Coco Ho feels like she’s as healthy as ever. Photo: XO COCO
Coco Ho has been a household name in surfing for well over a decade. The optimistic, fan-favorite faced high expectations as the daughter of the legendary Michael Ho. Not only did Coco meet those expectations, she also blazed her own trail. Although Ho never secured a world title during her 11 seasons on the Championship Tour, she redefined what success means in professional surfing. Is success marked by trophies, or by health, longevity, perseverance, and creativity? Without explicitly stating it, Ho has defined it as the latter.
Ho’s journey through competitive surfing has been long and winding, marked by her dedication to personal progress. In 2019, she partially tore her MCL while attempting a tail-high reverse in the Waco wave pool. This injury led to her missing the Corona Open J-Bay, her first missed event of her career. That same year, Ho failed to make the CT cut. Many would have shifted to casual surfing. Not Coco. Exactly one year later, she landed the trick that had caused her injury, a testament to her resilience.
“Tearing my MCL was one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my career,” Ho told me, reflecting on her recovery. “It took almost seven weeks for me to fully heal, and I missed almost two months of competing and training. But during those weeks, I focused on my body and how I fueled it, using physiotherapy, workouts, and functional medicine to get back into shape. Supporting my body properly was essential to my recovery.”
Ho transitioned to freesurfing, trying experimental equipment, and starting her own surfboard brand, XO COCO. “The decision to leave the tour was hard, but it was the best decision for me,” she said. Spotting a gap in the industry for female-specific board options, Ho channeled her creativity. Her rebranding has allowed her to explore a more refined version of herself, both physically and mentally.
Now in her 30s, in addition to her business ventures, Ho remains positive but unwaveringly focused on her health. And recently, she upped the ante on her fitness even further. After dealing with adrenal fatigue and immune deficiencies, Ho dialed in her routine. “I’ve been able to put a larger emphasis on my health and learn more about what I’m putting into my body. Fueling myself in the most nutritional way has become a priority.”
Ho credited supplements with playing a crucial role in her recovery from her MCL injury. “It was important to supplement the hard work I was doing to rebuild muscle and get stronger every day,” she said. For Ho, supplementation helps fill nutritional gaps in her busy schedule. Running a business, freesurfing, and creating content often leave little time for scratch cooking. Her daily regimen includes ashwagandha for mental focus, magnesium glycinate powder, and curcumin for joint support.
Ho’s health practices are deeply rooted in resilience. Adaptogens like ashwagandha, which help the body resist stress, fit perfectly into her lifestyle. Magnesium and curcumin also aid her active routine, supporting muscle recovery and managing inflammation.
It is important to note that while supplementation is a hot topic in the world of sports and fitness these days, the supplementation of anything should be discussed with a medical professional. Podcasters, professional athletes, and anyone with a platform seem to be jumping on the bandwagon of recommending a specific compound, vitamin, or mineral. However, it goes without saying that supplements are designed to address nutritional deficiencies and are not magic “cure-all” pills. What works for one person may not work for another and could actually cause more harm than good.
That being said, Ashwagandha root has been used in the traditional Ayurvedic and Unani medicine systems of India as an adaptogen for centuries. According to the National Institutes of Health, adaptogens are loosely defined as a compound or product that “increases the ability of a person to resist, adapt, or become resilient in nonspecific ways to biological, physical, or chemical stressors.” It certainly seems fitting that Coco Ho would be an advocate for supplementing with adaptogens. Resilience, both physically and mentally, have been her bread and butter for a while now.
Magnesium is naturally occurring in foods and beverages already. Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, are good sources of magnesium. There are also specific recommended intakes for magnesium, so it is imperative to discuss the supplementation of magnesium with a medical professional before going buck-wild.
On the other hand, curcumin, which is derived (and found naturally in) turmeric, is a supplement that is widely recommended by scientists and culinary professionals alike. According to the National Institutes of Health, curcumin “aids in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia.”
The NIH also notes that curcumin may help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness, “enhancing recovery and performance in active people…a relatively low dose of the complex can provide health benefits for people that do not have diagnosed health conditions.” In other words, it is safe to supplement curcumin, again, when discussed with a medical professional who is familiar with one’s specific medical background.
As for Ho, she shows no sign of slowing down. “My goals right now are focused on optimizing my personal performance in all aspects of life and focusing on my overall health and wellbeing,” she said. “It’s essential for me to show up as my best self every day – whether physically, mentally, or both. I’m naturally a very active person, so I like to workout no matter if it’s for a surf competition or to keep myself healthy.”
Though Coco’s brother Mason initially introduced her to surfing, Coco admits she now leads the charge in their health routines. “I care more about fitness and working out than he does, but I get him to stretch, sauna, and ice a lot,” she said.
“If there’s something I’ve learned through recovery and getting back into my routines, it’s that consistency is key,” she shared. Ho’s nutritional habits have become second nature, allowing her to maintain wellness even during travel. “The great thing about my nutritional routine is that it’s really become more of a lifestyle for me, so it’s always integrated into my daily life whether I’m traveling or not.”
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For example, Ho has done many Mentawais trips, like the one you can see footage from in her recent short film Adrift. But, anyone who has spent time in the jungle knows that remote locations aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. Healthy food can be scarce, tap water is often undrinkable, and the scorching sun renders itself easily to dehydration.
Ho explained how she manages these factors, leaving most of her energy for surfing and filmmaking. “Before I leave on a trip, I make sure to take all of my supplements with me to maintain my wellness, no matter where in the world I am. Especially in remote areas, I’m not always sure what kind of food is going to be available to me, but as long as I keep up with my supplement routine, which is now a non-negotiable for me, I can trust that my body has everything it needs to perform at my best.”
Ho also keeps up her physical health by keeping her body in motion. “Usually on surf trips, we’re very focused on surfing and stretching,” Ho laughs, “but if it’s flat for a few days, we’ll always do a little workout.”
If there is one thing Ho can’t recommend enough for surfers of every walk of life, it’s hydration supplements. “They keep us all in the water longer,” she said, “although I do feel like people are becoming very aware of that in this day and age.”
