Beckham’s Fitness at 50: Diet and Workout Secrets

As David Beckham turned 50 on May 2, 2025, the football icon continues to inspire fans worldwide with his enviable physique and dedication to fitness. Beckham’s fitness journey involves a combination of disciplined workouts, a balanced diet, and a focus on overall well-being.

Beckham’s Evolving Fitness Philosophy

Beckham’s fitness regimen has evolved since his days as a professional footballer. While playing, his training focused on lower-body strength and stamina. Today, his routine includes strength and conditioning, cardio, and a focus on mental well-being. Beckham told Men’s Health that he focuses on overall body strength, since his leg strength is already well developed.

“Fitness Snacking” and Variety

Beckham avoids monotony by incorporating variety into his workouts. He is a proponent of “exercise snacking,” which involves short bursts of activity throughout the day. This could include cycling to meetings, walking his dogs, gardening, or mowing the lawn.

Partnering with Victoria

Beckham enjoys working out with his wife, Victoria. They often team up for fitness challenges, early morning workouts, or shared activities like cycling or yoga.

Decoding Beckham’s Workout Routine

Beckham’s workouts are designed to maintain muscle mass while burning fat. His personal trainer, Bobby Rich, emphasizes consistency and fine-tuning biomechanics in major movements. Beckham’s routine includes calisthenics, strength training, and cardio.

Calisthenics

To maintain strength, carve his core, and prevent back pain, Beckham does calisthenics most days. This includes exercises like:

• Pull-ups
• Hanging knee raises
• Push-ups

Rich varies the tempo, reps, and sets to keep the workouts fresh.

Strength Training

Beckham focuses on full-body training sessions, including compound movements. These exercises include the “Big 3”:

• Deadlifts
• Squats
• Bench presses

Rich adds variety by using barbells, kettlebells, or dumbbells in different sessions.

Cardio

Beckham enjoys various fitness challenges for cardio. He is a fan of SoulCycle, Barry’s Bootcamp, and boxing. His current favorite cardio activity is playing padel, a tennis-squash hybrid, which he plays three times a week in Miami. He also incorporates high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and running, sometimes wearing a weighted vest. Other cardio activities he enjoys include running, cycling, hiking, and everyday tasks like walking his dogs and mowing the lawn.

Here is an example of Beckham’s weekly workout routine:

• Monday: Running with 30 sets of 20-second sprints.
• Tuesday: Cardio, completing 10 sets of one-kilometer sprints.
• Wednesday: Strength training with 200 squats, 150 push-ups, 100 leg raises, 25 burpees, and 50 plank to push-ups.
• Friday: Treadmill cardio (20–30 minutes) and optional activities like hiking, rock climbing, MMA, or yoga.
• Saturday & Sunday: Rest and recovery with outdoor activities like hiking or walks with family and dogs.

Flexibility and Mobility

In addition to strength and cardio, Beckham incorporates flexibility and mobility exercises like Pilates and yoga, which are important for preventing injuries.

Beckham’s Diet: Clean, Balanced, and Sustainable

Beckham follows a clean, balanced diet that prioritizes lean proteins, fresh vegetables, and healthy fats. He avoids white bread, processed cereals, white rice, junk food, and supplements.

A Typical Day of Eating

Here’s what a typical day on Beckham’s plate looks like:

• Breakfast: A cheese omelette or a protein-packed smoothie or oatmeal with nuts, followed by eggs or avocado.
• Lunch: Grilled chicken or fish with vegetables like cauliflower, spinach, and broccoli, lightly cooked in olive oil, often accompanied by a side of quinoa or rice.
• Snacks: A mix of nuts, yogurt, and herbal energy drinks.
• Dinner: Lean meats like chicken or fish, paired with green leafy vegetables and a small serving of healthy fats such as avocado or olive oil.

Cheat Meals

Beckham allows himself occasional cheat meals, like pancakes, to maintain a sustainable eating plan. He also enjoys fish and chips or a pastry.

Shona Vertue’s Diet Rules

Shona Vertue, who introduced Beckham to yoga, shared her five key diet rules:

1. No food bans: Enjoy food without using it as punishment or reward.
2. Prioritize fiber: Consume 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily from fruits, vegetables, lentils, beans, wholegrains, nuts, and seeds.
3. Be mindful of emotions: Calm the nervous system before meals and avoid distractions while eating.
4. Focus on protein-centric meals: Build each meal around a protein source for various bodily processes.
5. Calm the nervous system before meals: Eating whilst in front of the TV might lead to eating too much and not chewing enough, meaning we don’t even appreciate when we’re satisfying a craving.

Recovery and Mental Well-being

Beckham prioritizes recovery and mental well-being. He enjoys activities like gardening, walking his dog, and mowing the lawn. Yoga, hiking, and rest days are also part of his regimen. Beckham listens to his body and doesn’t hesitate to take weekends off or opt for a walk with his dogs instead of a tough workout.

Recovery Techniques

After training, Beckham often has a protein shake with creatine, coconut water, bananas, almonds, and ice. He is also a fan of acupuncture and cupping, which he says helped him overcome injuries. Beckham prefers ice baths over cryotherapy and likes to do contrast sessions from sauna to ice bath to boost circulation and reduce inflammation.

Beckham’s Transformation

Beckham’s dedication to fitness has resulted in a significant transformation. He lost 35 pounds in 14 weeks, dropping from 210 lbs to 175 lbs. Beckham’s weight loss was not just about aesthetics but also about maintaining his health for longevity and his family.

Staying Motivated

Beckham stays motivated by focusing on his long-term health goals and having a strong support system from his wife and kids. He hopes his commitment to health will motivate his children.

Core Focus

Beckham has focused on building his core. He told Men’s Health that the strength work he does for his core and upper body helps with his backaches. His trainer, Bobby Rich, told Men’s Health that it is about fine-tuning his biomechanics on the major moves and staying consistent.

Beckham’s core workouts include:

• Pull-ups
• Hanging knee raises
• Pushups
• Deadlifts
• Squats
• Bench presses

Beckham’s Tips for Fitness Transformation After 50

Beckham shared his four tips for a fitness transformation after 50:

1. Calisthenics
2. Strength
3. Cardio
4. Recovery

By following a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, prioritizing recovery, and focusing on mental well-being, David Beckham maintains his fitness and inspires others to live a healthy lifestyle.