Read the AUG ISSUE #104 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST Kelly Cheng in mag.
As we're all enjoying our favorite teams and sports that are taking place at Paris 2024, we have a series of interviews with Olympians that are in this issue that we participated in when we were within the 100 days of the games. We're kicking it off with 2X Team USA Olympics Gymnastics, Jordan Chiles (G1, S1) who competed in Tokyo 2020 and is competing in Paris alongside her teammates Simone Biles (G5, S1, B2), Suni Lee (G2, S1, B1), Jade Carey (G2), and Hezly Rivera (G1), known as The Golden Girls! They have already won a Gold medal from the Paris 2024 games!
We sat down with Jordan to talk about the sport, becoming an Olympian, how much she is looking forward to this year's Summer Games which will have an audience in attendance as well as being able to meet other athletes, and how she maintains self-care! We have enjoyed seeing her floor routines which mix Hip-Hop, Beyoncé, and more. She also has fans that include Megan Thee Stallion, 2X Gold Medalist + 6X NBA Champion Michael Jordan, and Queen Bee herself, Beyoncé.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We have enjoyed seeing you do and it’s great to chat with you!
JORDAN CHILES: Thank you so much for having me! I love opportunities like this and to have the ability to be able to speak with you about my goals and everything like that, this should be fun!
AM: What’s your earliest gymnastics memory that made you love this sport?
JC: I would probably say that I was around 9 or 10 years old and I had really bad ADHD when I was younger. So I always say that gymnastics saved me because I was able to get all of my energy out before I realized that I had a gift and talent and that I would be able to go somewhere with it. I just thought that it was all fun and games so I really just wanted to be able to take that energy to the next level around 9/10/11 years old so it was pretty cool to just take off and to see what else I could do.
AM: I love that!
Everyone has their specialty in the sport, what do you feel are your areas of things that you love to do?
JC: I kind of just love my sport in general. I don’t have a specialty in what I do. I’m just known as the hype woman a lot as people say! I give a lot of energy to the crowd and to my teammates. I just think that being a leader as well and kind of knowing and understanding each and every aspect of what it is to be an athlete – mentally, physically, and so I can say that it’s about me being myself and being authentic to who I am.
AM: You have been on the Women’s US National Gymnastic Team since 2013, what does it mean to you that you have represented your country from the Olympics to World Championships, NCAA Championships with UCLA, and just owning all of the spaces?
JC: Man, it’s been crazy! I can say knowing that I have been on the National Team since I was 12 years old it’s been a whirlwind, a crazy ride, it’s been up and down – the road wasn’t straight or smooth. It was very bumpy and curvy, but I am really proud to say that I represent Team USA and just being able to help the country understand that our sport is such a unique and different thing than it is to other sports in that it’s hard work, it’s dedication, and it’s a simplicity thing to who you want to be. I think that it’s pretty cool. I can say that representing Team USA wearing Red, White, and Blue and always having it wherever I go on my back is definitely something that I cherish for sure!
AM: I have always enjoyed watching your routines and I have literally had tears in my eyes just watching you perform. Whether it’s you in UCLA incorporating Hip-Hop, Beyoncé and all of these different things – what goes into creating these performances and obviously deciding the elements that are involved as well as the music and all of that?
JC: So when it comes to my floor routine, the first one that I had, I was really little and it was Michael Jackson and I did a tribute to him. I think that it’s really about the culture and the music and how pop culture has kind of changed the atmosphere into what it means to putting your own touch and taste to it – your own piece – like your cherry on top you know? It’s like you have this awesome sundae and you want to put that cherry on top to show who you are! So, when it came to my music, obviously I just want to be able to not only get the crowd involved, but also to take it back for them. Because they are watching and if they hear something that they’re like, “oh my gosh, I remember when I was in high school listening to this song,” that is what I do, whether it is Beyoncé, the 90s, taking it back to the Michael Jackson days, or even bring in superheroes! I’ve done that too! It’s pretty cool to put my own touch into everything.
AM: When you competed at the Summer Games in Tokyo and you came home with a medal, did you always imagine that you would be on that stage?
JC: I always imagined that I would be an Olympian for sure and go to the Olympics, but I didn’t believe whatsoever that it would be in Gymnastics! Back in 2008, I told my mom when we were watching the Olympic Games, “you know what? One day I want to go to the Olympics!” Back then, I didn’t know what sport I was doing, I was young. So, knowing that it was for Gymnastics and I was able to bring home a medal, being there in that position and being on that stage – not a lot of people get to experience that and I am beyond proud of myself for sure. I can just say that the little me would be very proud and to be able to continue on with something that I have always dreamed of.
AM: What are the challenges of being an Olympic Gymnast and what does an average day or week look like when you’re training and preparing for the upcoming Summer Games?
JC: Obviously, it’s a little different. My first Olympic Games, I was really a nobody! Knowing that I am going into this 2nd Olympic cycle with an Olympics under my belt, it’s different for sure! But, I am still doing everything that I was doing just like it would be my first. I have been taking it day by day and month by month. As we’re talking right now, we are under 100 days away! Knowing that makes me just like ahh – oh my gosh this is so crazy and I’m doing this all over again, but it definitely is a mental game and for someone like me who's kind of already been through it, I know what to do, but for others that maybe this is their first time trying out for the Olympics, just take this moment as this will always be something that you will be able to cherish. Just take it piece by piece, remember your why, and that’s how I always think of it every step of the way.
AM: With it being less than 100 days to Paris 2024, what does it look like in terms of your schedule for qualifying and other things on the Road to the Olympics.
JC: Knowing that we’re just a few days away as I will say it like that because it just sounds more reasonable! Right?
AM: Right!
JC: We have a competition this week which starts off with the Core Classics. Our season actually started at the beginning of Jan, but unfortunately, I was unable to compete due to a shoulder injury that I had. So this meet that is coming up this weekend is my first meet that will put me on the platform to show people where I am at, what I am doing, and to give our head people an understanding of where – if I am picked – where I can be on the team. Obviously, 2 weeks after that, we have Championships which is a really big meet as well and then about 2 and a half weeks after that, we have Olympic Trials. That will be where they pick the Olympic Team and the Olympic Alternates. It’s definitely a fast cycle for us. We are one of the last Team USA sports that do – besides Track & Field, that we are the last to find out who gets to go!
AM: Yeah, we’ve been watching other sports on Team USA that are already confirmed and we keep checking for you guys to see when those announcements will be.
JC: Yeah, us and Track & Field, we’re always the last to figure out what the team is. But I feel that that is the coolest part of it because it’s like, “ooo who is it going to be?” It’s also motivating to see other people that have already made it so it pushes you to think that you want to make it so that you can meet some of the other people who will also be there as well! It’s a great process and I think that the qualifying part is the biggest that you will ever experience.
AM: In terms of Paris, what are you looking forward to?
JC: Well, knowing that I have been to Paris already a few times, I still think that every single time that I get off the plane, it’s just beautiful. I love being out there! The culture, the atmosphere, the designers, everything fashion – it’s just amazing! I think that the biggest thing is just enjoying and having an Olympic Games that will be normal. In Tokyo there was COVID and we didn’t get to do a lot and just to be able to go around the Olympic Village with people and being able to have an audience and to enjoy the Olympic experience. So I am truly looking forward to that! Also being able to get to meet people we didn’t do that last time. I hope that I will be able to meet a basketball player or a volleyball player, golf or whatever it is and to be able to experience that!
AM: With that time being so close, you have partnered with Bliss. What is the synergy between you and the brand?
JC: So Bliss felt very natural to me. It felt like it fit in with who I am trying to be and especially with their commitment to self-care which is a very key thing to me whether it’s in your skincare, your beauty, taking a nap you know? Having the ability to just embrace who you are and with their Lemon Sage Body Butter, it’s definitely a game changer for sure. I feel very confident, elegant, and smooth who I am. It’s just a nourishment for sure and being able to have Bliss as a partner within my daily routine, makes me feel like a brand new person every single time!
AM: I have to say that I am a long time fan of this scent and that product and you get that luxury feeling when you put it on.
In terms of self-care, what do you do? I know that you’re always traveling and you have a schedule so what do you do to take that time so you have moments for yourself?
JC: A lot of times when it comes to self-care, it does come to beauty and you want to take that time to feel as beautiful as possible because you know that this world is very crucial and it does take a whirlwind on you. Within my self-care, I like to take time to myself. It could be sitting in my room and drawing, whether I’m looking at a Netflix show and binge watching and just being by myself because I am around a lot of people 24/7 so sometimes taking that sound and putting it away helps a lot. I take naps! I take naps all of the time! If you don’t know where I went, and you don’t see me at all – it’s because I’m asleep in my room napping. That’s how I do self-care for myself or sometimes I go shopping. Retail therapy is the best!
AM: How do you keep your skin looking and feeling hydrated especially when you think about travel, doing all of the movements when you have perspiration and the chalk you use? Looking at your skin right now, obviously you’ve got it down as your skin is glowing and it looks beautiful.
JC: Oh thank you! With the hydration part, I do a lot of intake of water because as a gymnast, we sweat a lot. I mean I’m not really a sweater but when it does come to working out, always grinding, we lose a lot of salt so, that does make our skin very dry and brittle. Also the magnesium we’re around in our chalk, it takes moisture out. So because of all of that, I drink a lot of water and I make sure that I am always moisturized no matter where I go! So whether it’s a lotion or a scrub or whatever it is, even for my lips, I keep everything hydrated because I am always in chalk! I don’t like chalk already because it’s nasty so that hydration, it really comes in to make you feel good. I wake up every morning, I wash my face, I do my whole skincare and if I forget to put my moisturizer on, oh I go crazy! I’m like my face is going to fall off! So I make sure that I am taking everything in for sure!
AM: Are there any kind of projects that you have that we should keep an eye out for as obviously you have an amazing schedule coming up and we can’t wait to see that! But is there anything else that we should know about?
JC: I can say that there is this one thing that is coming into play and I can’t really say a lot without saying a lot! It’s definitely going to give a perspective on when you feel you have done so much in your life that you can help others so I will leave it with that! So just keep an eye out on it and I feel that a lot of people will be able to take a lot from it. They will understand what it is like to be an athlete and to be someone that is more than just an athlete!
AM: What do you want your legacy to be whether it’s in the sport or outside of it? As you just stated it’s not just about being an athlete, it’s more than that.
JC: I think the legacy would be more so that I was always having fun, I always - I don’t like to say this, but I wasn’t always a rule follower. I always did things outside of the box and just enjoyed being the person that I was, being authentic to who I am as a person, and knowing that there is only one you and that nobody can change that. I think that the legacy is who you are, what you want to do in your life, and how can you control that within yourself!
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 66 Team USA Facebook | PG 71 + 9PLAYLIST PG 76 Team USA | PG 74 Bliss | PG 78 + 63MIX ROUTIN3S PG 80 Jordan Chiles |
Read the JUL ISSUE #103 of Athleisure Mag and see TRUE JORDAN | Jordan Chiles in mag.
Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag and see 63MIX ROUTIN3S | Lydia Jacoby in mag.
In this month’s issue, our front and back cover story is with Showtime star of The Chi, Curtiss Cook. We sat down with him to talk about his approach to acting and how he connects to his characters, the success of The Chi, the importance of mental health and why it is important to him, as well as upcoming projects. We also enjoyed spending time with him in Chelsea at Selina Chelsea Hotel as we shot his cover at Creatures at Selina Rooftop and Music For A While listening lounge with key menswear looks for your next outing.
Earlier this month, we headed to Lifetime Fitness for the unveiling of their 7 Pickleball courts as well as to see legendary 8X Grand Slam Winner and 60 ATP Tour wins, Andre Agassi. We enjoyed a fireside chat with him as well as the founder of Lifetime Fitness, Bahram Akradi. We enjoyed hearing him talk about playing as a tennis star and how he has transitioned to enjoying pickleball. In addition, we were able to watch him as well as fellow pickleball stars Anna Bright, Tyson McGuffin, Collin Johns, and Ben Johns play in a series of exhibition games.
This month, we also caught up with 2x Team USA Swimming Medalist Lydia Jacoby ahead of the Summer Games in Paris to talk about her sport, swimming for the University of Texas at Austin, what her average week of training is like, and what the weeks ahead look like as Paris 2024 approaches. .
We enjoyed Season 1 of Outer Range and with Season 2 available on Prime Video, we enjoyed talking with Showrunner and Executive Producer Charles Murray to talk about how he was drawn to storytelling and why he enjoys doing it. We also talk about how he came to this neo-western and the power of secrets. We also connected with actors Tamara Podemski and Isabel Arraiza in this series to find out about their characters from Season 1 and what we can expect from Season 2.
Part of a story and its characters coming together takes place in its costume direction as it says a number of elements that are not necessarily in the script, but round out the picture! Costume Designer Allyson Fanger has been storytelling through costumes in films and television from Wild Things, 10 Things I Hate About You to Grace & Frankie, Shrinking, Apples Never Fall, etc. We caught up with her to find out how she got into the industry, her journey, how she approaches her craft, the difference between styling and costume design, and upcoming projects.
We're back for our 7th year as Media Sponsors for PRIDE NYC which takes place throughout the month of June here in NYC. In advance of this, we wanted to share what you can look forward to this year in our pre-coverage and next month we will have more details on events that we attended.
Bar Convent Brooklyn takes place next month Jun 11- 12 as it's a time for those in the bar/beverage, and hospitality industry to come together to meet new spirit brands and sample launches as well. Ahead of us attending the trade show as well as related events, we wanted to connected with the Event Vice President, Jackie Williams to find out how this event came to be, an overview of its 6 years, and what we can expect this year for attendees and exhibitors in Industry City, Brooklyn. Next month, we'll share our thoughts on what we saw and enjoyed so that you can keep an eye out for new brands and launches.
In an already busy June ahead, Governors Ball will return to Flushing Meadows on Jun 7 - 9! We give an overview on what you can expect and what we look forward to as this music festival kicks off the summer season. Next month, we'll share what we saw and who we interviewed in our JUN ISSUE #102.
This month's The Art of the Snack comes from Heritage Grand Bakery, Heritage Grand and Restaurant and Pizza Bar in Bryant Park. We wanted to know more about this eatery that allows you to have a number of options to go if you're ordering from the bakery for breakfast and lunch and bites in between. We also liked knowing more about the restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and is a great happy hour spot.
This month's Athleisure List comes from The Thinking Traveller, luxury rentals villas in Italy and Greece that are perfect for you to truly enjoy your family with the ability to include premium add-ons to personalize your stay. We also have Hot Bones a Detroit wellness studio that has hot yoga as well as pilates! They are also known for their bone broth that guests can enjoy as well for a full holistic approach.
This month’s 9PLAYLIST comes from EDM group Swedish House Mafia and VASSY. This month we have our 9PLAYLIST MULTI from our cover star, Curtiss Cook who shares songs, books and podcasts/TV/films that he is enjoying. Our 9LIST STORI3S comes from Costume Designer Allyson Fanger who shares her must-haves in beauty, style, and fitness. Our 63MIX ROUTIN3S comes from 2X Team USA Swimming Olympian Lydia Jacoby and actor, Joey Lawrence. This month's THE 9LIST 9CH3FS and THE 9LIST 9B-L-D comes from Chef David Seigal of The Lobster Place, Chef Seadon Shouse of Halifax W Hoboken, and Chef David Rose.
Read the MAY ISSUE #101 of Athleisure Mag.
We had the pleasure of having Carissa Moore a Team USA Olympic Surfing Gold Medalist and 5X World Surf League Women's Champion as our FEB ISSUE #86 cover. We have always enjoyed seeing her compete and how she does so with a smile on her face!
Hawai'i Gold: A Celebration of Surfing shares her story and what she thinks about her sport, her love of Hawaii as well as surf legends on what it means to be a surfer from Hawaii.
In this book, we find out about the heritage of surfing in Hawaii and of course the images in the book include the island, surf icons, surf prep, and so much more. It's defintiely a book that you will find on your coffee table that everyone will want to look through when they stop by.
We know about those who climb Mount Everest and in Everest, Inc. The Renegades and Rogues Who Built an Industry at the Top of the World, we get to know more about those who are instrumental in that effort - the guides and climbers!
We know that making the climb is not for the faint at heart as there is bad weather, severe altitudes, and it is congested for a number of people who make the attempt whether it's ego driven or to add to their social feeds.
The trip also has an impact on those who don't respect the mountain by leaving trash behind or even exploiting local Sherpas.
This book has a comprehensive focus on the history of the Himalayan guiding industry which started in the 1980's with gritty entrepreneurs who wanted to create a new style of expedition planning. You'll find quotes by those in the industry, writers, filmmakers, and Hollywood notables. All share their thoughts on the climbs to add their thoughts to this portion of the industry.
The first Mon of May is fashion's biggest night known as The Met Gala and in Fashion's Big Night Out: A Met Gala Lookbook, we look at a legendary event that fuses art, fashion and pop culture. You will learn about its history through imagery which started in 1948. It also looks at the ensembles that hit the carpet based on theme. There is also a foreward by iconic designer, Jeremy Scott who has created a number of looks for this event.
Read the APR ISSUE #100 of Athleisure Mag and see BINGELY BOOKS in mag.
PHOTO COURTESY | Gillette Venus
The road to the Olympics is one that is filled with an array of timelines and schedules that become hectic as well as important as athletes from around the world qualify to head to the Summer Games! Paris 2024 is only a few weeks away and we had the pleasure to sit down right before the 100 Days of the Games. We were excited to sit down and chat with 2 X Team USA Olympic Swimmer Lydia Jacoby (1G, 1B)! This Alaskan native was the first swimmer from her state to qualify for the Olympics for Tokyo 2020 and she came back from those Games with a Gold medal in the 100-Meter-Breaststroke with a time of 1:04:95 which was the fastest time ever achieved by a female American swimmer in the 17-18 age group. She also received a Silver medal for the 4X100 Medley as well! We wanted to find out how she came to the sport, swimming for the University of Texas at Austin, how she prepares for her meets, her partnership with Gillette Venus, what the weeks ahead look like for getting to the Olympics, and living that mermaid dream!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you fell in love with swimming?
LYDIA JACOBY: I think at a really young age, I grew up in a maritime community. So I was always around the water growing up and it was very natural for me.
AM: What drew you to the breaststroke? What do you love about swimming this?
LJ: It’s funny! I always say that you don’t choose the sport, the sport chooses you!
AM: Right!
LJ: Yeah, and that’s the same for strokes as well. I was always a breaststroker it just came to me! Even when I was little and on the floor playing with my dolls, I would be in that position. So it just came to me naturally.
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to swim competitively?
LJ: I’d say that I started seeing some success when I was 12 when I broke my first state record and that’s when I kind of realized that I was pretty good at this and it was time to make this happen.
AM: Oh wow!
Being an Olympian, that is a major feat! You were the first Alaskan to qualify for the Olympic Games as a Swimmer. What did it mean to you to be able to go to the Summer Games in Tokyo?
LJ: I mean, it meant the world to me to be able to be there and to represent for my state as well as the community – all of the people that supported me. I mean, literally since I was 4, my whole life they have been there, so it really meant so much for me to be able to be there for them!
AM: What did you enjoy the most about competing in the Summer Games in 2020 – obviously, winning your medals was a great experience! But what did you enjoy most?
LJ: Just the experience and the people! I feel like I truly made some lifelong friends when I was there especially because we couldn’t have our families there then. The people I met there, were like my family during the games when I was there. It was really special connections!
AM: You also swim for the University of Texas at Austin which is phenomenal as in 2023, you were the NCAA Championships for the 100 yd Breaststroke where you won Gold and in the 4X100 yd Medley you took Bronze. What have you been enjoying about swimming with your collegiate team?
LJ: It’s very different than home growing up in Alaska. I mean, I have so many people on the team right now that have similar goals to what I am chasing. It’s just a really positive environment for me to train in.
AM: What is an average day like hanging out with you in terms of working out or training to optimize yourself in the sport?
LJ: In Austin? Ooo, it changes every day! My schedule is crazy! I’d say that in an average week, I would wake up around 5:50am, go to morning practice, come back, eat some breakfast, try to fit a nap in, get good food, go to class, get in some homework, answer emails, lots of trips to coffee shops as they have some great ones in Austin, practice in the afternoon, - and then it just takes me a long time to unwind before I go to bed. So I take a long shower, get a shave in and then get to bed early so I can do it all again the next day!
AM: That is quite the schedule!
Right now we’re just about at the 100th day mark in terms of Paris 2024. It’s hard to believe that and yet, here we are! What do the next few weeks look like in terms of qualifying and all of the different things that are going on before you get to the Summer Games?
LJ: So we’re about 100 days out! Our Olympic Trials are mid to end of June. So we will find out literally a month before the Olympics. I’m just trying to do everything that I can to prepare and I have done everything that I can so that I can really lock in for the next couple of weeks.
AM: Of course there are a lot things that we’re sure that you do to get prepped when it comes to swimming in the Olympics. Why did you want to partner with Gillette Venus and why is The Power of Smooth so important to you?
LJ: I feel like swimming is such an exposing sport! It’s so important to feel absolutely confident in your skin and to feel just really smooth and powerful. Ever since I was little, I always talked about how I wanted to be a mermaid! I probably thought that I was literally going to be a mermaid until I was a little too old to think that I was literally going to be a mermaid – but channeling that smooth skin and powerful feeling in the water, I feel like that is just about as close as I will get to being a mermaid with Gillette!
AM: Well we do have The Mermaid Parade that happens in Brooklyn!
LJ: Oh! Ok! Send me the dates!
AM: Yeah the 42nd Annual Mermaid Parade is on June 22nd in Coney Island. You’ll see plenty of mermaids then and it’s definitely an event that people get excited for!
LJ: I love it!
AM: What can we expect from you and Gillette Venus in this campaign?
LJ: I mean, we won’t know until we get there, but we have some big goals! At the end of the day, I feel like I have put a lot of pressure on myself over the last couple of years and I have just been trying to go into the Summer with a healthy mentality. I have already done this, I have nothing to prove. I want to allow myself to swim freely and put it out there!
AM: That’s amazing and a great perspective to have!
When you’re about to do a meet or competition, are there things that you have to do to prep yourself for that? Is there a certain kind of music that you’d like to have and what do you do to come down from all of that energy?
LJ: For sure! I mentioned before that it takes me awhile to unwind before bed and sleep before a meet is so important! So I really do like to take a long shower, do the girl everything shower – exfoliate, shave, wash my hair, deep condition, and just to feel really good! I’m definitely a proponent for look good, feel good!
AM: Absolutely!
LJ: I’ll do makeup before I go out to the pool. I just want to feel completely confident in my skin. I feel that that is a huge part of my routine. I love good food as well. But music, I mean it’s so much different stuff and it changes all of the time.
AM: Outside of the sport, you do so many different things. You are so talented in music, you model, what are some upcoming projects – obviously in addition to cheering you on at the Games that we can expect to see from you?
LJ: It’s been so busy and I have had so much going on – I mean there’s Olympics and I’m hoping that there will be fun stuff that is taking place after the Games! I have so many amazing sponsors like Procter & Gamble and Venus and some others so just keep an eye out for those from me!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
As we reflect on 2023 and look ahead to 2024, it's always good to get other's takes on what went on in their lives as well! We caught up with National Women's Soccer League and US Women's National Team's, Christen Press.
As an athlete, she has competed at the top level with personal and team accolades that include being an all time leading goal scorer with 71 goals at Stanford, 2010 Hermann Trophy winner during her collegiate career. She has played for a number of clubs throughout the world with the latest being Angel City FC. In Rio 2016 Team USA Women's Soccer took the Bronze Medal and on the USWNT, she has had 155 appearances and 64 goals with 43 assists and won 2 World Cups.
We wanted to know more about her passion for the sport, her stellar career, the importance of advocacy and founding RE—INC along with fellow founders, Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath, and Meghan Klingenberg. She shares what she is looking forward to and she has thoughts on her 2023 and 2024 that you can read in next month's, NEW YEAR, N3W YOU.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you first fall in love with soccer?
CHRISTEN PRESS: Well, I have been playing soccer since I was 3 and I wouldn’t say that I had fallen in love with it when I was young, as I had a period of time when I was younger, that I didn’t like it. And my dad encouraged me to keep trying. But at some point when I was young, I can say that I fell in love with something about the game.
AM: What do you love about the sport?
CP: Well now at 34, as I reflect on all that soccer has given me and done, the list of what I love about it is quite vast. From learning to cooperate, to work on teams, leadership, the life skills that soccer has given me, I’m tremendously grateful for that. The opportunity to see the world, to be able to travel, and to experience different cultures. I’ve lived and played in Sweden, in England and have just been around the world with the USWNT. I think that the fact that it is impossible to perfect, it kind of leads you on a never ending ascension because you’re constantly striving and I can look at my game and see my strengths and that no matter how good I get at them, there’s always room for improvement which is what I love about it.
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to play professionally?
CP: When I was younger, I was always very present and I wanted to win the games that I was playing in and to win the trophy that my team was playing for and then I didn’t really look that far ahead. I think that a lot of that was because, growing up there wasn’t a professional league. So I didn’t even think of that as the ceiling. So it was great to know that I was really good and that was great in that moment. I went to the World Cup 1999 FInal and I have a photo. It’s of me and my teammates at that game and I can see in my eyes that I have a dream to be on the Women’s US National Team and honestly the first time that I was called in to go to camp, I couldn’t even believe that I was picked. I felt that it was such an honor to represent your country and I didn’t even understand how professional sports worked especially at that time. So, I think that it was an evolving dream and obviously, we have lived through a generation of soccer that has completely changed the way that young people view their futures and strive for their goals. Now, there is so much more visibility to see women playing in a lot of local and domestic leagues in this country as well as globally as well.
AM: I totally agree, I was born in ’79 and I grew up in the Midwest. I didn’t really think about soccer until high school as North Central had a great men’s and women’s soccer team. I know that my Alma Mata, Indiana University had a great women's soccer program as well. I never thought about women playing it professionally and frankly, I never thought about Black women playing as well. So to see you and other Black women playing this sport and reflecting this representation, it’s amazing! Looking at my niece who is 5, she’s living in a world, where she can see the sport as well as know that it can be played on the pro level. I didn’t have that growing up.
CP: That is actually so great! When I’m playing in my local market LA Angel City FC, I look up often into the stands and I see those kids that are 5 and 6 years old and they’ll never know – they’ll never know that this wasn’t here before. This is normal to them, to watch women play in 20/30,000 seat stadiums that are sold out which is incredible!
AM: That’s insane. You play for Angel City FC, what’s it like to play for this team?
CP: In a lot of ways, it’s a dream come true because of what the club represents and stands for! It’s women ownership super progressive agendas of how we can reimagine the business of women’s sports. Also, it’s my hometown! I never imagined that I would be able to play at home because the view of women’s soccer that I had a decade ago was that you’re not going to be able to have what you want. You don’t get to choose where to play, there’s not a lot of teams, and as the NWSL continues to expand and grow, so many people’s dreams are going to be able to come true.
AM: I love hearing that!
You’re also on the USWNT which has been a pleasure to watch that and you have obtained a number of accolades there as well. What does it mean to you to be on this team as well?
CP: The USWNT is just the thing that every single girl who wants to play soccer does right? It’s the singular dream! It’s the dream that existed before there even was a league! Still, to this day, what we are able to achieve as a National team is far greater in terms of who we reach, how we’re paid, how we’re treated – all of the things – it’s still kind of the gold standard. I think that I spent the first 25 years of my life dreaming of playing for the USWNT! I’m talking, up every night dreaming about it, trying to figure out how to get there, and I spent the last decade plus experiencing it and it’s been the greatest honor of my life. It’s afforded me so many great opportunities. It’s been such a joy to be able to represent my country, to put on that shirt, to score goals, to celebrate with the fans and my teammates, and to go through the hardest parts of my life fighting for 20 spots on the roster where there are 100s of thousands of people who are playing soccer. So, it is an incredible experience and it’s also a very challenging environment to be in, but I love it!
AM: You also have an Olympic medal with Team USA when you guys competed at Tokyo 2020, are you thinking ahead to Paris 2024, and you must be excited that the Summer Games are coming to LA in 2028!
CP: Part of me is like, I wish I was 15 years younger because the Olympics are coming to LA and it is also rumored that the World Cup is coming to the US for the women and the men. I mean, man if I was 20 years old right now, these would be my prime years! It will be very challenging as I’m 34 to be able to do all of tournaments, but I will absolutely be there as a fan. I tore my ACL and I am on my road to recovery through injuries so I always think that National and the International schedule is a guiding light and it’s something that you always try to make you fight for your roster spot and it also pushes me in my recovery to make sure that I am making progress and have my goals. So I’m thinking about that for next summer’s Olympics and our National Team is getting a new coach and there are a lot of dynamics that are changing and I'm really excited to see what my body wants for me.
Right now, it’s guiding me on the journey and I just follow. I’m really excited for the team to come off the World Cup which was not successful to be able to fight for a gold medal.
AM: You’re entire career has just been so amazing. You’ve done so many things and so many accolades, what do you think they have been as a player?
CP: I think that I reflect on some of the hardest times – coming out of the hardest times. There are things that I am most proud of like the 2016 Olympics in Rio, it was an extremely hard time as an individual player and as a team. I remember that metaphor, getting off the floor and saying, “can I survive these types of lows?” I think that I’m really proud of that. I’m really proud of taking a mental health break after the 2020 Olympics that happened in 2021. I actually asked the National Team for a few months off as I had been playing consistently with that team for 10 years and I lost my mom in that period and I never had time to grieve. I am proud that I made the hard decision to leave that environment because it was extremely difficult to get back in. I think that the other thing that I would point to as a highlight is being around a group of strong empowering women that is normal to me. My expectation is almost beyond gender norms and stereotypes because so much of my life is on a field or in a hotel room and being around these women who are breaking down barriers! So now that I am an entrepreneur as well and I run my business as a Co-CEO, I am really doing whatever I can to create that environment for more people and more women so that you know, some of the imposter syndrome, sort of the placating of the male ego that happens outside of a sports environment is diminished and so women, minorities, and people of color are able to thrive and live at their best. I feel that I learned a lot about how to create that kind of ecosystem in sports.
AM: That is amazing to hear and you’re such a multifaceted person as an athlete, sports journalist, and now taking on this entrepreneurial role with your platform in this way, why did you want to launch RE—INC? What was that moment when you said that you wanted to do this and focus on your advocacy and to embrace the fact that other people can enjoy what you did by doing this?
CP: I think it’s 2 fold. The first thing that led me to this path was the fight for equal pay and really just to understand the financial realities of being a women’s professional soccer player. Knowing that building a business and building a company, I had the opportunity to fight for my values without the restrictions of what US Soccer thought our worth was versus the men. I think there was a dream for my teammates to build something for our own financial liberation and then be able to spread that. I think that that was part of what RE—INC vision that we wanted to bring into the value of women’s sports and women’s soccer ecosystem so that more players can get compensated in more fair ways and to have that rising tide to lift everybody up.
I think that the second part of that was just understanding how amazing our community that we have built, our fan bases, and to make sure that people don’t feel othered. The way that sports is in this country, it’s built for and by men. So the people that love the USWNT, and love Angel City, and love women’s professional soccer, it’s a very unique group of people that need to be served. When we built RE—INC, it was about content, community, and commerce for this group of people. It felt like in a lot of ways that this was the first time that there was something like this that was designed for me. Now through RE—MEDIA, we have a large mission to reimagine the way that women are experiencing sports by recreating the kind of content that reflects how women’s sports is.
I always say that you know what bro culture and what locker room culture is for men. You can see it and you can smell it. You might not love it, but you know what it is. We don’t have that defined in women’s sports. So we’re bringing with the community that we have built, with the content that we have planned to roll out over the next 3 years, we want to set the culture for what women’s sports is and how it can be talked about in an incredibly empowering and exciting way.
AM: You launched Reimaginers United. What can we expect from that?
CP: It’s really dear to my heart. I’m wearing the whole kit right now. It’s a special collection because it kind of takes the concept that I was talking about before with such a group of strong willed human beings and saying, how can we create that team feeling for everybody? So, with Reimaginers United, it’s a team where everybody wins. This is a club for all. As women, we don’t have to build something in opposition to what was built. The current sports house was built for men, but we don’t have to build a sports house for women. Our sports house is for everyone and it will be a co-creation with our community so that it reflects our shared values – it reflects diversity, it reflects equity, inclusion, progress, and art and all of the things that we care about. So I really see this collection, our uniforms for Re-Imaginers, people who want to build a better world, come join our club. We have a membership and our membership is for people who want to be themselves and better themselves. They’re sports fans and change makers because that is such a strong intersection in the women’s sports world. Women’s sports aren’t just about sports, because we have inherently had to fight for equity every step of the way and now it is embedded in our culture. So that’s what Reimaginers United is all about and honestly, it’s what our entire business is all about.
AM: Umbro partnered with you to make the initial kit. What does it mean to have this iconic soccer brand involved?
CP: It was an amazing partnership because I think it’s such a classic heritage football brand! It felt like absolutely the right choice because we’re kind of serving this fluid, modern, progressive, brand and we’re marrying the beauty and history of the sport and the beautiful game that all we love. It’s a kit to wear for people that are out playing soccer, adult league, to wear in the stands, to wear in the streets, and it’s to signal what your values are and who you are. To put it on and to feel the strength to reimagine which is what we always say. We hope that our logo gives people the sense to say, that, “I know my identity, I claim my identity, I love who I am, and I’m strong enough to make a change today.”
AM: That’s amazing.
I love that this brand has so many things going on. You have the RE—CAP show, the podcast that you host with Tobin Heath – why did you want to add this component to it?
CP: It was a huge strategic decision for us. Because we were watching the World Cup and it was the first time that we were on the sidelines and not in the game for over a decade. In the buildup, we were hearing the way that people were talking about it and it just felt that it wasn’t like us. Not like the players and athletes that were actually participating. We felt that we would be able to talk about it in a better way. Our content was sitting at the intersection of sports, progress, and equity. We talked about the games and tactics, we broke everything down – honestly Tobin did that and then we married that with impact. We’ve had a ton of abuse in our league from coaches and owners. We had deep conversations about that. We talked about abuse that players at the tournament were facing like cyber bullying and hate speech which we have seen come out this week with incredibly skewed and bias towards the USWNT and a couple of players on our team. We had real conversations about the issues that mattered to us in our community and we married that with the breakdown of the games and the celebration of all of the stars.
AM: Where do you see women’s sports in general in the next 10-15 years? Obviously, people are looking at soccer more and volleyball is also taking great prime time spots on ESPN, and of course women’s basketball as well. Also where do you see it specifically for soccer?
CP: On a rocket ship, taking off! I mean over the last 2 years, we’ve said record breaking viewership, record breaking ticket sales, record breaking attendance – everything! The ceiling is absolutely blowing off and I feel really proud to be part of that at Angel City and with RE—INC to continue breaking that ceiling! I want to continue to show the value that is already there and to maximize and optimize this sport. I see a future of RE—INC where we could own a team one day and to instill the culture in that way. I think that the opportunity in women’s sports is limitless and I don’t think that what men’s sports is doing is the ceiling at all. I think that we can make women’s sports even bigger or even an imagine a world where they are not compared. We can just focus on our strengths and what’s special to us and I think that that’s exactly what we’re going to see over the next 10 years with people working hard behind the scenes at it.
AM: What do you want your legacy to be known as?
CP: I think it would be 3 things. First and foremost as a little girl, I wanted to be known as a great goal scorer. I think that it’s a very narrow singular focus and I do believe that I have become a great goal scorer and I’m very proud of that. I would say that our fight for equal pay is one of the things that I am most proud of and all of the ripple effects that that will have to set precedent across the industries. I think that most importantly to me and my family was just the idea of representation. When I went to the National team, the entire team was white. Just being part of a generation where the National Team is much more diverse – we had our first 2 ever World Cup players that were Hispanic American this summer, I think right now in the current camp the entire front line minus 1 player, is Black! I think that that is really really cool and it’s something that doesn’t get as much attention as equal pay for women that took place for the WNT as that is such an easy thing for people to connect to and understand. But I think that over the time that I have played soccer, we have really created a revolution by diversifying our sport and I’m really proud of that!
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 56 - 60 Angella Chloe | PG 63-65 Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire
Read the DEC ISSUE #96 of Athleisure Mag and see SETTING THE STANDARD | Christen Press in mag.
There is something empowering about seeing those who dominate their area of expertise regardless of the vertical as well as putting good back into the world! This month's cover is 5X World Surf League Women's Champion, Olympic Team USA Surfing Gold Medalist and winner of countless accolades, Carissa Moore. This powerhouse takes to the waves with a focus and competitive spirit that we can appreciate. When we had the chance to talk with her as she was waiting for her call time for the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach earlier this month. We were also struck by how she brought the Aloha spirit with her as she talked about her love for the sport, going pro, walking us through her surfing schedule, her documentary and how she strives to inspire the next generation of women through Moore Aloha.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We’re so excited as we have been a fan of yours for awhile. So to be able to chat with you as well as for you to be this month’s cover, is so exciting and our readers are going to want to know more about you and the sport as well as what you have going on!
CARISSA MOORE: Perfect! Let’s do it!
AM: So when did you fall in love with surfing?
CM: I started surfing when I was about 5 years old and it was my dad who pushed me into my first wave at Waikiki. I think you know that it was a love that deepened over time, but I really fell in love with it at the very beginning. Being in the ocean, spending time with my dad. In the very beginning, it was just something that I loved to do with him and then over time, it became something that was more my own and I just love being in the ocean and it feels like a bit of escape from reality at times. It brings me back to the present moment which I feel like that sometimes, there are so many distractions and our world is going at such a fast speed sometimes that it’s hard to stay present. I think that that is one of the greatest gifts of being in the ocean. Just being here and now. It just brings a lot of joy.
AM: Was it hard for you because you do love it and it’s your passion – to know that it’s also your profession? Do you see it differently and how do you navigate that?
CM: I just feel extremely fortunate and grateful that I get to do something that I love as a profession! You know, the sport has evolved to a place that we can make a living out of it as professional athletes. At times, it’s definitely more intense than others, but what’s the coolest part is that in a jersey or not, I still want to go to the beach everyday and see the ocean which is awesome!
AM: That’s really cool! What’s an average day like when you’re training?
CM: An average day pre season, is waking up early. The crazy part about surfing which you were a little bit shocked to learn is that you’re kind of at the whim of Mother Nature right? So every day, you’re trying to find the best time to surf and whether that’s based on the tides, the wind or the swell that’s coming in and hasn’t arrived yet. Surfing is very fluid as the schedule depends on where the waves are. So I find the best waves that I can train on. I train with an on-land trainer 3-4 times a week and we’ll meet at a park or sometimes a gym at her house for like an hour or so. My day definitely includes a time to eat, refuel and to rest. Rest is very important for me so I like to set up at least an hour a day to read or go for a walk or watch some TV with my husband. Then maybe I surf again in the afternoon or check in with my sport psych so that’s kind of what a day looks like. Sometimes it includes sponsorship stuff or interviews like this!
Actually, between surfing and the ocean, it has taught me so many lessons and that's just one of them. There is so much that’s out of our control so you have to let go and surrender and say, ok, this is what we’re doing today – so yeah!
AM: It’s very cool. So what do you do, in terms of workouts that allow you to optimize yourself in the sport? Obviously, you’re in the water and surfing, but what other kinds of things do you also do to assist with that?
CM: I mean it’s pretty cool that as a surfer, you have to be fit in all different kinds of areas. Depending on what kind of event or wave we’re surfing at, some waves are big and powerful. Like the next event we’re competing at, we’re going to be on Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu and it’s a very big playing field. So I like to say that endurance definitely factors in as well as power and strength, I don’t use a lot of weight, but we have been using a little more weight. Most of the workouts that we do are a lot of bodyweight stuff. I love HIIT workouts, stuff that’s fast paced for me is really mentally engaging, but we also work on agility, strength, cardio and core. I do go to Pilates once a week and incorporate yoga every morning for at least 30 minutes. There are a lot of different things that I do and I kind of do it all.
AM: At the Tokyo Olympics, that was such an amazing Olympics as both surfing and skateboarding were both brought in for the first time for the Summer Games. You won the first Gold medal which is amazing as it was the first time for that sport! What did it mean to you to have that Olympic experience?
CM: It was such a special experience. I didn’t really have that many expectations because surfing had never been there before. So, I was just excited to be part of it all and to be in a team atmosphere and get to go to the Village. Everything was a bigger and grander scale than I imagined. But just getting to be in that arena is the epitome of sports. I think that for the surfing community, it was a really huge moment to be elevated on that level and to get to perform on that platform. As a native Hawaiian, it means a lot to us and surfing is kind of our sport. It was really great to see and be able to get that representation of our people and our sport. That was really cool too.
AM: Are you thinking ahead to Paris?
CM: I kind of think that we all are because this season on the Championship Tour is a qualifying season. So for countries like America, Australia, Brazil, and some other countries, we qualify with our rankings at the end of the year through the 10 events through the season. So we are definitely all thinking about it. It’s really exciting, it will be quite a battle because there are so many Americans on tour and so many Australians on tour – it’s just a focus of doing our best on this season and hopefully it works out.
AM: You’re a 5X World Surfing League Women’s Tour Champion, you’ve won so many different accolades, how important is it to you to have balance and to implement self-care into your mental and physical practices?
CM: Oh, it’s huge! I think that for me, from a pretty young age, I realized how important it was to have a balance. For me, I finished school, I was getting to have a social life and being grounded at home was super important. It definitely gave me an appreciation for the time that I got in the water and it helped me learn how to use my time wisely and to train efficiently. Also, my dad has always stressed to take the time to rest because then you can come back stronger. Taking that time physically and mentally, I am definitely learning over time that in order to love others and to share more love with the world, you have to love yourself and take time to fill your cup so you can fill others' cups. I definitely think that it’s super important to slow down, take the time to appreciate the little things that you have done to improve yourself or to better yourself and it helps to give you momentum and the confidence to go forward.
AM: Absolutely! We were just talking about the surfing season. What is the surfing season in terms of when it starts and stops and what are your favorite tournaments that you like participating in?
CM: So our season just started at the end of Jan and goes all the way into Sep. We compete in 10 events and then we have 1 final event. We go all over! So we start in Hawaii, then we go to Portugal, then Australia, California, El Salvador, Brazil, South Africa and Tahiti.
AM: Wow!
CM: We get to go to some pretty cool places.
AM: Um yeah! We want to go!
CM: There are a lot of great ones that I look forward to. I really love Western Australia. There’s something about that place, the raw beauty and there isn’t much fuss. It’s about surfing and getting in the ocean. I really like Tahiti, it reminds me a lot of home and the people there are just full of Aloha and good vibes! South Africa, it’s definitely a bit of a trek but once you get there, the waves are incredible and it's just like awesome!
AM: This month, you’re competing in the Hurley Sunset Beach World Championship, what are you looking forward to in this tournament?
CM: I’m super excited that my sponsor Hurley has stepped up to sponsor a World Tournament event and to see their support of all of us on that level. It’s really cool! I guess that being able to compete on home turf in front of my family and friends on beaches that I have grown up surfing on my whole life is super cool. I think that just trying to push myself competitively and to put forth some good performances hopefully, I’m just looking forward to getting in the water, putting the jersey on and competing at home.
AM: That’s awesome! You were just talking about all of the places that you travel to, because you do so much travel, how do you make your hotel rooms feel like home, and then when you’re on the road, are there things that you like to do when you hit certain cities or do you just focus on hitting that tournament?
CM: Since I have been traveling, you know it’s the 13th year that I have been on the Championship Tour, after doing it for a little bit of time now, out with the hotel rooms in with the Airbnb’s that have kitchens and living rooms – places that can feel like home and feel more homey. Just having kitchens which is so nice because you can eat what you want to eat and know what you are putting into your meals. I think that is super important and just having the room to spread out and train. Because we do have a lot of downtime and we have a 2 week waiting period most of the time. But then it only takes a day and a half – two days to run the women’s event. So there is a lot of downtime. Like you mentioned, the beauty of getting to do this is that we get to go to some amazing places and getting to go sightseeing to really get to immerse yourself in the culture, the people and the towns – it’s such a gift! I definitely like to take those lay days and take advantage to see those places.
AM: You’re sponsored by Hurley, you have a collection coming out in March. What can you tell us about this as you shot this in your home and hometown which seems amazing!
CM: Ahh thank you so much! This is my 3rd collection with them and I couldn’t be more excited as I think that it keeps getting better and better. This one is super sweet because we actually got to partner with a local artist, her name is JT, and her art name is Aloha de Mele. So all of the prints that are incorporated in the collection are from her. So it just felt really synergistic to get to use my platform to also uplift another woman who is from Hawaii and is very talented.
Look her up, her artwork is amazing.
I got to work really closely with the team at Hurley to create designs, patterns and colors that are really important to me as well as silhouettes that are very feminine, very beautiful and flattering, but also super functional. I think that it’s really come together in this line and it’s a quality line. Like you mentioned, we got to photograph the collection at home and we actually did it in my backyard!
AM: Oh nice! We’ve had the pleasure of doing collaborations and there is nothing better than when it’s something that comes from you and your home, your backyard – that is so cool!
CM: Thank you so much! I can’t wait for you to see it. Hopefully there are a couple of pieces that you like from it that you can wear!
AM: Oh yes! I’m sure. Also as fashion stylist, it’s always fun to see items that you can style into shoots that we work on!
CM: Sweet!
AM: Yeah! Obviously at Athleisure Mag, we love things that are functional but when it’s great for transitional wear – life just moves so quickly, you want to be able to be prepared for anything. So I love anything that’s like that!
You had the Red Bull documentary, RISS. A Film About More Love with Carissa Kainani Moore, that talks about you and your life. Why did you want to do this and how does it feel to have your lifestory available so others can get to know more about you?
CM: Thanks for checking it out and bringing it up! I have always wanted to do a fun piece and it was important to me work with a director like Peter Hamblin who had kind of a different eye and an approach to things. It was super fun to work with him, we got really close in the process so it didn’t feel like it was really invasive at all. It was like just hanging out with one of my friends.
I think that those kinds of things, when I’m watching sports docs or sports movies on incredible athletes or athletes that have an inspiring story, it’s cool to see that they’re human, that they’re relatable and they’re tangible. I think that there is something so inspiring about someone being vulnerable and open. I’ve found that through other people sharing their stories. If it can help 1 person that is going through something, that’s the goal. If someone can relate to the story or take one little thing from it, that would be awesome.
AM: I just watched a sports documentary with NBA Legend Bill Russell last night. I’m always watching things like that. It’s great to get to know more about the sport but you get to see it and the person in the time that they grew up in. You then get to see how things have changed or progressive movements, it really lets you realign yourself and think about things in a different way.
CM: Totally!
AM: So when you’re not surfing, how do you take time for yourself?
CM: Number 1 is hanging out with my husband! He’s my pride and joy.
AM: You guys are so cute!
CM: He’s actually right here. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing. It doesn’t need to be much. Just hanging out with him and the dogs makes me super happy. My family lives really close to me so my sister, my mom, my dad, my grandparents so being able to check in with them and I still have some friends that are still in town. I think that surrounding myself with good people makes me really stoked and besides doing that, other things that make me stoked and fill up my cup, I started a charitable foundation, Moore Aloha in 2018. So, I spend a lot of time in investing in how to make it grow, grow programs and events that can make a positive impact on the next generation of females which is something that is near and dear to my heart.
AM: Are there projects with Moore Aloha that we should keep an eye out for?
CM: You are so sweet – thank you! I’m in the middle of competing and stuff so the bandwidth is pretty low at the moment. What has been fun is that we’re doing more online things. So we’re doing essay prompts where people are awarded scholarships every month; we just launched our first paid internship program this year; and we just did our 1st 6 week internship program with a former professional surfer Megan Abubo. So being able to connect the dots and create those meaningful mentorship programs for young girls is something that while I’m competing, I’m hoping to do at the same time! When the season is done, I have some really cool fun in person events planned on Oahu and in California. Hopefully, depending on if I make the cut, there’s a cut mid-season, so if you make the cut, you get to do the second half of the season. I would really love to be able to do an event before South Africa.
AM: Wow!
CM: Yeah! So if you want to be able to check anything out, please check out our website Moore Aloha.com.
AM: You’re a fan of scrapbooking. When did you start doing this and how do you approach putting one together creatively?
CM: I started scrapbooking in 2011/2012, but it was pretty close to when I started competing on the tour. You know, you lose more than when you win in this game. I think that for me, It was really important to be able to look back at all of the wonderful things and experiences that I had that still made the trip worthwhile. Because it’s easy to look back at an experience that you didn't win and say, "oh crap, I lost." But in reality, there is so much to be be grateful for and so much to celebrate. So it’s a little bit of time that I get to reflect and to see that we did this, you did that and even though I didn’t get the win, all of these other amazing things happened.
My process is, I don’t know – I get it all out and make a mess with stickers and colors. I get my scissors out and then I just lay out all of the photos and then I slowly just have them fit together like puzzle pieces.
AM: What do you want your legacy to be in the sport and even in life in general?
CM: Oh gosh! My legacy! I think that through my surfing, I want people to feel something. I think that the greatest athletes, at least for me in watching the greatest athletes – you can feel the joy. You can feel that they are having so much fun and love it. In return, it sparks that passion in yourself. I hope that I can leave that feeling with people. Not necessarily the wins, but how did I make them feel. I hope that if I can encourage people to just be kind, loving, patient, understanding and more empathetic with each other – that would be a huge win, you know? It’s like carrying that Aloha spirit. Aloha, I’m sure you’ve heard of it. It’s so hard to put into words.
AM: I was just going to ask you if you could put it into words?
CM: Yeah it’s something that I grew up with and It’s engrained in me from my childhood. Just being in Hawaii, it’s how you treat people with this unconditionalness and not wanting anything in return. There’s no judgment, it’s being open and I think that if we can do that more with each other and the world around us, I think that there would be more harmony.
IG @rissmoore10
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | FRONT + BACK COVER, PG 19 + 25 - 28 Hurley | PG 16 + 31 Billabong Pro Pipeline Jan 2023 - World Surf League/Tony Heff | PG 20 + 22 Hurley Sunset Pro Beach Feb 2023 - World Surf League/Brent Bielmann | PG 32 Red Bull |
Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see RIDING THE WAVE | Carissa Moore in mag.
The importance of sport brings people together as they accomplish amazing feats, learn the importance of being dedicated to their passion and continuing to push the sport. Chloe Kim is one of our favorite snowboarders who is the first female to have won a back-to-back Team USA Snowboarding Olympic Gold Medalist in Half Pipe, ESPY winner, 5X Gold Medalist of the Super Hald Pipe in the X Games to name a few. She's also been included in Mattel's Shero Barbie, appeared on the box of the special edition Kellogg's Corn Flakes where this version was the fastest selling cereal box in Kellogg's history, made it to the semi-finals as the Jellyfish in FOX's Masked Singer and in March 2022, she was added to Fortnite as a playable character as part of the game's icon series.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We’ve been a fan of yours for years. When did you start snowboarding and when did you realize that you wanted to do it professionally?
CHLOE KIM: I started snowboarding when I was 4, my dad actually took me up to the mountains because he wanted my mom to go, but she didn’t want to go. So he took me and he told her she was a terrible mother if she didn’t come so that ride turned into a professional career somehow!
But I think at the age of 6, I started competing at junior events with other girls my age and I started winning these events. My parents saw that I had potential and funny enough, they knew nothing about snow sports and so that was the only measure of my skills and to see how good I was. Shortly after that, I started training and now I have 2 Olympic Gold medals.
AM: Which is amazing! You’re the first female ever in the Olympics to win your Gold medal back-to-back in the Half Pipe. It’s always fun to see you out there! What are some of your most memorable moments from your career?
CK: I think that my most memorable moments are that they're always the firsts. The first time on a snowboard or the first time I won a contest, my first time traveling for a contest! All of the firsts are so memorable to me because I never expected my life to look like that.
Everyone was always like, “oh I don’t know what to do about my future,” but I always knew what to do in my future you know? This is what I wanted to do and it’s pretty cool.
AM: We’ve been a fan of Mucinex and we’ve been using it for the last 10 or 12 years as it clears things up which is amazing. So it’s great to see that you are partnering with them. How did you come on board for this project and tell us more about the “Small But Mighty Campaign.”
CK: I was super excited to partner with Mucinex on the “Small But Mighty Campaign,” and recently, I had the flu. My Mucinex Fast Max just really helped with everything that I had going on. I had a bunch of sinus things, my nose was running like crazy, I had the worst sore throat and it was just this tiny dose that I took, it was so much better! I felt like a human again – so this works. I highly recommend the Mucinex Fast Max whenever you’re sick, because it saved my life.
In addition to that, Mucinex is partnering with me and supporting 5 YMCA chapters with donations totaling $100,000 in 2023. I think that that is kind of why I decided to partner with them as well because they are giving back to these communities in need. That’s very important to me.
AM: That messaging is awesome as well. How do you see that message “Small But Mighty” in your own career?
CK: Yeah, you know that I think that “Small But Mighty” really resonates with me as a young woman who has always been looked down on or no one really believing in me on where I am today and proving everyone wrong has been my favorite part about my career! It’s like ha ha – look at me now, you know? I think that my career has always been about breaking boundaries and stereotypes and all of these things. To see how big of an impact that I have been able to make in other people’s lives and to also be able to change people’s perspectives on women in sports as well. Seeing how big of an impact that I have been able to make is incredible.
AM: You’re always doing so many things and it’s great to see it on IG as well. What are some things that you’re working on this Spring or things that we can keep an eye out for?
CK: I am relaxing as I’m exhausted. But you know, I think that I have just been trying to figure out what I want to do post snowboarding career as well. Knowing that I can partner with brands such as Mucinex for their “Small But Mighty Campaign” makes me really excited about the future because I see how the impact of my career can help these communities. Especially with this one as I started with very humble beginnings and knowing how this kind of support from these brands and how they care about our communities is really important because we had a really hard time when I started out. Snowboarding is not cheap, you know what I’m saying? I received a lot of support through a few charities and organizations so this means a lot and also inspires me to want to do more.
IG @chloekim
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | 9LIST STORI3S PG 36 - 39 + PG 140 - 145 ROXY
Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see SMALL BUT MIGHTY | Chloe Kim in mag.
We're all about pushing boundaries and standing in our truth to showcase our authentic selves. So when we had the chance to sit down and chat with 2 X Team USA Olympic Foil Fencing Bronze Medalist, World Champion, model and ambassador, Miles Chamley-Watson. He talks to us about how he got in the sport of fencing, what made him realize that this was something that he could do professionally, how he has blazed his own path, and his focus on growing the sport by bringing it into the mainstream while also empowerning children to bring them into the sport.
We also talk about how he continues to create a multi-faceted brand that incorporates the sport, his interest in fashion and ambassadorships that are synergistic with his brand. We also talk about his latest partnership and documentary with Daring Foods, a plant-based brand. Miles also gives us insight on how he trains as an athlete each day.
ATHLEISURE MAG: How and when did you fall in love with fencing and when did you realize that you wanted to go pro and do this as a career?
MILES CHAMLEY-WATSON: I was born in London and was playing football, cricket and rugby. I moved to NY when I was 11 and I was kind of a pain in the butt kid and would get into trouble. So as punishment, I had to pickup tennis, fencing or badminton. I ended up picking up fencing and got it right way and I thought, “wait, I can stab people and not get into trouble? This is awesome!” So, when I was 12 years old, I fell in love with it and I never looked back!
AM: Wow! As a kid I played badminton.
MCW: Woah and that’s a hard one too!
AM: It is a hard one and I didn’t like it, but we played it at every function.
MCW: Oh yeah, it gets intense!
AM: It does. But we can appreciate that you took that on. You’re a 2X Olympic Champion, who won a Bronze medal and you’ve won various World Championships. Can you tell our readers who are not familiar with foil fencing, what it is, what’s involved and how you win?
MCW: The key is to hit the person and not have them hit you back. It sounds easy, but it’s first to 15 points and it’s 3, 3min periods. So that can be from anywhere from 10mins to 30 mins depending on your fencing style. I’m very defensive so my matches don’t go longer then say 15 mins or so. I’m a quick one, I have ADHD and I don’t have the patience. So I’m more aggressive. So it’s 15 points and then there’s right of way action so there are 2 lights and then there is a referee who will look at the video machine and see who hit the person a little bit earlier and my goal is to simplify the sport so that it’s easier for the audience to be able to understand. That’s why it’s one of the reasons why it’s not on TV because it’s kind of hard to understand. I want to bring more visibility to the sport by doing stuff like this and being able to simplify the rules a little bit.
AM: That’s really interesting. Back in 2018, we had Dagmara Wozniak as our cover for our AUG ISSUE #32 and we shot her editorial where she trains at Manhattan Fencing and when we saw the lanes and could visualize what takes place, we understood it more and it was so different then seeing it on TV. Being able to see the mechanics up close, it was intense to watch that.
MCW: Right and that is saber so in foil, it’s different.
AM: When we think of fencing, it’s a powerful and an elegant sport. What do you do physically and mentally to prepare for the sport?
MCW: I’m lucky that my sponsor has a facility right here in LA which I will be heading to in an hour. I get up in the morning and I do meditation and journaling in the morning as the first thing. I then go to the gym and I do fitness. Today is Wed and it will be explosive work: deadlifts, running and sprints and then after that, I will go into fencing. If I’m feeling up for it, I will go into sparring. Now I’m learning that everyone is good at doing certain things, but how do you get to the point of being the best and I think that that is the mental aspect. So that’s a lot of reaction training, journaling and manifesting and this is incorporated into my routine everyday as well. It’s a full-time job.
AM: How long would you say that you are doing these things daily in terms of blocks of time?
MCW: I’d say journaling is 30 mins, I have my cup of coffee or tea outside of my balcony, then I go to the gym which ends up being about 3 hours because cool down and warm-up is 45 mins and then to workout is about an hour and a half. Then I eat, come home, relax for an hour and do some work and meetings like this and then I go fencing for about 3-4 hours. All in all, I would say 6 – 7.5 hours.
AM: In terms of your nutrition how does this play into staying in shape, optimizing your sport and ultimately supporting your lifestyle in general?
MCW: There’s nothing more important than nutrition! At one time, I didn’t care about what I ate. It’s a whole game changer for me and I just got my blood test back and I have to load up on all of these things. I have to start drinking these random things like coconut water, eating the white part of watermelon – it’s really weird. But now, I’m noticing the importance of nutrition and how important it is and to know about your body and how it fuels you. So I try to keep a healthy diet.
AM: You’ve partnered with Daring Foods and have a pretty exciting documentary that is out now. Tell us about Daring Foods and how this partnership came about.
MCW: Yeah yeah – I’m so excited! I actually knew about Daring for awhile because I was trying to incorporate plant-based in my diet so that I could have a well balanced diet as well. I’m not just vegan or plant-based, I like to incorporate both. I love the product, it tastes good and the ingredients didn’t make my stomach rumble. Because nowadays, there are so many companies that have kind of saturated the industry and I got the chance to look up the company before and to meet Ross and the Daring team. It was a perfect match because they are disrupting a space that has been around for a number of years and I’m doing the same thing in my sport. It was literally the most organic relationships that has fostered this campaign and you can tell that this is powerful and we’re speaking to kind of just challenging ourselves and making Daring Moves and kind of pushing the boundaries and limits which is what I’m all about and what they’re all about. It was lovely to like the product before meeting them and then meeting them was the cherry on top and it’s been great and we’re all a family now!
AM: How was it participating in Daring Moves?
MCW: It was phenomenal! It was amazing! Molly Schiot who directed it, the entire team – they were so professional. It was one of the most creative and fulfilling projects and campaigns that I have done in a long time. It speaks to things that are bigger than just me. I think that it will inspire people and just the message of being daring, everyone in their walk of life is able to understand. In your job and in my job, it’s important and a great characteristic to have. It’s literally a match made in heaven.
AM: Will you be involved in anything else with Daring Foods that we should keep our eye out for?
MCW: I think that this is just the beginning, it’s a beautiful relationship and it was great to get this campaign out, but I think that we will do loads of things together because I love the products, I love the people and I love the messaging overall – it’s powerful. Definitely be on the lookout for more. It’s just the beginning.
AM: As an athlete, how do you find that balance between eating the foods that are good for you while also enjoying splurge foods as well?
MCW: That’s the best thing about having a healthy balance right and having a happy medium? I incorporate some of the vegan, non-dairy products. I eat dairy literally for lunch and then I incorporate having some meats here and there. My diet also allows me to have cheese. I love to eat and I also love to eat candy! I can never be fully vegan for that reason. I’m sorry, I’m never going to stop that! I think it’s important to have a balanced diet right and to be healthy? People ask me, “are you vegan?” I eat a very healthy and balanced diet. So, I incorporate meat with non-meat and I do what works for my body. I think that the most important part about creating that balance is the ability to have your cake and eat it too.
AM: In preparing to chat with you, it’s interesting to look at your background as an athlete, being an ambassador, modeling for fashion brands – how important is it for you to be able to push boundaries and to be able to represent yourself the way you want to be seen and to engage with these brands in all of these different ways?
MCW: I think doing work with different companies brings a new audience to me and also fulfills another passion of mine. I don’t want to be in a box. I’m a professional fencer yes, but I think that I have been able to branch out and get a lot of endorsements and sponsorships because I think that everything that I do, I do with love and I don’t work with brands that I don’t believe in. I’m a firm believer in not saturating your brand and doing things that you love. I’m able to kind of build my brand just being myself and organic and that's whats transferable. You can see people doing things and it's forced, but I like to keep it organic and natural. Just keep growing and do more modeling stuff and getting that audience. Getting mores sponsorships and doing these things. I’m in a very interesting sport that has the ability to change on my own, but working with companies like this helps to grow the sport organically.
AM: One of the things that's so intriguing is the fashion element of you. You’re a stylish guy, you have these tattoos, you’re at the Met Gala with Lewis Hamilton, you’re sitting front row at global Fashion Weeks, you’ve worked with Todd Snyder – what is it about fashion that you love so much as being in these different worlds and having the ability to include your creativity is a lot of fun.
MCW: I think you said it perfectly – creativity and fashion is the one world where you can wear whatever you want and it’s subjective. You may like it, you may not like it and I think that being able to do the fashion shows, it gives you a rush and a different kind of adrenaline. Fashion was kind of one of the first worlds to embrace me – they invited me to the Met Gala twice with Vogue and all of these companies and they love the sport of fencing because it does have that fashion element to it. A lot of brands do some of their collections based off of fencing. A lot of athletes like fashion and a lot of fashion likes athletes and I think that I am in a sport that is elegant and has that uppityness to it and I’m bringing a new face to it. I love fashion and I think that there is nothing better than putting a fresh outfit on and for me, that’s what I would like to bring to my fencing world too – a uniqueness and not being afraid to take risks. I think that I have always done that in the sports world and also in fashion just naturally.
AM: And you recently partnered with Richard Mille which is phenomenal – how did that come about and how excited are you about it?
MCW: I mean that’s a dream come true! It’s like woah you know? It’s a little surreal seeing my wrist, but I think it makes sense right? I’m all about timing and precision and changing the watch game. That’s what they’re all about and they love me and I love them like a family. I was able to meet the team and there’s this great relationship. When that happened, my phone exploded and it’s cool to be able to work with the companies that you love and you never think it’s possible and then you’re sitting there right next to Rafael Nadal! I mean to work with them, it shocked me a little bit and then I thought woah and then I’m working with a company like Daring too! I mean, what can’t you do? When you believe in yourself, there is nothing that you can’t do.
AM: You have a great mix of brands that you work with. How do you decide what makes sense to you as many of them like you said, are organic to you or are things that you are passionate about?
MCW: I think it comes to that if I have a feeling, I never second guess myself. I just go with the feeling. I also have a great team too and they know who I am, my values and I think that having a great team around you makes it a lot easier. I always go with my gut and I pick brands that align with me and just natural.
AM: It’s almost the end of the year. Are there projects that we should keep an eye out on are their championships that are coming up? What’s going on in Miles’ world?
MCW: I have a competition in Dec. next month – a national. Then we go to Paris in 2022. I have a lot of projects that are coming and in 2022 we have some amazing things dropping in 2022. I’m ending the year very strong and I’m just very grateful that I get to do what I love during a crazy time. Definitely be on the lookout as there are a lot of projects coming.
AM: Can you tell me about the Miles Chamley-Watson Foundation and what its focus is?
MCW: I want to empower the youth through fencing and I hated seeing the talents of kids being wasted because they couldn’t afford it as fencing is an expensive sport. So I thought, how do I help because I have the ability and I can use my connections to help the generation. I wanted to create the tools that kids needed to be successful in life whether it’s going to the Olympics or being the next John Doe. We want to give them the wings and the tools to succeed through my foundation. I have all the necessary elements as I know what it takes and I’m able to fly through the hole and make a success of it. I’m kind of the only one that has been able to branch out and make it in America. I thought that it was my duty to give back to the kids and that’s what we launched and it’s exciting and has also given me a sense of purpose and it’s awesome.
AM: You have a mantra of “create a legacy and not a moment,” what does this mean? Also, what do you want your legacy to be in the sport as well as the body of work in general?
MCW: Create a legacy not a moment, is something that I came up with in 2016 on the way to China at the Grand Prixe. I was on the train and someone had left a horoscope book and it was 18 hours so I was reading the damn thing and I thought that it made a lot of sense. I asked myself what my purpose was. I knew that I had won all these medals, but I wanted to create a legacy and not a moment. I wanted to create something that would last forever. That’s something that everyone wants whether it’s creating a kid, their first product or whatever that may be. I think that being the first is the best feeling.
I want my legacy to be someone that changes the sport, gives kids hope and also sticking up for the kids that are ADD/ADHD or whatever that got a negative stigma and I want to change it. I want to shed a light and just give kids hope that you can do whatever you want. I can win medals, that’s easy, but to inspire kids to do what they want to do in life that’s amazing. Kids see me in campaigns that I am doing with brands and that to me is my legacy.
IG @fencer
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT | PG 126 - 131 Daring Foods | PG 132 -137 Kyle McKenzie | 9DRIP PG 28 - 30 Richard Mille |
Read the NOV ISSUE #71 of Athleisure Mag and see Dare To Be Your Best with Miles Chamley-Watson in mag.
Hear 2X Team USA Olympic Foil Fencing Medalist, World Champion, Model and Ambassador, Miles Chamley-Watson on our show, #TRIBEGOALS - which is a part of Athleisure Studio, our multimedia companion podcast network! Subscribe to be notified when the episode drops. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.
When it comes to long distance running, Meb Keflezighi is a global ambassador for the sport. His energy and enthusiasm he has is undeniable if you've had the chance to see him run, attend an industry running event or even a media day with him. He believes in putting in the work and preparing your mind, body and soul when you're hitting the course. He is well-known for winning an Olympic Silver medal for Team USA Track and Field for Marathon, the Boston Marathon, the NYC Marathon, a number of NCAA Championships and National Championships. We talk with this Olympian who has attended the Summer Games 4 times and has the MEB Foundation where he gives back to those who are interested in the sport. He also talks about how he has used his platform in a positive way to inspire others!
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with running and what is it about long distance running that attracts you to it?
MEB KEFLEZIGHI: I was first introduced to running when I came to the US in 7th grade when I was in my PE class with Coach Dick Lord. He told me that if I ran hard, I would get an A or a B in the class, and if I was just messing around, I would get a D or a F. My parents always wanted me to get an A in the class no matter what I was taking – Math, Science, Art History or Physical Education Class. I didn’t want to disappoint them so I decided to run hard. It was the mile run. I ended up doing a 5:20 mile to my surprise and the coach’s surprise. He told me that I was going to go to the Olympics and bear in mind, that I didn’t speak English. He told me that I was going to get an A and then I started running. I asked my dad what the Olympics meant and I fell in love with it because it gave me confidence and it gave me friendship with people as well as camaraderie with others. Obviously, distance running is great for me because I get to see beautiful scenery and I am able to travel to different areas as opposed to just being around the track.
AM: For those readers that may not be aware of what long distance running means means, what are the foot races that you would find in this category?
MK: Well there’s the mile which is a long one, there’s a 3K which is about 2 miles which is what I did in high school. It’s debatable on the 800m which is a half mile in terms of whether it is mid-distance or long distance. Anywhere from the mile to the 3K to the 5K which is about 3.1 miles, the 10K which is 6.2 miles, a 15K is 9.3 miles, there is a half marathon which is 13.1 miles and of course 26.2 miles which is a full marathon and is very far. There are some other people that also do ultra marathons (editor’s note: this is any race that is longer than a marathon and these races tend to be 30 mile trail races to a 200 mile relay) which I have never done. I ran from 800m to a marathon in high school, college and professional.
AM: When did you realize that you wanted to run professionally?
MK: It’s funny that you asked because for me, going to school at UCLA on a full athletic scholarship, I was there from ‘94 –‘ 99. It was in ’97 that I had a big breakthrough you can call it. I was doing cross country, indoor 5K, and 5K as well as 10K outdoors and I contemplated whether to go pro or not, but I understood the value of education and that my degree would mean a lot more in the long run and I didn’t want to get injured and get set back. So that was the first time that it crossed my mind. But according to others like my 7th grade PE teacher, my high school coach, my classmates and others – their standards were high. They wrote in my yearbook that they would see me in the Olympics and that I was going to make it. But I had no idea how far running was going to take me until 1997 when I won 4 NCAA titles in that year (editor’s note: Meb became the first individual NCAA men’s cross country champion in school history winning in a course record 28 minutes 54 seconds, he won the NCAA indoor track 5,000 meter title and he won for outdoor in the 5,000 meter as well as the 10,000 meter championships).
AM: You are the only athlete in history to win the NY Marathon, the Boston Marathon, 4 X Olympian who won the Silver medal along with all of your NCAA Championships and National Championships. How do you prep for your races physically, mentally and spiritually?
MK: My parents always told me that the key to success is preparation. Do your homework and if you do it, you will do a fine job and that’s whether it’s for school, running or even a professional job. My family was like, tie your shoes, go for a run and of course you have to be systematic to see what you need to be able to excel when you run. For me physically, it was about 100 – 135 miles a week and I do that 4 times a week. People will ask me, do you run every day and I’m like, well you do the math ha! I run multiple times a day. In the afternoon, I do my long run for one intense workout. I don’t try to double up on that. Sometimes I run 10-12 miles in the morning, on the hard days, I will run anywhere from 12-16 miles and then in the afternoon, I will go for a fast mile and an early leisure easy one just to have time on your feet. The other ones are pretty rigorous.
Mentally, I guess you have to believe in yourself and the progress and strengths that you make. You can see the progress weekly, monthly and yearly. This is important for you to be able to see those.
Spiritually, I feel like I have my God given talent and I understand what my purpose is for me. I want to capitalize on my abilities to the fullest and most maximal potential.
AM: I know in terms of your training, you have been quoted in saying that you have a 9 day training cycle as opposed to a training week. Can you tell me more about this and what do you do during that period of time?
MK: We all know that there are 7 days in a week, the 9 day cycle allows me to have that recovery days in between. As you are in high school in college and early professionals, you can get away with a 7 day cycle. You can recover faster. As I got older, I wasn’t recovering and I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t be injured. So what I did was, you have Monday – Sunday and I cycle on through Monday and Tuesday. For example, if I do a long run on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday it will be easy for me, but maybe not for everybody else. I can run in the morning and train again in the afternoon. Again on Wednesday, it would be the same thing, 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. But then Thursday will be intervals because race days are faster. So Friday and Saturday would be the same thing that I did on Tuesday and Wednesday. It would be 10 miles or 12 miles in the morning and then the same in the afternoon. On Sunday, I would do my tempo run which is race days that can go anywhere from 6 miles to 16 – 18 miles on race day. You’ve got to warm up before hand and cool down. So it will be anywhere from 20-25 miles on that day. So instead of going back to a hard day on Monday for that workout, you need Monday and Tuesday to recover. So Wednesday would be that next hard session. By doing this, you get to know your body really well. You can start alternating whether you’re doing long runs, intervals or tempo. I can switch it up if the speed isn’t there and put two intervals together – like putting Sunday and Tuesday intervals together and Monday becomes the long run.
AM: From a nutrition standpoint, what do you eat to support your efforts when you’re looking at the next race?
MK: Nutrition is a very important part of training. You have to have a balance. The days that I do a hard workout, I have to have carb load like rice and pasta or potatoes. The days that I have an intense workout like a long run, tempo or intervals. I go with a lot more protein especially as I have gotten older as you try to eat protein to stay as lean as possible. Obviously, right after the workout, I have a drink with a product called UCAN, a UCAN shake. It’s the water and powder and you can have a banana, stretch out, do the ice baths, get a massage maybe and then 2 hours later, have a real meal where there’s eggs whether it’s an omelet or scrambled – whatever works for you. Then you have that afternoon run and then after if it’s a hard run, you have chicken or maybe fish or steak if I’m getting ready for a hard work out as you also want those carbohydrates.
AM: We had the pleasure of being able to meet you in 2016 right before the Summer Games in Rio. We were at Chelsea Piers for the KT Tape Media Day which we were able to meet you and the other athletes as well that are ambassadors of the brand. Why is your partnership with KT Tape so important and how is it synergistic with what you do?
MK: It’s been a great partnership with KT Tape because they understand the demands of what an athlete – not only professional athlete but every day runners or those in sports and what it does to their body. KT Tape understands that they need to be there for the aches and pains and to try to make it as easy as possible for those that are dedicated to their activity. Obviously, their motto is “to finish strong,” in not only races but also in training. I feel very proud to work with them.
AM: We’ve been a fan of their products and have a number of them that we have on hand when we’re on our photoshoots, hitting the tradeshows, being at NYFW, musical festivals etc. The fact that they have a number of recovery options from gels, the Wave+ items that are focused on blisters etc. definitely assists our team in what we do! What are your go to products that you enjoy using?
MK: I usually when I’m training have the KT Tape generic for the tendons and muscles to stabilize them. But I also have the KT Tape Flex for my knees and the KT Tape IT Band. Obviously, the KT Tape Chafe Safe is important as runners, we chafe and that’s important. I have also used the recovery patch as sometimes we have our calves or your glutes and lower back so that you can bring attention to that muscle and it can help you recover and to get you through the workout!
AM: I’m sure that just like us, you enjoyed seeing athletes being able to do what they do best on such a global stage especially due to the postponement of the Summer Games due to COVID, what did participating in the Olympics mean to you as you have done it a number of times?
MK: Well the Olympics are special and the pinnacle of any sport – it’s a big dream whether you’re a runner or any sport! When you make it there, you’re fortunate to be able to be there and it’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to wear that USA jersey on your chest and to represent that red, white and blue. That Jersey – it only becomes real when you put that on. You have dreams and ambitions, but when you’re on that flight to the Olympics or you’re at the Opening Ceremonies and participating with that Jersey on, it’s magnificent! You’re the chosen one and for Track and Field, there are only 3 people in the whole US and you have to earn your spot in order to make it.
Especially for me, I mean, my first experience was the Summer Games in Sydney to go to the Olympics prior to 9/11. It wasn’t my best performance obviously, because I had to stay in the village and I got the flu that was going around. But I was so delighted to be able to represent the US, go to the Opening Ceremony which was on Thursday and I did the 10K and it was done by Mon. But I had a whole 2 weeks to enjoy other sports as long as you have your USA badge and credential. I was able to go on the ferry, the train and the buses and you just flashed your card and could do what you wanted to do and it was great.
I was very fortunate to win an Olympic medal in Athens at the Summer Games in 2004. I was so proud to be able to bring home a medal – I was able to deliver that.
Obviously, for the Summer Games in 2012 in London, it was a challenging situation, I came in 4th but to be in the moment and to keep pushing hard - that's also important to not give up and not to drop out! You have to keep going no matter what! Thinking back, I was 21st half way and I ended up finishing 4th. And also to be able to go to Rio for the Summer Games in 2016 and to be able to understand what I did for my daughters by them seeing me make the team.
AM: Wow that’s definitely quite a history that you have had at the games! Do you have a favorite race or course that you like to run?
MK: Well, I’ve been fortunate enough to do 5Ks, 10Ks, half marathons and full marathons. In terms of my favorite marathon race, it’s the NYC Marathon and obviously I have raced 9 or 11 times there and the crowd really got into it! My most meaningful history is the Boston Marathon that I won in 2014 (editors note: Meb was the first American to win this race since 1983 and this race was a year after the Boston Marathon bombing) and of course equally challenging! Sometimes some of them are hillier at the end. Some of them it’s like on the Verrazano bridge at the beginning you just know you have to take it easy and then to strategize when to make those moves when it counts.
AM: When you’re running, how do you stay motivated and present just like what you were talking about to get to the finish line? We can imagine that there are a lot of mental things going on beyond just running through the course.
MK: It’s a mind game. I always talk about preparation and in training, it’s 90% physical and 10% mental. But once the gun goes off, it switches to 90% mental and 10% physical. You’re physically healthy and ready to go, you have to make good decisions according to your training and what you can and can’t do. Don’t make sudden moves, but you also have to know where you are at certain points of the course to keep driving strong and to never give up. Are you willing to hurt a little bit because you know it’s going to hurt at one point or another – but you’re going to hold on to that person that’s in front of you until you get to that next mile. You know that they’re not going to be able to keep it up the whole way and they’re just trying to break you – so you can’t get broken down.
AM: When you’re prepping for a race on race day, do you have certain things that you have to do before you go to the starting line?
MK: Weeks before the race are very important. You have to do the extra stretching, you have to prep your diet because this is all very important. You can’t eat the way that you used to eat. You have to hydrate and it’s very important. It’s interesting because you might feel a little shaky and eager to go because you’ve been doing 130 miles a week and now you’re going to 40-50 miles and so the energy is there. You just want to be able to go and you have to control the emotions. You just have to know that you have the confidence and that you will do well.
AM: Thinking back in a previous life, we ran the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge for years and it’s a 3K race that takes place in Central Park. In weeks leading up to this event, our team would do small runs and try to prep to take this event on. We were not runners at all, but we always felt so good after completing the race. What is your advice to new runners that are looking to join a race or to simply get into running for fun?
MK: I mean first time runners have to put the dedication and effort into running. If they can do that on a daily basis or whenever you run, you’re going to be ok! You’ve got to pay attention to small things – a small and steady pace will get it done. Don’t panic and try to do the best that you can. Just go at your pace. You don’t know how many years the other competitor running next to you has so just be within yourself and don't try to do what they're doing what they’re doing. Make sure you have the camaraderie and to understand why you came especially if it’s a 5K or anything longer. Pace yourself.
AM: You’re appearing at the Philadelphia Marathon later this year. Why are you coming back to this race and what are you excited about to see all of these great runners there?
MK: It’s great to go back to the Philadelphia Marathon! I think the city is great and obviously, one of my favorite movies is Rocky with the Philly steps and Rocky which I think is pretty cool ha! They’re not a big time marathon, but they are doing a great job with what that week they will have an 8K, a half marathon and then a full marathon.
AM: In many ways, you’re seen as an ambassador or a role model for long distance running and you’re so encouraging to other athletes whether it’s those who race or elsewhere whether they’re professional or enthusiasts. Why is it so important for you to be so positive in supporting athletes?
MK: For me, I came here as an immigrant and I struggled with the language. My dad would sit with myself and my siblings at 4:30am in the morning and we would learn English through the dictionary, one word at a time. I understand that runners work hard and for me to be an ambassador, I know how hard it is. For people to wake up at 5am in the morning to do their run because they have full time jobs and other commitments, I do understand what others are going through as I did when I was a younger kid. To be part of this sport and if we encourage each other, we will support all of us!
AM: You’re also known as a motivational speaker and a NY Best Selling Author, when did you realize that you wanted to add this into your platform as well?
MK: My life has been an interesting one and God gave me the opportunity to discover running in the 7th grade as I said before. But when I was taking English as a second language in 7th, 8th and 9th grade, I saw that I could help others by writing a book and that’s when the seed was planted. Gail and Steven Van Camp, they were my mentors and they helped me when I was in high school and that’s when Run to Win became a philosophy of mine it’s not about winning 1st place but it’s about not giving up on yourself. I felt honored to be able to share my story and to inspire others so that they could be encouraged. Not only for those who are running, but something that’s broader across their lifestyle.
AM: Can you tell us about the MEB Foundation?
MK: The MEB Foundation helps in education and fitness and the sport has given me so much that I want to give back. It’s an honor to give back whether it’s me being able to give shoes to schools or through scholarships for their efforts. I think sports is great for your self-confidence, time management, dedication and commitment to be strong in everything that you do. I love being able to give back in that way!
AM: The MEB Foundation is going to be running at this year’s Boston Marathon and NY Marathon. How can someone participate in these races and are they able to still be involved in this year’s marathon or will they have to wait for next year?
MK: For the MEB Foundation, you can go to my website MarathonMeb.com to find out more details. This year, the Boston Marathon is full and for the NY Marathon, we’re still looking for runners. It’s one way to do fundraising and it’s always great to have people who represent the MEB Foundation and are able to fundraise. That has been the only way to fundraise and we have done amazing work. So head to our site and you can get in touch with me or others who work with me and you can get in touch with us for next year’s Boston Marathon, this year’s NY Marathon and future races.
AM: Are there other projects that you’re working on that you would like to share with us?
MK: I’m spending a lot of time with my daughters as much as I can as they’re into soccer. I continue to do speaking engagements on interests of mine. In 2000 when I came back from Sydney, I coached at a community college which was great to give back and I also knew I wanted to focus on my athletic ability, but I was also proud to be part of that. Down the road, I will probably give back as much as I can. Not only to the elite but regular runners as well.
AM: When you’re not training and inspiring others, what are you doing to take time for yourself?
MK: For me, being dedicated to my athletics as much as I can, but also spending time with my family and friends. Sometimes, I just go biking, riding, kayaking in the water. But I also like to read biographies in the park, so I go there. It’s a great way to get out of the house and have some solitude.
AM: You have had such an impact on so many people inside and outside of the sport. What do you want your legacy to be?
MK: Thank you for asking me that question! I just hope that people have a positive experience when they interact with me. I love that people want to meet me and have waited in lines and even though the conversations may only be 20 secs or a minute, they have waited for half an hour or an hour and I want them to feel positive when they meet or see me. I’m fortunate to be able to connect with them!
AM: We love talking with trailblazers that have inspired others and we want to know who are 3 people that have inspired you to be where you are today?
MK: First and foremost, my parents. They gave up everything that they had and their opportunities not only for me, but for all their kids. They came here, we had to learn the language and we have been positive contributors to society. I feel very blessed that they did that and that they put their life on hold to give us opportunities to step up to the plate and be better ourselves.
In the sport world, I am always inspired by Jackie Robinson breaking barriers in baseball. The Van Camps introduced me to his story and I feel blessed that I read his book and when I was in high school, obviously Jessie Owens (editor’s note: In 2014 at the end of the season USA Track & Field selected Meb’s Boston Marathon victory as the Inspirational Performance of the Year. Later at the same ceremony, he was selected as the winner of the 2014 Jesse Owens Award, the highest accolade given out by the US National governing body for track and field, cross country running, road running and racewalking) was the same thing. What he did was amazing!
But also Jim Ryun (editor’s note: Olympic track and field athlete who at his peak was noted as the world’s top middle-distance runner. He won a Silver Medal in the 1500m at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City and was the first high school athlete to run a mile in under 4 minutes. He is the last American to hold the world record in the middle run) the high school phenom and making the Olympics when he was in high school as I have read up on him and watched the documentary. It was awesome.
On an international level Haile Gebrselassie (editor’s note: Haile is a retired long-distance track and road running athlete. He won 2 Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon. In addition, he won four world titles indoors and was the 2001 World Half Marathon Champion. He is known for 2 Olympic Gold Medals, 8 World Championship victories and he set 27 world records and remains the world record holder of the 10-mile run) from Ethiopia has inspired me a lot to do great things in terms of being a competitor. Size doesn’t matter, just keep working hard. Even in challenging situations in UCLA, I always thought if Haile could do it, you just need to put in the work wherever you are. It’s not where you go but what you do there in the time that you have!
IG @RunMeb
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | KT TAPE
Read the AUG ISSUE #68 of Athleisure Mag and see Pace Yourself with Meb Keflezighi in mag
Read the JUN ISSUE #66 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Steele Johnson in mag.
Next month the Summer Olympics will take place in Tokyo. While we look forward to seeing a number of our favorites in Track & Field, Swimming and Volleyball, there are a number of sports that will make their debut and skateboarding is one of them! We're excited to catch up with an athlete who has been at the top of his sport for the past couple of years and is an advocate for skateboarding and its community. Heimana Reynolds has showcased his style and creativity at a number of World Championships, X Games and will now take the world's biggest stage in just a few weeks representing Team USA Skateboarding.
We caught up with this Hawaiian native who calls San Diego, CA his home to find out how he got into skateboarding, going pro, the Olympic Trials and the power of recognition.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When we grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, we remember that after school, even though we didn’t skateboard, but we had friends that did. You could see how fun it was. Living here in NY, you see it all the time from a transportation perspective or just people being out having a good time! How were you introduced to the sport?
HEIMANA REYNOLDS: Well, I’m born and raised in Hawaii right? I mean, my state is known as the surfing capital of the world! Originally, my dad he was born and raised as the board sports rider from surfing, skating and snowboard riding when he could. At first, at a young age, he introduced me to surfing. From there, I was very young like 4 or 5 years old and at that age, there are so many variables that have to do with surfing – it’s cold, it’s windy, it’s this and that. So I didn’t fall in love with it at that age. When I was 6 or 7, my dad was like, “ok what’s the next best thing? Skateboarding. Let’s try this." He introduced me to skateboarding and I just fell in love with it. He would take me all day, every day, after school, before school and weekends! It was just history from there you know?
AM: When did you realize you wanted to be an athlete and be a professional skateboarder?
HR: I remember the day that I realized that this was something that I want to be able to do. My very first contest my dad took me to was in California, it’s this contest for all 12 and under skateboarders. He took me out there and I got to meet so many people, I got to compete for the first time and I actually did well for myself even though it was the beginners division! And I actually won a few divisions! I thought, “woah this is cool, this is awesome and I want to be able to do this for the rest of my life!” And hopefully I can! So far so good you know?
AM: You have won so many things from World Championships to being at the X Games and all of these different events. What has that journey been like for you?
HR: Oh my gosh, it’s been amazing! All I can say is that I’m so blessed to be able to travel the world and to meet all of these amazing people and get to do all of this because of skateboarding. Who would have ever thought that I could be traveling the world, I could be competing, I could be winning, I could be making money off of this wooden toy with wheels? You know what I mean? This journey has really been amazing and it’s not done yet! I mean, I’m super excited for Tokyo and it’s going to be the most amazing thing ever.
AM: That is going to be insane! I know you were talking about growing up in Hawaii and you live in California now in San Diego, what’s the skating scene or community like in terms of similarities and differences between where you grew up and where you are now?
HR: Honestly, there are so many similarities and differences. Growing up in Hawaii, I mean the similarities – well the reason why I moved to San Diego is that pretty much it’s the closest thing that’s like being in Hawaii without being in Hawaii. I’m able to still surf and skate every single day. I moved out here mainly because of the skate park and the skate scene out here you know? The cool thing about being out here is that you can stand in a certain area like my house let’s say and point in any direction and I can tell you where the skate park is. I think that is the coolest thing ever because there’s so many skate parks and not only is it about the quantity of skate parks but the quality of skate parks that are out here! Compared to Hawaii, it’s off the charts! Being out here and being able to skate, be at all of these different parks, being able to be out at the entire skateboarding scene out here is honestly the best thing for my skate career.
AM: That’s awesome! What’s an average day like for you when you’re training or doing your tricks? How many hours are you actually on your skateboard?
HR: Haha! Well a normal training day for me would of course be waking up at about 7:15/7:30am, getting out of bed, getting my day started and going straight to the NAKOA Gym where I meet with my personal trainer, Brandon Glade. We run through a bunch of – not so much body-building exercises but building muscle around my joints to prevent injuries. So we do all of those exercises for about an hour. I go home and I get a nice breakfast in me and I go straight to the California Training Facility which is the Olympic Skatepark for us. I go there and my first session will be about usually 3-4 hours just running tricks that I want to work on, trying to learn tricks and hone in on tricks that need work on and I grab some lunch after. Then I go back to the skate park and then I run lines to get my stamina up, to do the tricks that I learned earlier that day or those that I need to work on. Just kind of running my legs together so that’s another 3-4 more hours!
AM: That is definitely a lot! What are the specific workouts that you do to optimize you in your sport as I know you’re focused on building the muscle around joints? Do you have go-to’s that you do?
HR: We’re always changing up a lot of stuff. We do stamina work, we do cardio, we do a lot of agility stuff, landing hard and trying not to land hard on your bones! Also doing lightweight stuff. I don’t know the exact names for everything, but my trainer, he’s awesome! He’s the best in the business in my eyes.
AM: Prior to COVID-19, what was your year like in terms of your competitions just to give people an idea of what your schedule was like and how much you traveled?
HR: Oh my gosh! It was never a dull moment to say the least haha! There was honestly a time before COVID where there was a contest between where it was pretty much every weekend or every other weekend. We were able to travel to China, Brazil and all of these crazy countries and multiple times in that same year! I’d just bring my skateboard along and just kind of go with it. It was so amazing to be able to feel out all of those different cultures and just competing on those weekends. Oh my gosh it was amazing and so much fun. It was definitely strenuous but it was definitely a super amazing ride.
AM: Did you find, because we have been interviewing a number of athletes, that during this time before things started opening up again that in order to keep training and working out, that you had to do weird modifying situations to still stay healthy and on track for what you wanted to be able to do? We talked with Ryan Murphy a few months back and he was pushing his SUV up a hill because he couldn’t get to a gym haha!
HR: Haha yeah! During COVID, it was a crazy time especially being a park skater where you have all these ramps and big concrete – all the skate parks were closed you know? So it was really hard for me to be able to motivate myself. It was really funny, I had to do a lot of my sessions where I was in my living room and literally skating my coffee table and doing tricks off my coffee table and stuff like that! It got down to the point where I had a bunch of cases of Vitamin Water and I literally set them up and I was grinding on them and going over them – it was actually pretty funny!
It was actually a really cool experience to be able to not have to worry about the stress of events and training but to actually fall in love with my skateboard again, you know? It reminded me of when I was 8 years old and I would skate in my driveway for hours on end and just like having fun with literally nothing. I thought it was a really cool experience.
AM: Do you have go-to movements or signature movements that you do when you’re skateboarding?
HR: I do. I have a couple. My main trick that I’m kind of “known” for is called a Frontside Invert and it’s where you go front side up to the coping and you kind of plant your hand on the coping and you kind of do a one handed handstand while holding your board and then bring it back in. That’s one of my favorite tricks and I try to do that in every contest. It’s a super fun one!
AM: It looks awesome and you were in our 9PLAYLIST feature last month and we have that shot as the background of your playlist. That shot looks amazing and it’s impressive, but it must be so hard to be able to do that! Not for you obviously!
HR: It’s a lot of falling down and a lot of getting back up to learn it and to perfect it, you know?
AM: Exactly! What was the Olympic Trial process like and how many events did you have to do to qualify?
HR: The Olympic process was a cool experience, but also there are a lot of similarities and differences compared to contests that we’re used to! There’s a whole new thing with the point system and trying to get as many points as you can because it’s the Olympics and everybody wants to get to it. There are only 3 spots for Team USA, you know? So, we had 3 main events in 2019 and then we had 2 more in 2020 until the postponement and then we had another 2 this year. In 2019, at the first event, I was able to make finals but got 6th place, the next 2 were a Pro Tour event and then the World Championships and I was lucky enough to make the runs that I needed and win those 2 events which really boosted my score a lot leading into 2020 and 2021. Unfortunately, the most recent 2 events, I battled a knee injury and had to pull out of those events, but luckily for me, I had enough points to stay in the top spot and make it to the Games.
AM: Which is amazing! Once again thinking back to growing up seeing our friends skateboard back in the 80’s and 90’s, we couldn’t have imagined that it would be a sport at the Summer Games! How important do you think that this is for the visibility of the sport and then you being a part of the debut of that?
HR: Honestly, just hearing you ask me that question just gave me the chills you know what I mean? The shivers went through my spine because it’s such an amazing thing. First, it’s amazing for the sport to be at the Olympics and I have always thought that it deserved the recognition and that it should be considered a real sport to be at the Olympics. For me to be able to actually compete in the debut of the sport means the world to me. Skateboarding is my entire world. It’s all I’ve ever known and it’s all I ever do. It’s what I’m so passionate about and to be able to make history with skateboarding means so much to me and I’m so honored and blessed to be able to say that I will be in the debut of skateboarding for the Olympics.
AM: It’s so amazing and what are you looking forward to at the Games and what does your schedule look like leading up to heading to Tokyo?
HR: Oh my God – I mean I honestly don’t even know what to expect. I know that there are a lot of guidelines and stuff like that, but I’m really going to be there for the ride and the experience and kind of just making the memories of a lifetime out there!
Leading up to the Games, I am definitely training as much as I can without being injured. I’m just trying to keep my mind and my body healthy. I’m trying to keep my legs warm and I know that there are tricks that I want to be able to do before the Games so I’m honing in on those and not trying to get too crazy learning anything more before the Games. I have my tricks that I want to do and my lines that I want to run and pretty much, just trying to stay healthy and reviewing the park layout and getting ready!
AM: For Olympic Skateboarding, the events are broken out between street style and park style. Can you share the difference between these events?
HR: Of course. When you talk about street skating, automatically you think about the street. You’re skating on the street, but it has a lot to do with what you see around town. Street skaters will be skating stairs, handrails and jumping off of things like that. In park skating, you’re going to see more of ramp style where you see quarter pipes, half pipes, coping and long grinds and it will be really fast and high airs.
AM: In looking at competing in park, can you break down from an Olympic standpoint – how do you accrue points, what are judges looking for? So when we’re cheering you on, we can understand how you’re being scored?
HR: When you’re skating in park, one of the coolest things about park and skateboarding in general is the creativity aspect behind it. So, a lot of the judges are looking for the speed that you’re going at and how fast you’re going, how many tricks they can pull together in their 45 second run, how high their airs are and stuff like that. But it also goes into the creativity aspect. If you’re watching a skate contest, you will never see someone do the same run as another skater. That is the coolest thing because it brings the individuality out of the sport. A lot of the judges are looking for high airs, long grinds, going fast, how many difficult tricks you can pull without falling and the creative aspect of how unique your line was with all the tricks and which ones went back-to-back.
AM: For the Olympics, you have a designated uniform that you have to wear, but do you also have a specific board or shoes that you wear or are you able to choose your own for that?
HR: So yeah, we have the Olympic designed uniforms that we wear, but shoes, boards and helmet go under equipment. So, we can bring our own stuff in for those. I’ll have my The Heart Supply skateboard, I’ll be wearing my Axion Slip On shoes. They’re my favorite shoes and super comfortable – I love them. Also, my helmet will be a black S1 Helmets.
AM: I know that you’re partnered with KT Tape and our readers and followers know the brand and have seen them on athletes such as those in swimming and volleyball and how they use it. How is it beneficial for you when using it in skateboarding and why did you feel that it was a synergistic partnership for you to be aligned with their brand?
HR: In skateboarding and specifically with me, I don’t like to have any restrictions especially with braces and things like that. So, if I hurt my ankle, my knee or my wrist, I don’t want to have this brace that restricts my movement too much and gets in my way with this big bulky brace on my knee. So when I partnered up with KT Tape, they taught me how to tape up my knee, ankle or anything else, it really helped to hold my knee or ankle in place without having to deal with the restrictions of a bulky brace. It was really cool to experience that and to learn how to use the tape. They have a bunch of different stuff. I use the KT Recovery+ Wave that’s this electromagnetic pain relief thing. So if my shoulder is super sore after a long skate session, I’ll tape that thing onto my shoulder and I won’t feel it at all but the next morning I’ll wake up and say, “wow, that really helped a lot!” They also have KT Recovery+ Pain Relief Gel Roll-On and stuff like that. They have a lot of different products that help progress my skateboarding a lot.
AM: It’s always fun to do prep for these interviews and I know you’re in the campaign imagery with Ralph Lauren as well which you have such the look for that. But we also came across the Proper Rideshop. Can you tell us more about this?
HR: Like when I told you earlier about my dad and how he got me into skateboarding, once he realized that this was what I wanted to do – he took into account that if this was something that I wanted to be able to do and that skateboarding would be my life that they would turn their lives into it too! Him and my mom both quit their jobs, got an indoor warehouse, opened a skate shop in the front and a full skatepark in the back. They run camps and clinics to teach skateboarding to the youth. It’s a super cool environment. We have a membership program where we have over 400 members with young kids. We give back to the community and work with some homeschool programs teaching them where this is a form of their PE classes. We work with this program called A.skate Foundation which works with special needs kids in the autistic community. Proper Ride Shop has turned into a full family affair and it’s amazing.
AM: That’s amazing what they do for the community and the fact that you were able to train there while you were growing up!
HR: Yeah that’s true! They opened it up 10 years ago. I’ve been able give back to the community there and then after hours, be there to get training in.
AM: That’s fantastic and because you’re passion for the sport is so evident, in what ways do you give back to the sport and the community?
HR: I teach kids about the sport and I try to go around to help the kids of the next generation. Proper Rideshop is a really cool thing to give back to the community. Once, I was part of the next generation and people gave back to me and now that I’m in that next generation, I want to see the younger generation just strive and help them become what I did. I love giving back to the community.
AM: When you’re not skateboarding, what would we find you doing when you’re just taking time for yourself?
HR: When I’m not skating, I like to be in the ocean. Whether it’s surfing, fishing – especially back at home. I’m always going to be in the ocean because that’s my little zen mode. I grew up surfing and skateboarding my entire life so if I’m not at the skate park, I’m definitely surfing.
AM: We love talking to people that are changemakers that inspire other people. Who are 3 people that have helped you in your career where you are whether you know them personally or follow them socially?
HR: Oh man. The first one that comes to mind is definitely Shaun White! He has been a huge inspiration to me since I was a young kid just watching him at the X Games skateboarding and snowboarding. I knew of the time and dedication that he took whether he was on or off his board. It really just made me see what was out there and made me want to push and be the best that I could be. It’s actually really cool. During the beginning of the Olympic Trials for skateboarding, he was like, “I want to start skating again and do this." From there, I used to see him at the skate park a bunch and I was like, “woah that’s Shaun White, I looked up to him as a little kid.” We actually built a relationship together and I’m able to call him up and go skate anytime I want! It's a really cool thing to be able to do that and to have him as a good friend of mine. He’s an amazing human.
Another person that really inspires me and I know that it might sound cliché, but my dad really inspires me a lot. He was the person who taught me what hard work is and the person that pretty much paved the way for me and taught me every life lesson that I know. He’s the one that pushed me when I wanted to quit and he helped me get back up and he is definitely one of the biggest inspirations in my life.
As a skateboarding standpoint, Tony Hawk – of course he’s been a huge inspiration to me. Not only is he probably the biggest name in skateboarding, he also opened up the doors to show that you don’t have to just be a skateboarder. He designed his own game, he gives back to the community, he travels the world and he gives skateboards to little kids. He is one of the most amazing human beings and he has inspired me my entire life.
PHOTOS COURTESY | KT Tape + Ralph Lauren
Read the JUN ISSUE #67 of Athleisure Mag and see A Wild Ride with Heimana Reynolds in mag.
We fell in love with Laurie Hernandez's personality and energy when she competed in her inaugural debut at the Summer Games 2016 in Rio! She showcased her skill and commitment to the sport of gymnastics with the Final Five and left with a team gold medal and a silver as an individual.
We wanted to know what she has been up to since we last saw her on the global stage, how she maintained her training during the pandemic as well as a number of projects she has taken on - including, winning ABC's Dancing with the Stars in season 23 with her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy. We're also looking forward to seeing her in Golden, a docuseries on Peacock that takes us behind the scenes on what it takes to make the Team USA Women's Olympic Gymnastic team as she prepares for the Summer Games in Tokyo.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with gymnastics and what was the moment that you realized that you wanted to go professional?
LAURIE HERNANDEZ: I fell in love with the sport when I was watching it on TV as a little girl. The gymnasts were such an amazing mix of power and grace that I looked at my mom and told her “I want to do that!” and not long afterwards my parents started me in gymnastics.
AM: What is a normal day or week like for you when you’re in training mode and do you have go to movements that you enjoy incorporating into your fitness routine?
LH: I practice Monday-Friday around 5 hours a day and Saturdays for about 3 hours. I also have physical therapy twice a week to help with any aches and pains. Before training I use Hyperice tools like a Hypervolt gun to help with warming up my muscles and at home Normatec leg compression for recovery.
AM: Did you always feel that the Olympics would be part of your journey as an athlete and what does it mean to you to represent the nation on such a global stage?
LH: It was always a dream to go to the Olympics but of course when I first started I had no idea where it was going to lead.
AM: In terms of the sport of gymnastics, we’re familiar with the activities that take place; however, do each of you have your specialties that you take on and if so, what are yours and why do you gravitate to them?
LH: Absolutely! Every gymnast has their own strengths that they bring to the sport and that’s what makes it so fun to watch. I love to perform and get the crowd involved so floor exercise is one of my favorites!
AM: At the Summer Games in Rio in 2016, you received a gold medal as the Final Five team and silver individually for beam. What was it like to be there for your first Olympics and competing with your team?
LH: It was such an honor to represent the USA and I will never forget the feeling of standing on the podium, listening to the National Anthem with USA on our uniform. What hit me even more once I got home was the impact it had on the young Latinx generation. I had parents come up to me and tell them that their child had started gymnastics because they saw me at the Olympics and I looked like them which gave them the confidence to start the sport. That has really stuck with me and something I will forever cherish.
AM: Last year at this time, the Olympics was in limbo although it seemed like it would be postponed. We have talked with a number of athletes about how they had to modify their workouts as they didn’t have access to their normal facilities. Did you find yourself doing workouts that were modified (ie Ryan Murphy was pushing a car up his hill, April Ross created a gym in her home, Steele Johnson was walking on his hands in his backyard) in order to get in a good workout and to stay on track?
LH: Of course. I was doing stretches and yoga in my home to keep up my flexibility, going through routines mentally, running in my neighborhood, etc.
AM: You just competed at the Winter Cup earlier this year which you choreographed and was Hamilton inspired – what was that like and what are your personal goals as you anticipate a second appearance at the Summer Games?
LH: I loved being back out on the competition floor and had so much fun with my new floor routine! I did go back and do a few small choreography edits so stay tuned for my next competition. One of my biggest goals this whole journey is to comeback for myself and to have fun with the sport.
AM: Tell us about Golden. I know that LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Uninterrupted are creating this docuseries that includes you and additional gymnast Olympic hopefuls to obtain the remaining 4 spots. What can we expect from this show, do you know when it’s available on Peacock and why did you want to participate?
LH: It will focus on the day-to-day repetition it takes to become an elite athlete in our sport and a behind the scenes look at the ins and outs of our daily lives. I love all the girls that are participating alongside me and some are my close friends, so it made it a fun project!
AM: The Road to Tokyo has a number of events to qualify for being on the team. What’s your schedule look like right now and what competitions should we keep an eye out for?
LH: My next upcoming competition is the U.S. Classics on May 22nd.
AM: Part of the fun of the Olympic Games in addition to the actual competition, is being able to navigate the city outside of the Olympic Village. As we’re all emerging from lockdowns, have you been given a sense of what being at the Summer Games will be like outside of when you’re training and competing?
LH: We have not been given any specifics, but I know that without family and friends in the stands it will feel a bit different than previous Games.
AM: After a successful debut at the Olympics, you took some time off and won ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, published 2 books and were the inaugural host of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior Junior – why was it important for you to take the time off to take on these projects?
LH: It was super important for me to take time off and find out who I was and what I liked outside of gymnastics. Something my mom always told me was you are Laurie who just so happens to do gymnastics, there is much more to you than just one thing. Finding my love for dancing, acting, and hosting was very rewarding and also helped me realize I still loved the sport too.
AM: How important is it for you to balance your competitive nature while also embracing positive mental health and fueling your creative side?
LH: Extremely important. Mental Health awareness is something I am very passionate about sharing and embrace fully. This was actually another reason partnering with Little Words Project was a great fit. Spreading kindness and self-love is huge and I hope others benefit from wearing some of my favorite words and affirmations.
AM: We know that you love poetry and are a fan of words. Tell me about Little Words Project. Why did you want to collaborate with them with your collection of bracelets and how excited are you that it is available at Nordstrom?
LH: Words have always had a big impact on me and Little Words Project was the perfect partner to share my affirmations with others. I loved creating the sayings/words on each bracelet and am so excited to see others showing kindness to themselves and others by wearing them.
PHOTOS COURTESY | Laurie Hernandez
Read the May Issue #65 of Athleisure Mag and see In Balance with Laurie Hernandez in mag.
Read the Apr Issue #64 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | Meb Keflezighi in mag.
Soccer season is upon us and our eye is on the US Women's National Team's Olympic Gold Medalist, 2 X FIFA World Cup winner - Kelley O'Hara who also plays for the NWSL Washington Spirit. With a season that kicks off next month, we took some time to talk about how she fell in love with the sport, being able to play for the DC team, what it's like when she's in training, her schedule when competing with the national team as well as her home team, joining KT Tape as one of its newest ambassadors and of course her upcoming projects in film, podcasting and her beauty brand.
ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with soccer?
KELLEY O'HARA: I think I fell in love with soccer in high school. I played a lot of sports growing up, and soccer was one of my favorites, but it wasn’t until I decided soccer would be the sport I wanted to pursue full time and wholeheartedly that I really fell in love with the game.
AM: When did you know that you wanted to go pro?
KO: I always knew I wanted to play for the USWNT, however I didn’t think much about turning “pro” because for most of my high school and college career there was not a professional domestic league to play in. My goal was always to continue to play post college, but I always thought that would mean having to make the national team as my only option. Once the WPS came around, I realized I had the opportunity to get drafted and play not only for the national team but also for a pro team.
AM: What is the role of a defender?
KO: Technically I play defender, but I play it in a very attacking minded way. My number one priority is keeping the ball out of the net for the other team, but my next biggest priority is contributing to our attack in a meaningful way.
AM: The season is about to start next month for your team, Washington Spirit which you recently joined. I know that you also live in DC so how exciting was it for you be able to play for your city?
KO: Honestly, it’s a dream come true. I feel like every pro athlete would probably love to be able to live where they play. I have spent the last 10 years of my professional career moving from city to city - spending season in one place and off season in another - it’s nice to be in one place and living at home full time! Plus, DC is such a soccer city! I am really excited to play for the fans here and try to win a championship for the District.
AM: What are the weeks leading up to the start of the season like for you in terms of training and getting ready to get back on the field?
KO: We just spent three weeks down in FL for spring training to prepare for the Challenge Cup, which is the NWSL preseason tournament this year. That starts in April and then regular season starts in May.
AM: What are your workout routines like when you’re training for the week for the next game versus off season?
KO: In season training is all about recovery, preparation, and then execution in the game to get a win. So, most of the training is focusing on making sure you’re physically ready, i.e., your loads for the week are enough but not too much, and you’re tactically prepared for whoever you’re playing. In the off season, my workout is very individualized and is about working on weaknesses. It allows me to create a quality base physically for the season ahead and offers me the luxury of working on technical aspects I want to specifically focus on.
AM: On game day, what’s your routine like leading up to hitting the field?
KO: Game days are pretty chill. My main focus is preparing my body to perform, so eating and drinking the right things leading into the game, while also mentally preparing for what needs to get done.
AM: You joined the KT Tape team earlier this year, what does this partnership mean to you and how will you partner with them?
KO: I’ve been using KT Tape pretty much my whole career, so it’s cool to turn it into an official partnership. I love that their product is athlete focused and really works! I’ve relied on their tape throughout the years to give me the extra assistance my body might need, so to know they are now supporting me not only on the field but off of it is pretty great.
AM: What are your go to products?
KO: I have primarily used their KT Tape Pro, both for performance and recovery. I just tried their newest product the KT Recovery+ Wave and it was incredible! It helps to relieve pain in tissues and joints with sensation-free electromagnetic waves. You don’t feel anything from the device, but it modulates nerve activity to give you pain relief and it really works! I was blown away.
AM: In addition to being on the Washington Spirit, you’re also on the US Women’s Soccer Team. How is it managing both of those schedules and are there differences for you when you are competing?
KO: It definitely makes for a busy schedule, but I feel lucky to have that problem! When it comes to competing for my two different teams, I don’t approach them differently. My goal is always to win - whether that’s in an off-season pickup game, practice, an NWSL match or an Olympic final - I aim to bring the same competitiveness to everything. Winning is a habit, so it’s something I am cultivating.
AM: We're looking forward to seeing LFG which comes out on HBO Max which focuses on the US Women’s National Team’s fight for equal pay and has you, Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Becky Sauerbrunn, Sam Mews and others on the team speaking and advocating about this issue. Why did you want to participate in this film?
KO: We wanted to tell our story in our own voice. I think a lot of people really only know what has happened or is happening by what or how the media writes about the lawsuit, but most people don’t know the amount of time, energy, and persistence this legal battle has taken. Plus, we know that our fight and hopefully win has the potential to create important change we need across all industries.
AM: The past year has definitely been one that we have all been navigating. With the Olympics postponed to this summer, what are you looking forward to with the upcoming games?
KO: Definitely the joy that is competing and chasing after a goal with my team. I’m also looking forward to the Games hopefully giving the world something to look forward to and to showcase the unity and joy that sport can provide not only for athletes but for their fans
AM: Outside of the sport, you’re the host of Just Women’s Sports. Tell me more about this podcast and why you wanted to have this included in your platform?
KO: The Just Women’s Sports podcast was born out of the desire to give female athletes a space to tell their stories. Only 4% of media coverage is dedicated to women’s sports, and it’s something I have personally felt my whole life. Haley Rosen, the founder of JWS, wanted to change that. I came on board to help advise the company, but that quickly turned into wanting to be involved and do the work to help change the future of what covereage looks like for female athletes.
AM: What other projects are you working on that we should keep an eye out for?
KO: I am an owner and partner in Tame the Beast - a company of grooming and shower products with a focus on sustainability and reducing plastic consumption. I am creating a unisex skincare line with them that will be launching this summer, which I am really excited about!
AM: You have so many accolades from being a 2 X FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion, an Olympic Gold Medalist and receiving the Hermann Trophy in 2009, what do you want your legacy to be in the sport?
KO: A winner and a good teammate - the type of player and person you always want on your team.
IG @KelleyOhara
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 36 KT TAPE | PG 38 - 40 USWNT |
Read the Mar Issue #63 of Athleisure Mag and see Winning is a Habit with Kelley O’Hara in mag.
Read the Jan Issue #61 of Athleisure Mag and see 9PLAYLIST | April Ross in mag.
