Football legend David Beckham is set to hit his milestone 50th birthday in May. And despite being more than a decade into retirement now as well, the former footballer is still in incredible shape.
Appearing on the cover of Men’s Health, the British icon revealed his physical fitness schedule is as gruelling as ever. But unlike his football days, he now also has to pay attention to his nutrition, upper body, and has his wife alongside him in the gym.
The footballer is trained by none other than former Olympian and longtime friend, judoka Bobby Rich. David revealed Bob’s training has forced him to completely rethink his workouts as his focus in the gym throughout his career had only been on lower body.
Understandably, Bobby sought to change that fast, as David said: “I didn’t have pecs until I met Bob. You could say I’ve gone up a few cup sizes as a result. Since retiring, I’ve put a bit of meat in my pecs.”
David’s workout routine includes strength training like pull-ups on most days, and he has slightly let go of his cardio obsession over recent years as he used to do two sessions of SoulCycle every day. However, with his wife Victoria also in the gym with him now, the footballer is still put to the test in the cardio department.
The former Spice Girl is a big fan of the brutal StairMaster and Versaclimber machines, which David can’t stand. But regardless, the power couple join Bobby in the gym five or six times every week.
David said: “I love training with Victoria. We give each other plenty of grief. She’s not very good at listening to Bobby… She does her own thing. She’s not great at resting.”
The father-of-four is still a competitive sportsman, especially when his three sons were growing up. He recalled letting the boys win at snooker or table tennis while they graciously “let me keep up” on the ski slopes as they got older.
Alongside his holiday activities like skiing and snowboarding, which he hopes to continue up until his 70s after being forbidden from the sports during his football career, David is also an avid padel player. When in Miami, the 49-year-old says he plays three times a week in between his daily workouts.
Reflecting on the brutal injuries and intense training his body has been through over the last five decades, the sports star added: “Do you know what? My body’s actually feeling better than it has done for a long time.”