- Height: 185 cm.
- Weight: 77 kg.
- Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder. Has played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, AC Milan and England.
Beckham’s secret of success
“You will never play for England, you are too small and weak” – these were the words 13-year-old David Beckham heard from his physical education teacher (1) , and it was these words that made David train hard to succeed.
This is the nature of Beckham – if he accepts a challenge, he will do everything to achieve his goal. Two things that help him achieve this goal: fitness and an emphasis on success. It is important to imagine exactly how you will achieve this success.
“Think about how to be the best”
According to Chris Neuville, fitness trainer for LA Galaxy , the fitness of a soccer player is only 90% of success. “In fact, all the players are at the same level of training, and the secret of the best’s success – that very 10% – is not at all in physical shape” (1) .
All the people around us have approximately the same basis, which is why it is so important to find the extra 10% of success that will set you apart from others. Just ask yourself this question: what can I do to get better? what others are not doing?
“Quality is important, not quantity”
Beckham often notes that it is important to train right, not just a lot: “I used to score 30 free kicks a day in training. As I got older, I realized that 10 is enough, but it is important that these 10 are as conscious as possible. ”
“It’s not so difficult to go from 30 training strikes to 40 – you just repeat them mechanically, thinking less and less about technique. But when you only allow yourself to do 10, you give your best in each. This is what gives the result. ”
“It’s important to know when to stop”
David says it’s important to analyze your goals in order to know when to stop: “Basically, football is just running across the field. When I started doing strength training a few years ago, I gained 7 kg of muscle, and it just became hard for me to run. ”
“Ask yourself, do you need two college degrees and two years in a job you hate to live better later ? Do you really need to bench press 120 kilograms to feel like a real man? ”
“I’m better now than at 18”
“Even at 36, I run 20 kilometers for each game. Yes, I definitely know the football field better, I know the limits of my capabilities: what I can do and what can not. As I get older, I definitely have more experience. I love my age ” (3) .
Do not think that after 25 life ends and you turn into a wreck. It all depends only on you – if you want to grow old, you will get old. If you want to continue living an active life, then it is in your hands. Read the FitSeven Men 30+ section.
How does David Beckham train?
Football is rightfully considered one of the most demanding sports in terms of physical fitness. Below you will find Beckham’s workout routine written by Chris Neville, LA Galaxy Coach . You will also find his recommendations for ordinary exercisers.
Do this workout twice a week, separate from strength training. During training, monitor the maximum heart rate (MPR), which is individual for each age. MPI is calculated by subtracting the number of years from 220.
First week
Beckham’s workout
- Running: 5 minutes
- Intensity: 85% MPI
- Rest: 4 minutes
- Sets: 3 sets
Trainer recommendation
- Running: 5 minutes
- Intensity: 75% MPI
- Rest: until recovery of 60% of LSP
- Approaches: as many as you can in 30 minutes
Second week
Beckham’s workout
- Running: 2 minutes
- Intensity: 90% MPI
- Rest: 2 minutes
- Sets: 7 sets
Trainer recommendation
- Running: 3 minutes
- Intensity: 90% MPI
- Rest: until recovery of 60% of LSP
- Approaches: as many as you can in 20 minutes
Third week
Beckham’s workout
- Running: 1 minute
- Intensity: 95% MPI
- Rest: 1 minute
- Sets: 15 sets
Trainer recommendation
- Running: 1 minute
- Intensity: 85% MPI
- Rest: 1 minute
- Sets: 5 or 6
Fourth week
Beckham’s workout
- Run: 50 meters one way, then back
- Intensity: 20 seconds round trip
- Rest: 1 minute
- Sets: 8 to 10 sets
Trainer recommendation
- Run: 50 meters one way, then back
- Intensity: 30 seconds round trip
- Rest: 2 and a half minutes
- Sets: 3 to 4 sets
Fifth week
Beckham’s workout
- Run: 50 meters one way, then back
- Intensity: as fast as possible
- Rest: 10 seconds
- Sets: 8 to 10 sets
Trainer recommendation
- Run: 50 meters one way, then back
- Intensity: as fast as possible
- Rest: 20 seconds
- Sets: 3 to 4 sets
