Since retiring from his playing career 12 years ago, David Beckham’s fitness regimen has been more experimental than prescriptive. From SoulCycle and Barry’s Bootcamp to boxing, jiu-jitsu, padel and snowboarding, Beckham clearly isn’t a fan of a one-size-fits-all approach.
But these days, it’s his workouts with wife Victoria that bring him the greatest satisfaction. The pair train with David Beckham’s close friend – and a former Team GB judoka – Bobby Rich.
‘I’ve been trying to get Victoria to work out with Bob for years and she finally agreed,’ Beckham tells Men’s Health UK. ‘We now do five days a week, sometimes six, together.’
Victoria starts each session with half an hour on the StairMaster or the VersaClimber – two of David’s gym pet-hates – before the couple train for a full hour with Bobby.
‘I love training with Victoria,’ Beckham says. ‘In all honesty, from the moment I start to the moment I finish, I enjoy it. And I think that’s really important in workouts.
‘We give each other plenty of grief. She’s not very good at listening to Bob. Well, she’s good at listening, then she does her own thing. She’s not great at resting. He’ll give her a 90-second rest and she’ll be ready to go after 25. But when it’s good in the gym and we’re both in a good mood, it doesn’t get any better than that, I suppose.’
Beyond the mood-boost, Beckham credits Victoria’s workout ethic with keeping him on track: ‘I stay motivated because my wife keeps me motivated,’ he says.
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How the Beckhams Stay in Shape
During his time as a professional athlete, Beckham’s mandate was to stay lean, while focusing on lower-body strength and match-ready stamina. In his post-retirement workouts with coach Bobby Rich, Beckham now focuses on full-body training, incorporating big compound moves such as the deadlift, squat and bench press. Upper-body size is also a focus, with Rich making use of classic bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups and push-ups in Beckham’s training.
Rich believes in building proficiency in the five fundamental movement patterns:
- Press off the floor (eg, squat)
- Pull off the floor (eg, deadlift)
- Press weight away from you (eg, bench press)
- Pull weight towards you (eg, single-arm row)
- Rotational exercises (eg, weighted twists)
This is a strategy he has employed with Victoria, too, who has switched her focus from purely cardio and muscular endurance to incorporate more weightlifting.
Despite training almost daily, both Beckhams understand the importance of prioritising R&R. David is a fan of alternative therapies such as acupuncture and cupping, as well as heat contrast therapy (switching between an ice bath and sauna). And with both now entering their sixth decade while remaining fitter than ever, it’s clearly paying off.
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Scarlett Wrench is the Senior Editor at Men’s Health UK.
With more than 12 years’ experience as a health and lifestyle editor, Scarlett has a keen interest in new science, emerging trends, mental well-being, and food and nutrition. For Men’s Health, she has carried out extensive research into areas such as wellness in the workplace, male body image, the paradoxes of modern masculinity, and mental health among school-age boys.
Her words have also appeared in Women’s Health, Runner’s World and The Sunday Times.