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what is james brolin's secret to staying young?

the lightyear star also uses his home sauna to detox and eats a healthy diet that includes his favourite greek salad and a whole loaf of sourdough bread.

by karen hawthorne

published sep 02, 2022

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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the lightyear star is also married to barbra streisand

los angeles, california - june 08: (l-r) james brolin and chris evans attend the world premiere of disney and pixar's feature film "lightyear" at el capitan theatre in hollywood, california on june 08, 2022. (photo by alberto e. rodriguez/getty images for disney)

how do you stay fit and fabulous as an actor in hollywood? extreme diets, personal trainers — or nips and tucks by cosmetic surgeons to make it look as though you’ve put the work in. but there’s also genetic good fortune and a tried-and-true commitment to diet and exercise that can make some aging celebrities look years younger in a simple t-shirt and jeans.

have you looked at lightyear star james brolin lately?!

at 82, he’s in great shape and credits working out in the water with weights. “i became a regular and it changed my life,” he told people magazine of his aquatic weight routine.

it started at a dinner party where he met surfer laird hamilton and his wife, former volleyball pro gabrielle reece. hamilton invited him to train with them in their pool.

‘i just started to look better’

brolin was looking to change up his diet and fitness regime to improve his appearance and later decided to give it a try, swimming under water while carrying weights.

“once you get used to 10 lbs., then we move you to 15 lbs.,” brolin explains. “then we move you to 20 lbs. and it’s a jumping exercise to start. then next, they’ve got you swimming the length of the pool with a weight.”

he says he’s pleased with the physical and mental transformation he’s experienced from the workout. “everything started to change,” brolin told people. “i just started to look better. body, face, eyes, thinking, and therefore proving the old, boring thing that exercise really works.”

boot camp meets aqua aerobics

according to men’s fitness magazines, underwater weightlifting gives you a near-perfect scenario for resistance training. it combines the resistance experienced in the water, with the additional strain on your muscles from lifting weights. laird hamilton wrote about his pool weight workout, which was inspired by hawaiians, in men’s journal:

“ancient hawaiians may have been the first to develop strength training in water,” he said. “they would take large rocks into the sea and carry them while they swam along the ocean floor. it’s a brilliant technique, because it removes any injury-inducing impact from a workout, and it gives you better results than strength training or swimming alone. (a weight that feels manageable on land takes far more effort to swim with underwater, and it boosts your heart rate faster than a freestyle stroke.)”

with the rising interest in cross-training for athletes and exercise enthusiasts, a 2019 study at brigham young university-hawaii looked at the effects of circuit strength training in water vs. on land, and found that strength can be maintained by working out in the water.

the study author and water aerobics instructor writes: “i would recommend aquatic training to coaches with injured athletes, and to use with their whole team occasionally just to give them some variety. aquatic training can also be used as a good alternative to traditional rehabilitative practices to regain strength.”

how to start aquatic training

want to give it a try? start small with light weights partially submerged in the water and work your way up to lifting heavier weights in the deep end.

keep in mind that brolin also uses his home sauna to detox and eats a healthy diet that includes his favourite greek salad. and he doesn’t deny himself the occasional splurge, like a whole loaf of sourdough bread.

the actor has been turning heads for more than 50 years since he first pulled up on his triumph bonneville motorcycle in the hit tv series “marcus welby, m.d.” in 1969, and he’s not ready to hit the rocking chair any time soon, says parade magazine. he’s an avid pilot, race car driver, equestrian and dog trainer.

one last feather in brolin’s well-toned cap: he’s married to the legendary singer barbra streisand, 80, who swims with him in their backyard pool in malibu (we’re not sure if she also does the water weight-training, though).

karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.

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karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

what is james brolin's secret to staying young?