Jean-Claude Van Damme must have a time machine. He’s still as lean and jacked as he was when he broke through in Hollywood nearly 40 years ago. Though less active on screen at 65, the Belgian actor regularly shares updates on his physique and training on social media, proving his commitment to staying in shape.
Consistency has played a big role. But Van Damme also spends time away from the gym, staying active in ways that go beyond simply lifting heavy weights. Here’s how JCVD has maintained his fitness throughout his life.
JCVD’s Rules for Life
In his younger days, Van Damme trained hard. Films such as Timecop, Bloodsport, Kickboxer and Universal Soldierdemanded high levels of athleticism and a physique to match. But his approach has evolved, with a greater emphasis on longevity.
‘As I’ve gotten older I’ve tried to balance my training a lot more,’ he told Coach. ‘I try to take an intelligent approach, learning from previous experiences to make sure I don’t hurt my back or my legs, for example.’
Flexibility and mobility have therefore become central to his routine. They’ve helped him maintain full-body strength, with his physique now more of a byproduct of controlled, intentional weight training.
‘When you train and you are getting older, it’s good to stay very flexible, that’s the most important thing,’ Van Damme told the PA News Agency. ‘Being flexible, being able to take a shower, go down there, wash everything, to balance and to do cardio at least two or three times a week.
‘And if you train with weights, be very correct in your position, very correct, back straight, hips tilted forward. Always straight and train very light, like one kilo. And slowly the muscle will take over. You start with one kilo and you don’t feel anything, but you do the correct movement. You feel the correct movement and suddenly the muscle will become a mind and the mind will take over and will say today I want a little more weight and this is how it works.’
As such, he often trains to failure using lighter weights rather than placing excessive stress on his joints with heavy lifts. He typically works two muscle groups per session, alternating one day on and one day off. Cardio frequently involves time on a stationary bike, which he uses as a way to switch off and tune into his body.
‘When you are at that level, you click your brain out of your body, put it somewhere, in the iCloud, okay? And then you start to feel the muscle. You start to breathe, feel the inside. You start to feel the machina – the machine – and the beating of your heart,’ he explained to MH.
Yoga and Isometric Training
Breathing is a consistent theme in Van Damme’s training. He has even developed his own style of isometric work based on yoga movements, which he’s practised for more than 25 years after sustaining an injury in early adulthood.
‘Years ago, I was injured, so I rehabilitated myself to have flexibility, dexterity and to go back into shape,’ he said on YouTube.
In videos shared on his channel, he demonstrates movements such as a lat wall stretch, side-leaning stretches and variations that help keep him supple, supporting his ability to perform his signature move, the splits.
It’s a specific style of training, but one that requires no equipment. ‘It’s the best training in the world. You can do it before you brush your teeth in the morning and before you go to bed at night. You raise your heartbeat with no equipment needed. I do this anywhere – even if I am speaking to someone I’ll do some training. It becomes natural,’ he said.
Martial Arts at the Core
Yoga also complements another lifelong passion: martial arts. Van Damme has trained since the age of 10, when he enrolled at a local Shotokan karate school. He went on to compete in semi-contact kickboxing matches and karate tournaments.
By his early 20s, he had earned his black belt, represented Belgium at the 1979 European Championships and compiled an 18–1 professional kickboxing record.
Martial arts remains part of his life today. And it’s not his only early sporting success. As a teenager, he won the Mr Belgium bodybuilding title in 1978.
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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_
