Steve Hanson

Steve Hanson has been coming to Strength Happens for 8 years. Steve owns Steve Hanson Landscaping, an award-winning boutique landscaping company in Santa Barbara. He has been surfing for over 50 years and recently won the 2020 Rincon Classic surf competition. We got the chance to interview Steve to talk about his fitness journey, mental attitude and the specific training he did to be able to win the Legend division in the Rincon Classic!

When did you start coming to Strength Happens and who has been your trainer?

I started coming to Strength Happens about 8 years ago after my wife referred me. I have worked with many of the trainers at Strength Happens, but Mike has been my main, most consistent trainer.

What impact has training at Strength Happens made in your life? What does the phrase "Strength Happens" mean to you, and how do you apply this mental attitude to your day to day life?

Overall it’s about confidence, being strong and feeling like you can handle whatever life throws at you mentally and physically. I feel so much better than I did before, have so much energy and feel really confident.

I have a business with a lot of employees. At times it's a stressful business and exercise is a huge part of preserving my well being and reducing my stress. I also like the camaraderie of the people I work out with and have made some good friends here. If I’m not in a good head space working out with my group can help me transition to a better place.

I’ve been surfing for most of my life, and it’s very physically demanding sport. If you can maintain your body and stay in shape you surf for longer. I feel way stronger, and my legs, lower back, and core really allow me to maintain a high level of performance in the surf. You also can’t hesitate or question your abilities to catch a wave. If you have the confidence you’ll be successful. My training at Strength Happens has given me that confidence.

What activities or hobbies do you like to participate in outside of the gym?

I surf, run and live an overall active lifestyle of hiking, gardening, and other outdoor activities. I also like to paint, draw and hang out with my family.

Do you have a specific diet you adhere to or that you prefer to follow? What is your favorite go-to snack?

I eat a well balanced diet and prefer to be as plant-based as possible. I choose fresh, wholesome organic, and healthy food. My favorite snacks are trail mix or dairy-free smoothies.

What are your top 3 songs on your ideal workout playlist?

I like working out to rhythmic soul music, R&B, or rap music.

Please share about competing in the Rincon Classic ,and the specific training you did to get in shape.

I participated in the 2020 Rincon Classic surfing competition. I’ve surfed in the Santa Barbara area for almost 50 years, and over the decades I've actually won that contest several times. I hadn’t won in four years, which was pretty frustrated since I went to the final every year but could never close the deal.

This past year I decided to get serious with my training and focused on really staying in shape. Mike was training me specifically to be well conditioned for surfing and for this competition. Going into it I felt super strong, and in shape and during the competition my legs never gave out. The training definitely paid off since I took first place in the Legend division!