Men’s Health: Built For Life

The Gym Is Non-Negotiable for My Mental Health - Here's How I Train

Men’s Health: Built For Life

Show Notes

Former England football turned Men's Health cover superstar, Rio Ferdinand, joins Andrew Tracey to talk through how his approach to training, health and performance has changed since retiring from football.

We break down what stopped working once the weekly match mileage disappeared, why longevity now matters more than ego, and how his training has shifted towards staying strong, mobile and pain-free. Rio opens up about balancing heavy lifting with functional movement, adapting nutrition for real life, and why consistency beats intensity when you’re juggling travel, work and family. Along the way, we get into fatherhood, mental sharpness, and what it really means to train for life – not just sport.

Want more from Men’s Health? Join the Men’s Health SQUAD for exclusive training plans, expert advice and tools to help you get stronger, faster – we’re with you every rep of the way. Visit www.menshealth.com/uk/mh-podcast

Host: https://www.instagram.com/theandrew.tracey/

Wellness video producer: https://www.instagram.com/chelia.batkin/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More from Men’s Health: Built For Life

Oct 15, 2026

Nike Global Coach Courtney Fearon joins Men’s Health Fitness Director Andrew Tracey to make the case for putting speed back into your training. From cardiovascular fitness and maintaining muscle to coordination and the sheer enjoyment of moving fast, Courtney explains why sprinting deserves a place in your week — and how to start building it back in, even if you haven’t run flat out since school.

Oct 6, 2026

For Tom Hiddleston, running is part of the creative process, a way to clear his head and a reminder of what it feels like to be alive. In this special crossover episode of Men’s Health Built For Life and Runner’s World, he joins Andrew Tracey and Ben Hobson to talk strength, stamina and the joy of movement.

Oct 1, 2026

In this episode of Men’s Health’s Built for Life, Ben and Andrew are joined by speaker, author and performance coach Pete Cohen for a personal conversation about grief, connection and finding meaning after loss.

Sep 24, 2026

When most of us think about recovery, we picture ice baths, saunas, supplements and sleep trackers. But some of the things we do to recover place another stress on the body – and when we’re already running on empty, doing more might be the last thing we need.

Sep 17, 2026

When most of us think about improving our performance, we assume that means training harder and doing more. But hard sessions aren’t necessarily productive sessions – and when it comes to hybrid training simply smashing two different, programmes together could leave you smashing your body to bits.

See all episodes →