Water Warrior

Lisa Altobelli

September 17, 2007

CHELIOS'S TRAINING DAYS don't end when he returns to his beachfront Malibu home. He'll often take 40-mile bike rides along the Pacific Coast Highway, then spend the afternoon paddle-surfing for as much as 16 miles in the Pacific. Usually he'll be joined by his neighbor and big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton—or by his 18-year-old son, Dean (far left). "Paddling is underrated as an exercise," says the 5'11", 191-pound Chelios of the ancient Hawaiian technique of standing on a 12-foot-long board while paddling with a seven-foot oar. "It's a real workout when you're dealing with waves or going against the wind. The paddle is like a hockey stick used for balance and steering. Paddling works everything: legs, stomach, shoulders, back."