David Beckham said he and wife Victoria Beckham work out up to six times a week. Personal trainer Alasdair Nicoll ran his eye over their routine
David Beckham’s topless photoshoot for Men’s Health UK has certainly turned heads, but it is his and Victoria’s gruelling fitness regime that has got everyone talking. The football icon said in the interview: “We now do five days a week (workout), sometimes six, together. I love training with Victoria.”
However, experts are warning fans not to jump on the Beckham bandwagon too hastily. In light of this, Sofa Club have partnered with personal trainer Alasdair Nicoll to highlight the crucial role of rest for sustainable fitness gains.
The Beckhams’ dedication to their workouts is intense, with David revealing they hit the gym up to six times a week to maintain their enviable figures. He even joked about Victoria’s impatience with breaks during sessions: “She’s not great at resting. He’ll (personal trainer) give her a 90-second rest and she’ll be ready to go after 25.”
But such relentless exercise without adequate downtime can be risky. NHS statistics show that over 388,515 sports injuries led to unexpected A&E visits in one year alone, many preventable with proper rest.
PT Alasdair weighed in on the conversation, advising on the importance of recovery time to prevent overexertion or injury that could derail fitness goals. He said: “I’d stress that the optimum recovery time after exercise depends heavily on the type of activity – running or weightlifting, for instance – and its intensity,” reports Surrey Live.
“Weight lifting typically requires 48-72 hours. This time allows the muscle fibres (which sustain microscopic tears during lifting) to repair and grow stronger. After a long-distance run or high-intensity interval sprints, the muscles and joints can take 24–72 hours to recover, as the repetitive impact stresses the lower body and cardiovascular system.
“Moderate runs may only require 24–48 hours of recovery, while recovery from a marathon or ultra-distance event could take a week or more. Across all forms of workouts, listening to your body is vital – feeling unusually fatigued, experiencing persistent soreness, or a dip in performance may signal the need for extra rest.”
Now, you might think that your sofa is just for kicking back and catching up on your favourite shows, but Alasdair has some tips that might change your mind. While relaxing is definitely beneficial for recovery, he shared some simple exercises that you can do right from your couch to keep your fitness journey on track.
Seated hamstring stretch: “Sit on the edge of your sofa, extend one leg forward with the heel resting on the floor, and keep the other foot flat. Lean gently forward while keeping your back straight to stretch your hamstring.”
Ankle circles: “While seated, lift one foot slightly off the floor and rotate your ankle in slow, controlled circles. This improves circulation and mobility in the ankles.”
Seated spinal twist: “Sit up straight, place one hand on the backrest of the sofa, and twist gently toward that side while keeping your feet flat. This relieves tension in the lower back and spine.”
Leg raises: “Sit upright with your back supported by the sofa, extend one leg straight, and lift it a few inches off the floor. Hold it briefly and lower it slowly. This engages the quads and improves circulation.”
Shoulder rolls: “Sit comfortably and roll your shoulders forward and backwards in slow, controlled motions to release tension and improve mobility.”
Neck stretches: “While seated, gently tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear toward your shoulder. Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat on the other side to release neck tension.”