David Beckham Workout and Diet

Professional Soccer Player
Born: 1975

David Beckham was a soccer phenomenon almost from the first time he kicked a ball. He played for Manchester United at age 18 and became a starter at age 20. He led his team to several championships and titles, including the World Cup in 2002. Beckham was acquired by Real Madrid in 2003 and gaining fame in the US with the movie Bend It Like Beckman. In 2007, he signed a 5-year, $250 million dollar contract to play for the L.A. Galaxy, but he suffered several injuries and announced his plans to retire in 2013. He wasn’t done with the sport however and made plans to expand the Major League Soccer franchise with a new team in Miami. Beckham is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and reported to be England’s richest sportsman. Beckham has been married to fashion designer (and former Posh Spice Girl), Victoria Adams since 1999 and they have 4 children. He has over 50 million followers on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook. He is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs about 170 lbs.

Known For:

David Beckham’s Diet

Summary

Even though he is retired, Beckham still eats a clean diet. He eats very little fat and plenty of lean protein, such as chicken and fish. His fats come from healthy sources, like olive oil and yogurt. He also eats plenty of vegetables such as leafy greens, beans, and cauliflower. Beckham avoids things like refined carbs and processed foods and loves chili crab, a Singapore speciality.

Estimated Macros

  • Low Fat 20% 20%
  • Medium Carb 30% 30%
  • High Protein 50% 50%

Diet Details

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Solid Breakfast

Beckham often has a cheese omelet to start his day.

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Light Lunch

Beckham will often have chicken and vegetables at lunchtime.

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Healthy Snacks

Beckham snacks on things like nuts throughout the day.

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Birthday Treat?

For his birthday, Beckham was spotted eating a dinner of ham, a fried egg, mushy peas, pineapple rings, baked beans, coleslaw and potato wedges, all on the same plate. To each his own.

What to Eat

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Chicken

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Fish

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Eggs

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Leafy Greens

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Cauliflower

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Beans

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Yogurt

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Olive Oil

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Nuts

What to Avoid

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White Bread

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Cereals

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Rice

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Processed Foods

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Junk Food

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Fatty Foods

David Beckham’s Workout Routine

Weekly Routine

HIIT It

Beckham chooses plyometric (explosive, jumping-type) exercises as his go-to because they require zero equipment and can be done just about anywhere. He will also do sprints.

Compound It

Soccer is one of the most physically-demanding sports and the conditioning plan is rough. Compound exercises are popular with athletes for a reason: get better results faster.

Fitness Snacking

Beckham is a fan of fitness snacking, which is the term used for short periods of exercise spread out across the day, rather than doing a long routine all at once.

Sprint Like You Mean It

Being able to sprint is key in a soccer player. Beckham reportedly does a 5-minute run at 85% max heart rate. He then rests for 4 minutes before doing 3 more sets. He mixes it up too, sometimes sprinting for 1 minute at 95% max HR.

Turn Arounds

Soccer players do a lot of fancy footwork, and one of Beckham’s is called the turnaround. This consists of running for 60 yards, then turning and sprinting back to the starting point. Rest for 1 minute. Do 8-10 total reps.

Mix It Up

Now that he’s retired, Beckham takes his exercise where he can get it, including biking with his kids to and from school.

Exercise Style

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David Beckham ‘Fitness Snack’ Routine

Pick a routine, any routine, or any alternative. Exercise 3-5 days per week.

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Snack 1: Gym Burn

Warm up: Stretch then jog for 10-20 minutes.
Do 5 rounds of the following:
Sled push: 50 yds
Push-ups: 40
Battle ropes: 30 secs
Kettlebell goblet squats: 20
Kettlebell swings: 10

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Snack 2: On the Go Burn

Warm up: Stretch then jog for 10-20 minutes.
Do 5 rounds of the following:
Jump squats: 40
Push-ups: 30
Leg raises: 20
Plank to push-up: 10
Burpees: 5

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Alternatives

20-60 min cardio on the treadmill, bike, stairclimber, etc.
Sports & classes: hiking, rock climbing, yoga, Pilates, spin class, mixed martial arts, Thai boxing, etc.

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Beckham on Keeping Things Simple

You don’t have to go and spend a huge amount of money going to the gym. Three or four times a week, I walk my daughter to school instead of driving her, or she bikes home with me. It’s the little things that make a difference.

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Beckham on Training

For me, training is as important as the games.

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Beckham on What Sets Him Apart From the Rest

‘I’ll never perform at my highest level unless I’m 100% fit. That’s one of my biggest attributes, the energy I’ve got on the field.

David Beckham’s Supplements

Beckham doesn’t cop to taking any supplements, although he has been spotted taking an herbal energy drink from time to time.

David Beckham’s Lifestyle

Proving Them Wrong

Beckham says one of his early coaches said he would never play professional soccer because he was too skinny and not strong enough.

Know Your Priorities

Beckham’s life has long been a self-described ‘circus’ and so he and his wife make a point to focus only on what matters: family. They say they never travel simultaneously so the kids always have at least one parent at home.

Study Subject

Beckham is so immensely popular in England that Staffordshire University created a 12-week course studying the sociological impact of Beckham’s career, somewhat similar to what JFK’s assassination did to the trajectory of US history.

The Keys To Success

Beckham says successful teamwork is about individual achievement and doing what you are assigned to do.

Pivotal Moment

Beckham’s expulsion from the ’98 World Cup was a turning point in his career. The opposing team (Argentina) went on to win and Beckham faced huge criticism for his actions. He felt the pressure deeply himself and apologized publicly.

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Beckham on Pressure

People always say to me, “Why would you place yourself in a position where you have to put pressure on yourself?” But it’s what gives me energy.

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Beckham on Being a Team Player

‘I’ve always concentrated on what my job is more than anything, more than how good the other team is.

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Beckham on Relaxing

People always ask me, “Do you play golf?”…to be honest, I’d rather spend 4 hours with the kids.

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Beckham on Himself

‘I’m a really bad loser. It stays with me for a while…Always be polite. Be honest. It’s all about how you handle the situation.

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