The Gabby Reece Show

Your doctor's prognosis was final: you'll never walk normally again and your career is over. But what if you could rewrite that recovery with the one tool you already carry with you, your breath?Nick Sweeney is the co-founder of Coherence and creator of the Vortex Method, but before any of that he was a Division 1 cross-country skier who couldn't walk for 10 months after a COVID-era injury. We talk about how he clawed his way out through daily breathwork done from bed, rebuilt enough to place top 20 nationally at Olympic trials, and walked away from the athlete identity to coach breathwork full-time. You are not your label, and the way back isn't always a treatment or a specialist. Sometimes it's the one tool you already carry with you. What we explore:- Breathwork for injury recovery: how Nick healed after 10 months unable to walk- Athletic identity loss: why it hurts more than the injury, and how to rebuild- Nervous system regulation: guarding your mind against the algorithm- Daily breathwork habit: why 5 minutes beats one long session- Overcoming comparison: the "timeline" reframe that breaks the loopChapters:00:00 Gen Z Olympic Skier Nick Sweeney's Backstory03:58 How He Healed a Career Ending Injury With Breathwork08:06 How to Find Your Identity Beyond Labels11:40 Why He Left Oil and Gas for Breathwork17:00 Can You Coach Breathwork Without Certifications30:46 Why Accountability Matters More Than Information32:20 How Daily Voice Memo Coaching Creates Change35:05 Why Investing in Coaches Changed His Life37:25 How to Let People Change and Release Attachment41:40 How to Take Ownership and Stop Comparing Yourself47:02 How to Get Clear on What You Really Want58:11 How Past Trauma Shows Up in Relationships01:17:45 How Focused Attention Healed His Foot01:20:15 Fight Flight Freeze Fawn and Breathing to Regulate01:23:53 How to Rewrite Pain and Trauma With Breathwork01:26:21 Sun Gazing and Circadian Morning Routine01:32:00 Realistic Breathwork for Busy Parents01:38:00 Slow Breathing CO2 and Longevity Explained01:45:15 What Is the Vortex Method Breathwork ProgramAbout Nick Sweeney:Nick Sweeney is a breathwork coach, former Division 1 cross-country skier, and co-founder of Coherence, a breathwork app he built with his brother. He's the creator of the Vortex Breath and Vortex Method, and he's leading a global movement to get large groups breathing in sync. Connect with Nick Sweeney:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@basedethosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/basedethosCoherence App: https://www.coherencebreath.comFree Breathwork Course: https://www.polariscoaching.ai/newsletter–The Gabby Reece ShowThis is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.Connect with Gabby Reece:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficialWebsite: https://gabriellereece.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

Some biohacking gets sold as a shortcut, hacking the right levers and you'll coast to 180. But the most important thing learned in a lifetime of measuring everything is the one thing that never shows up on a blood panel.I sat down with Dave Asprey, the entrepreneur who named and organized "biohacking," founder of Bulletproof, Danger Coffee, Upgrade Labs, and 40 Years of Zen, and four-time New York Times bestselling author. Join me to talk about what it really takes to build a body and mind that holds up for the long run. We move from data-driven protocols to the parts most people skip: parenting without reactivity, forgiveness, surrender, and knowing when your intuition is telling you something your spreadsheet can't. Dave opens up about his autism diagnosis, losing a $100M business, and why he believes mitochondrial function shapes not just your energy but your capacity to think clearly and connect. Whether you're a parent, a founder, or just trying to stay sharp as the years add up, this one frames longevity around your character, not only your bloodwork.What we explore:- How to raise resilient kids by modeling non-reactivity and clear boundaries.- Why intuition-first decisions, validated by data, beat leading with data alone.- What surrender really means, and the lesson behind a $100M loss.- How mitochondrial function connects energy to focus, mood, and clear thinking.- Why deliberate discomfort is an underrated tool for building durability at any age.Chapters:00:00 The Godfather of Biohacking Explains It All02:20 How to Parent Teens Without Reactivity10:23 How Biohacking Goes Beyond the Body11:25 Can You Actually Hack Consciousness?24:11 What Actually Helps Kids on the Spectrum30:37 Why Deliberate Discomfort Makes You Stronger33:42 The Surrender Lesson From a $100M Loss47:47 Why 80% of Longevity Is Fear of Death50:29 The Case for Living to 180 Years52:47 Why Personal Sovereignty Matters Most53:57 How Trauma Silently Drains Your Energy57:06 The 5 F-Words Your Body Runs On01:05:35 How to Actually Screen for Cancer Early01:19:14 Travel Hacks Every Frequent Flyer Needs01:42:52 The Peptides Behind His Longevity Stack01:47:21 Why He's Hopeful About Human PotentialAbout Dave Asprey:Dave Asprey is the entrepreneur widely credited as the "father of biohacking" and the founder of Bulletproof, Danger Coffee, Upgrade Labs, and 40 Years of Zen. He's a four-time New York Times bestselling author and host of the top-ranked podcast The Human Upgrade, known for blending rigorous, data-driven experimentation with a broader philosophy about human potential.Connect with Dave Asprey: Website: https://daveasprey.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DaveAspreyBPRInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dave.aspreyGet the 4x New York Best Selling Book:👉https://daveasprey.com/books–The Gabby Reece ShowThis is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.Connect with Gabby Reece:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficialWebsite: https://gabriellereece.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

I sat down with Dominic Luke, a former Air Force pararescueman of ten years and author of That Others May Love More, to talk about the formative trauma at seventeen, the shame and self-blame that followed, and how avoidance later surfaced as identity loss, heavier drinking, and strain in his marriage after leaving the military, how he reclaimed his power, from breathwork and yoga to professionally guided psychedelic ceremonies, and why healing eventually has to become service.What we explore:* How high capability can mask unhealed trauma* Why “it wasn’t your fault” unlocks real healing* What avoidance costs: identity loss, drinking, marriage strain* How breathwork, yoga, and psychedelics support recovery* Why healing has to become serviceChapters:* 00:00 Dom Returns Solo to Open Up Fully* 02:15 The Italian Family Roots Behind His Story* 04:29 The Teen Trauma He Hid for Years* 09:11 Why Self-Blame Keeps You Stuck* 12:53 How to Parent Through Honest Conversations* 19:25 Why Being Capable Isn’t Being Healed* 21:58 How Opening Up Saved His Marriage* 25:04 Losing Your Identity After the Military* 29:52 How to Balance Masculine and Feminine Energy* 38:11 When Your Healing Becomes Your Purpose* 50:29 Why High Achievers Secretly Stall Out* 54:36 How Breathwork and CO2 Unlock Flow* 1:10:23 How Psychedelics Can Help You Heal* 1:17:59 Why Ben Roberts’ Story Still MattersAbout Dominic Luke:Dominic Luke served as a U.S. Air Force pararescueman for ten years. Today he’s an author, coach, yoga instructor, and XPT coach who works with high-performing leaders on the private struggles that capability tends to hide. His book, That Others May Love More, traces his own path through trauma, forgiveness, and reclaiming identity, and offers tools for anyone ready to stop repeating their patterns.Connect with Dominic Luke:Website: https://www.domluke.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dominicluke_Get a copy of Dominic Luke’s Book👉https://a.co/d/0gocOAnw–The Gabby Reece ShowThis is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.Connect with Gabby Reece:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficialWebsite: https://gabriellereece.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com