IAt 40 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is often said to have the body of a 28-year-old. However, this word falls short when looking at the musculature that few professional athletes maintain even at the peak of their careers. The latest images of the Portuguese posing almost naked in the gym with serious gestures and a defiant stance confirmed that his physique remains one of the great mysteries of high-performance sport.
According to the latest measurements, Ronaldo’s body fat percentage is just 7%, which is even lower than the average for Premier League footballers (which ranges from 8% to 12%).
Cristiano Ronaldo looks ready for action in stunning Fast and Furious AI scene
Extreme training and thorough discipline
In addition to his day-to-day work at the club, Cristiano supplements his routine with a rigorous personal training plan. His preparation includes Pilates, regular swimming and five gym sessions a week. I use a combination of 25-30 minutes of cardio, high-intensity sprints, and specific strength training to strengthen my muscles every day.
In total, the Portuguese athlete trains for three to four hours a day, and this physical workload is largely responsible for his longevity in the sport. This is because I love saunas and ice baths, even at odd hours like 2 a.m., to speed up muscle recovery.
Meals: 6 meals a day
Ronaldo also ditched the traditional three meals a day. Instead, he divides his intake into six “mini meals”: breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack, dinner, and a second dinner. His diet prioritizes foods rich in protein and low in fat.
Chicken, which Cristiano himself described as “something magical,” is one of the pillars of his diet, along with fresh fish, avocado, salad, whole grains like quinoa, and daily fruit.
sleep differently to improve performance
When it comes to rest, strikers opt for the unconventional method of polyphasic sleep. Rather than sleeping continuously, he breaks up his 7.5 hours of rest into five 90-minute naps. The system is inspired by expert Nick Littlehales’ theories and aims to improve muscle recovery and alertness. “To get the most out of training, it is essential to sleep well,” Ronaldo has explained many times.
Cryotherapy and the near future
For more than a decade, Cristiano has been a regular user of cryotherapy, a technique that exposes the body to extreme temperatures of up to -200 degrees to reduce inflammation and promote recovery. Athletes such as Usain Bolt and Erling Haaland also use this method.
Despite his excellent physical condition, Ronaldo recently admitted that retirement could come in “a year or two”. All the while, his routines continue to defy the passage of time and redefine the limits of human performance.
