement and challenges and learning opportunities. The varied days keep me going, inspired, and excited for what’s next.

AM: During COVID-19, many fitness studios, like many businesses in various verticals had to adjust to the pandemic. What did you have to do during those years?

BM: In March of 2020, we had to lay off 98% of our staff and coaches and pivot our business model to adapt when the world was in crisis. A skeleton crew stayed on - we all took significant pay cuts - and we worked harder, smarter, and leaner than we ever had before. None of us had all the answers, but together - we found solutions. We built back. And now we're near 100 brick and mortar studios and exceeding pre-Covid numbers. When the going got tough - the team got us through.

AM: You are known for your ability to grow businesses, you’ve opened over 87 locations across 24 states currently and you have an aggressive expansion goal, how do you decide on where these studios will be and are there thoughts to extend the brand internationally?

BM: One of the most compelling parts of the [solidcore] business is the diversity of the communities where we’ve been able to find success. We operate in smaller markets like Fargo, North Dakota, and also the largest cities in the country such as Los Angeles and New York City. That, of course, makes deciding where we go and when very tough because there are so many options! We weigh a bunch of different factors as we think about expansion, but primarily we look to identify markets where we can open multiple locations in attractive trade areas and leverage all of the inbound inquiries that we receive via email and across our social media channels to help prioritize as well! As we look ahead over the next several years, we are excited to begin to bring [solidcore] to markets outside of the United States as well!

AM: We read that [solidcore] has partnered with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics as the official offseason workout partner. What does this partnership look like with the team and fans? Do you have other partnerships that you can share and/or are you looking to connect with others to make creative synergistic partnerships?

BM: This was an exciting one for [solidcore]. You know, we are DC-born so partnering with the Washington Mystics as their official offseason workout partner was a total pinch me moment. Members of the team make their way into the [solidcore] studios and enjoy incorporating our modality into their workout regimen... it's great to be surrounded by such talented athletes which also speaks volumes about the efficacy of [solidcore]’s workout. If these athletes are shaking and sweating, you know it’s going to be a challenge! Of course we are looking to do similar partnerships, but you’ll have to stay tuned for more.

AM: In a competitive landscape, how does [solidcore] maintain its ethos with a focus on building strong, inclusive communities for clients and communities?

BM: One of my favorite things about [solidcore] is how community driven we are. Even though there are nearly 100 [solidcore] locations, each individual studio is evangelist-led by community members with genuine, shared passion. As a whole, our members want to put in the work, and we all believe the work is the joy. We all do it for the sweat, the connection, the challenge, and the growth of it all and that’s what makes [solidcore] such a strong leader in the fitness industry. They come for the workout and stay for the connections.

AM: What is your vision for [solidcore]?

BM: Oh, the sky's the limit with where I want to go with [solidcore]. The brand is redefining the fitness space and provides a workout that challenges and changes you both mentally and physically. Now more than ever we are pushing our members to discover their greatness and create the strongest version of themselves. Just being a part of this movement and expanding to over 100 studios is a win, but who says we’re stopping at 100 studios? We’re hungry to be innovators in the fitness space and you’ll see much more from us in the years ahead!!

AM: Is there anything that [solidcore] is working on or launching as we head into the holiday season/early next year that you would like to share?

BM: [solidcore] is continuing to expand in many of the markets where we already have a presence, including Los Angeles, New York City, and Seattle. We are also preparing for a strong first quarter of 2023 when many of us look to recommit to our health and wellness goals. As we did last year, we’ll have a number of exciting offers to help our communities stay committed to those goals!

AM: There are challenges that you face as you navigate growing your brand, taking space in places where you may be the only person of color or in a very small group. As a Black, gay male CEO – how did you navigate making space for yourself regardless of the adversity that came along?

BM: I am a gay, black man. The first in my family to graduate from college. I have a job running a company that’s helping people mentally and physically, a husband that I love, and a brand new baby boy who is filling my cup and challenging me in ways I literally didn’t think possible. I strive to shatter glass ceilings and break barriers so it was important to me to claim space in this industry. That said, I often talk about the “superpowers” that we all have as a result of the identities that we hold. I’m incredibly proud of the ways that being a Black, gay man has shaped me and many of those qualities have helped me become the leader that I am today which has been so critical to my success.

AM: How do you give back to the community and how important is it to you that you do this?

BM: Giving back to the community is something that has always been important to me, instilled in me since I was young. Currently, I serve on the Board of the Ridley Scholars Foundation, an organization that provides financial and mentorship support to high-achieving African-American students. This is an organization that resonates with me on a deeply personal level since I was a Ridley Scholar myself. It’s such a powerful feeling to have this “full circle” moment where I can help contribute to the future of these amazing students in the same way that others were able to support me.

AM: As someone who is successful and has a lot on his plate, are there other projects that you are working on that you would like for us to know about?

BM: My plate is full but I’ve never been happier. I am constantly inspired by my husband and our new bundle of joy keeps us on our toes. Outside of my day-to-day work with [solidcore], my husband and I have begun to do a small amount of investing behind ideas and entrepreneurs that we believe will shape the future of our country. Additionally, I’ve started to explore corporate board opportunities as another way to take the experience that I’ve gained over the course of my career and help other entrepreneurs and business leaders on their journey of success.

IG @bmysofly

@solidcore

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | [solidcore]

Read the NOV ISSUE #83 of Athleisure Mag and see CORE VISION | Bryan Myers in mag.