On training, Cristiano Ronaldo has plenty to share with his millions of fans. Whether that means posting food pics to Instagram or working out in YouTube videos, the football star spares no secret or detail. Follow in his path and you might be able to rock his insane abs and legs. As for his world-famous athletic skills…those might be a little harder to come by.
It should surprise no one that when he’s in training, Cristiano Ronaldo abides by a very strict nutrition and exercise program. In the gym, he alternates between heavy cardio and extensive weight training activities. Outside the gym, he eats at purposeful intervals throughout the day, supplementing his already diverse diet with protein shakes and multivitamins.
When taken as a whole, Cristiano Ronaldo’s diet and workout plan has helped him become one of the fittest men on the planet, whose rock-hard physique is almost as legendary as his extraordinary prowess on the pitch. It’s also helped him secure a ton of trophies, including two La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey, and four UEFA Champions League titles. That’s not to mention all the goals he’s scored while playing for Portugal in the FIFA World Cup, or his broad slate of endorsement deals.
Any male with two eyes and a pulse is right to wonder how CR7 went from being a skinny teenager to one of the world’s foremost athletes, and it’s for them that we present his rigorous fitness regimen. From Cristiano Ronaldo’s ab and leg workouts to his diet and nutrition, let’s take a look at the football star’s epic training routine.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Diet Plan
Portuguese natives know how to eat and Cristiano Ronaldo is no exception. Maintaining a wonderfully diverse diet, he gets down with fruit juices, bread, fish, eggs, steak, and the occasional slice of cake or chocolate bar. His favorite dish is called Bacalhau à Brás and it layers salted cod, onions, thinly sliced fried potatoes, black olives, and parsley atop a pile of scrambled eggs. Like we said: they know how to eat in Portugal.
Despite his seemingly bottomless appetite, Cristiano Ronaldo nevertheless takes a hard line when it comes to diet and nutrition, especially whilst training. For example, he typically divides his daily food intake into six smaller meals, which he consumes at intervals of 2-4 hours. This not only sustains a consistent and optimal rate of metabolism, but it prevents the body from experiencing weakness and hunger throughout the day.
Naturally, Ronaldo is no stranger to protein. An avid lover of seafood, in particular, he also chows down on lean meats, steak, and eggs. That’s joined by protein shakes and joint supplements, which likewise aid with muscle recovery after an intense workout or football match. Also helping with recovery are generous servings of nutritious fruits and vegetables, along with multi-vitamins and specially formulated sports drinks (Herbalife CR7 Drive, perhaps). And while Ronaldo tends to avoid sugar and alcohol, he’s definitely been seen consuming both on his Instagram feed.
Being a genuine lover of food, Cristiano Ronaldo most likely modifies his diet and nutrition depending on the demands of his career. As a result, his typical meal plan can range extensively in accordance with various factors. Rather than deprive you of a window into his world, we’ll do the opposite by listing out everything he’s been known to eat. Just remember not to employ the following meal plan within a single day. Here we go.
Breakfast
- Whole-grain cereal – When on a strict diet, Cristiano Ronaldo sticks to healthy food like whole-grain or whole-wheat.
- Egg whites – Again, we’re still in training mode here.
- Fruit juice – Ronaldo might generally avoid sugar, but that doesn’t stop him from drinking vitamin-rich fruit juice for breakfast. His favorites include pear, apple, and pineapple juice.
- Coffee – He reportedly drinks regular coffee, European espresso, and lattes.
- Cold Cuts – When he’s adopting a more liberal nutrition program, Cristiano Ronaldo goes all out for breakfast. That sometimes includes a tasty spread of cold cuts.
- European cheeses – In Europe, you eat cheese with your cold cuts for breakfast, especially when you’re staying in a luxury hotel.
- Pastries – Based on a photo he once posted to Instagram, Ronaldo doesn’t necessarily stick to his no-sugar program on a regular basis. It was quite the breakfast of champions.
- Avocado toast – We don’t know if Ronaldo ate everything in the aforementioned photo, but if he did, it was a lot of calories to burn throughout the day.
- Fruit – His legendary meal also included fruit on top of toast.
Snack #1
- Tuna roll – Like so many other men and women from Portugal, Ronaldo is a huge fan of fish. That’s not to mention its protein content.
- Fresh bread and sardines – Ronaldo’s love of seafood is so boundless that he takes sardines straight from the tin and slaps them on top of bread.
Lunch
- Fish – When eating a filet of fish, Ronaldo most often prefers gilt-head bream, swordfish, or sea bass.
- Chicken – It’s lean and packed with protein. Enough said.
- Whole-wheat pasta – If you’re going to eat pasta like Ronaldo, make it whole-wheat pasta.
- Green vegetables – The benefits of green veggies speak for themselves.
- Tuna fish with hard-boiled eggs and tomatoes – Here’s a dish that Ronaldo once posted to Instagram. It even came with a side of fried calamari.
Snack #2
- Protein shake – An athlete like CR7 will take all the protein he can get.
Dinner
- Bacalhau à Brás – This Portuguese dish is Ronaldo’s favorite food.
- Steak – When he’s had his fill of seafood, the football legend enjoys a hearty slab of steak.
- Side salad – No steak dinner is complete without at least one side.
- Chicken or turkey breast – When sticking squarely to a healthy diet, Ronaldo opts for lean protein with a side of rice and beans or quinoa.
- Watermelon – Mmmm…watermelon.
- Glass of wine – Ronaldo mostly avoids alcohol, barring the occasional glass of vino.
Dessert
- Birthday cake – On those special occasions, he helps himself to a slice.
- Chocolate – Life is too short and chocolate is too good. You do the math.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Workout Plan
“Mix it up,” says Cristiano Ronaldo on training, and his fitness regimen duly abides. Alternately consisting of warm-up routines, football practice, cardio, and weight training, it puts those calories to use and keeps the famous athlete in top shape. One needn’t see his gratuitous body pics to know the effort pays off.
Meanwhile, staying fit is more than a physical endeavour for CR7, who stresses the importance of mental well-being. “Learn to train your mind as well as your body,” he once said. “Mental strength is just as important as physical strength and will help you achieve your goals.” Pair all that with eight hours of sleep a night and you’re living strong in every sense of the concept.
During football practice, Ronaldo performs technical drills, leg workouts, and intense cardio exercises, which collectively keep him sharp on the pitch. At the gym, it’s more cardio, ab workouts, and weight training as well. It’s been reported that he trains for 3-4 hours at a time for five days a week, targeting different muscle groups on different days of the week.
Since you might not be an aspiring football star, we’ll leave the ball control drills out of the equation, focussing moreover on Cristiano Ronaldo’s warm-up routines, leg workouts, ab workouts, and weight training. Follow these regimens and you’ll have his shredded six-pack and high-definition hamstrings in no time.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Leg Warm-Up Routine
- Hip twisters – 1 set of 50-second reps, followed by no rest.
- Side-lying clam – 1 set of 40-second reps each side, followed by no rest.
- Side-lying T-stretch – 1 set of 40-second reps each side, followed by no rest.
- Bird-dog – 1 set of 50-second reps, followed by no rest.
- Bodyweight squat – 1 set of 50-second reps, followed by no rest.
- Reverse lunge – 1 set of 40-second reps, followed by 10 seconds of rest.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Quick Leg Workout
Part One: Quads, glutes, and hamstrings
- Single-leg glute bridge – 1 set of 40-second reps each side, followed by no rest.
- Reverse lunge (with dumbbells) – 1 set of 30-second reps each side, followed by no rest.
- Drop squat – 1 set of 40-second reps each side, followed by 20 seconds of rest.
Part Two: Definition and strength-building
- Side-lying leg raise – 1 set of 50-second reps each side, followed by no rest.
- Walking lunge (with dumbbells) – 1 set of 50-second reps, followed by no rest.
- Jump squat – 1 set of 30-second reps, followed by 20 seconds of rest.
Part Three: Finishing power moves
- Crossback lunge – 1 set of 40-second reps, followed by no rest.
- Rear-foot elevated split squat (with bench) – 1 set of 40-second reps each side, followed by no rest.
- Bodyweight squat – 1 set of 30-second reps, followed by no rest.
- Jump squat – 1 set of 30-second reps, followed by 20 seconds of rest.
Cristiano Ronaldo 5-Day Gym Workout Plan
Monday: Circuit Training
Repeat the following circuit three times
- Barbell Squat – 8 reps
- Box Jump – 10 reps
- Broad Jump – 8 reps
- Jumping Lunge – 8 reps each leg
- Lateral Bound – 10 reps
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Circuit Training
Repeat the following circuit three times
- Burpee Pullup – 10-15 reps
- Bench Dips – 20 reps
- Pushups – 20-30 reps
- Medicine Ball Toss – 15 reps
- Push Press – 10 reps
Thursday: Quad and Cardio
- Power Cleans – 5 reps per set for 5 sets
- Sprints – 200-meter reps per set for 8 sets
Friday: Ab Workouts and Core Exercises
- One-Arm Side Deadlift – 5 reps each arm per set for 3 sets
- Dumbbell One-Legged Deadlift – 10 reps per set for 2 sets
- Knee Tuck Jump – 10-12 reps per set for 3 sets
- Overhead Slam – 10-12 reps per set for 3 sets
- One-Leg Barbell Squat – 5 reps per set for 2 sets
- Hanging Leg Raise – 10-15 reps per set for 3 sets
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Cardio exercise
- Rope Jumping – 10 sets with 1 minute of rest between each set
- Resistance Sprinting – 50 meters per rep for 10 sets
General FAQ
Here are some questions (and their answers) people commonly ask about Cristiano Ronaldo and other athletes.
When training, Cristiano Ronaldo sticks to lean proteins, whole grains, supplements, fruits, vegetables, and easily-digested meals.
Cristiano Ronaldo eats a diverse diet, which includes fish, meat, cheese, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Cristiano Ronaldo's favorite food is Bacalhau à Brás, a Portuguese dish that layers salted cod, thin fried potatoes, onions, black olives, and parsley atop scrambled eggs.
Cristiano Ronaldo trains 3-4 hours per day, about 5 days a week.
As the face of Herbalife, it's safe to assume that Ronaldo refuels and replenishes with CR7 Drive.
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