Throughout his life, the biggest investment Gordon Ramsay has made is in himself. Whether he’s running world-renowned kitchens, appearing in Netflix documentaries or flying across the globe sampling new cuisines, the famous chef is a constant presence on British screens. Amid all that – and a busy family life – Ramsay still finds time to focus on his fitness.
Training wasn’t always a priority, though. It’s only in more recent years, as he’s got older, that he’s had the kick up the arse he needed to make a change.
Why Ramsay First Started Training
In his younger days, Ramsay’s budding football career at Rangers required a high level of fitness. But a torn cruciate ligament ended those ambitions before they’d properly begun. Cooking became his calling and physical training fell by the wayside as he devoted himself to the kitchen.
The turning point came when his wife, Tana, told him he needed to prioritise his health or risk losing her. ‘It was painful. I used to look at myself in the mirror and think, “Holy shit!” So it was a big wake-up call,’ Ramsay told the Daily Mail.
‘Tana was not impressed with the way I was. I was overweight, 18 stone. I looked like a sack of shit. I look at the pictures and think, “How did Tana stay around?” Because Tana has got better-looking and more gorgeous. And there she is, getting in bed with a fat fuck.’
Ramsay didn’t have his epiphany until he turned 40, proof that it’s never too late to start – or restart – your fitness journey. The shift allowed him to recalibrate.
‘I got to the age of 40, and I had no time; I was seven days a week, restaurants opening all over the place, Michelin stars coming out of my arse, and all of a sudden my life got consumed. So I took a good look at myself and realised I was overweight, out of control, and I’d forgotten my time. I’d forgotten the most important part of the day, and that was that 90-minute session, five days a week to myself,’ he explained.
Gordon Ramsay’s Weekly Training Routine
Now 59, Ramsay has found a balance between work, family life and fitness. With two young children, he sticks to a regimented routine: waking at around 5.30am, heading out for a short run, doing some mobility work or testing his core strength before starting the day.
Long hours mean he often returns home late and is ready for bed, but occasionally the pull of the Wattbike wins out and he squeezes in another session.
Weekends are when he really pushes himself. In a video posted to Instagram in January 2026, Ramsay shared a Sunday double session: a 2,000m swim followed by a 60-minute strength workout. While he didn’t detail the gym session, he logged a swim time of 34:49, averaging 1:46 per 100m. ‘Sunday morning swim, followed by a 60min strength workout LFG……,’ he wrote.
Endurance Focus
Despite his broad shoulders, Ramsay has made it clear he doesn’t want to look like a bodybuilder. Over the past decade he’s competed in half-marathons, marathons, triathlons and Ironman events, signing up to at least two races each year. It’s an approach that fits his hectic schedule surprisingly well.
‘Taking up triathlon wasn’t just about running, I had to go for a swim, I had to get on the bike,’ he said. ‘It made me more disciplined. Wherever we were filming in the world, wherever we were opening a restaurant in the world, I could either swim, go for a quick hike, or a run on a shitty machine that could barely hold my weight. Clawing that time back was crucial.’
His Go-To Exercise
Still, he’ll always make time for push-ups. Every day, without fail, Ramsay drops for 25 reps first thing in the morning.
‘You can gain so much from just a daily routine of 25 push-ups, doubling up on weekends before you even get out of bed. It’s something I strongly recommend,’ he said.
‘Anywhere I go, whether it’s a swim, a bike ride, or even a walk – keeping fit is essential. A healthy lifestyle leads a healthy life. And the energy you get from even a 20-minute training session, not necessarily every day but every other day, adding just 1% to that, gets you to where you want to go.’
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Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_
