Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kiel DiGiovanni, Co-founder
FACT CHECKED
Cristiano Ronaldo, also known as CR7, is one of the best football players in the world and one of the most popular personalities in sports. He's also become a fitness icon due to his classic, sleek, athletic build with a set of abs every guy wants. Along with his body, Cristiano is well known for his strong work ethic, which includes maintaining his fitness levels and physique to keep him on top of his game. His impressive build is undoubtedly one of the most desirable, leaving many wondering how to get it.
This article will break down Cristiano Ronaldo's workout and how he trains to achieve his cover model body – you'll be happy to find out it's very achievable as long as you do the work. Here's what you'll need to do.
Image Credits@ Cristiano Ronaldo Instagram
Who Is Cristiano Ronaldo?
A little background on Cristiano Ronaldo: He is of Portuguese descent and was born in 1985. Coming from a rough childhood, he took to playing football at a young age before he even hit double digits, playing his first game when he was just 9 years old. This means he's been playing for 30 years!
Cristiano wasn't actually a great, natural player at first. However, he was a hard worker, and this character trait has guided him to his success. Combined with his young start, he improved quickly and played his first professional game in 2002. From there, his career took off, and he was drafted to play for Manchester United in 2003. At the time, the fee made him the most expensive teenage footballer.
Cristiano went on to play for multiple football clubs throughout the years, serving as captain for many of them. His teams include Real Madrid and Juventus, and his current team, Saudi-based Al-Nassr, with whom he plays today.
His list of achievements and titles is massive. He has won championships, been named player of the year, and been named top scorer. CR7 has dozens and dozens of accolades.
He added the highest salary to this list, signing his contract with Al Nassar for €200 million annually.
What Position Does Cristiano Ronaldo Play?
Due to his versatile athleticism and skills, Cristiano Ronaldo has dominated the field as an attacker, often as a winger or a center forward. Part of what makes him so valuable is his ability to adapt to different positions depending on the team's needs.
His ability to play these positions comes down to his tenacity in training, skills, and conditioning. Cristiano Ronaldo has developed exceptionally high levels of speed and agility, which are crucial as they allow him to maneuver and outrun his opponents.
CR7 also has insane levels of explosive power. He is widely known for having the highest jump ability in football. In fact, he currently has the highest jump in a match, measuring 2.93m (9.6ft) at the height of his head.
Given his height of 187cm (6'2"), his vertical jump is 1.06m (41.7 inches). That's high. Consider that the average NBA player has a vertical jump of just 28 inches, while Michael Jordan would hit 48 inches.
So, how did he get this athletic ability?
Cristiano Ronaldo's 5-Day Workout
We will now review an example 5-day workout split that Cristiano Ronaldo has been known to follow. Many of the sessions use circuit training to improve muscular endurance and strength.
Session 1: Circuit Training
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Barbell Squat | 8 |
| Box Jump | 10 |
| Broad Jump | 8 |
| Jumping Lunge | 8 (per leg) |
| Lateral Bound | 10 |
Note: Rest 60-90 secs between each round. Repeat 3 times.
Rest Day
Session 2: Circuit Training
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Burpee Pull-up | 10-15 |
| Bench Dips | 20 |
| Pushups | 20-30 |
| Medicine Ball Toss | 15 |
| Push Press | 10 |
Note: Rest 60 secs between each round. Repeat 3 times.
Session 3: Explosive Training
| EXERCISE | SETS/Distance | REPS | |
| Power Cleans | 5 | 5 | |
| Sprints | 200 meters | 8 |
Note: Take up to 60 seconds rest between each set.
Session 4: Functional Training
| EXERCISE | SETS | REPS |
| One-Arm Side Deadlift | 3 | 5 (per arm) |
| Dumbbell Single Leg Deadlift | 2 | 10 |
| Knee Tuck Jump | 3 | 10-12 |
| Overhead Slam | 3 | 10-12 |
| One-Leg Barbell Squat | 2 | 5 |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 10-15 |
Note: Take up to 60 seconds rest between each set.
Rest Day
Session 5: Plyometric Training
| EXERCISE | SETS | Time/Distance |
| Jump Rope | 10 | 1 min |
| Resisted Sprints | 10 | 50 meters |
Note: For this session you'll take 60 seconds rest after completing a set of both exercises.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Full-Body Superset
We'll also give you an example of a full-body workout that Cristiano trains. This workout uses 5 groups of supersets for a total of 10 exercises. Rest 60-90 seconds between each superset.
Superset 1 X 3 Sets
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Bench Press | 12 |
| Squat | 12 |
Superset 2 X 3 Sets
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Incline Bench Press | 12 |
| Walking Lunges | 12 |
Superset 3 X 3 Sets
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Dumbbell Chest Flys | 12 |
| Cable Pushdowns | 12 |
Superset 4 X 3 Sets
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Leg Extensions | 12 |
| Leg Curls | 12 |
Superset 5 X 3 Sets
| EXERCISE | REPS |
| Roped Cable Crunches | 12 |
| Knee Raises | 12 |
Cristiano Ronalodo’s Cardio
In addition to his gym workout, Cristiano also includes a ton of cardio, as you can imagine.
Hill Sprints
One of Cristiano's favorite cardio training methods is hill sprints. Ideally, you can do these on a hill outside, as it can further simulate running around on a football field. However, you can use treadmills if you don't live somewhere with natural hills.
Once you find your hill, start at the bottom. When ready, sprint all the way up the hill at maximum intensity. Once you reach the top, slowly walk back down where you turn round and do it again.
Interval Training
HIIT training is another common addition to his workouts to improve his conditioning and endurance. Cristiano doesn't just use this training style because it's an awesome form of cardio but also because it replicates his time playing.
Many ball sports do not require consistent activity but rather a series of outbursts separated by lower-intensity work.
Swimming
Cristiano Ronaldo benefits from all training styles, including swimming. Swimming is a fantastic form of low-impact full-body cardio, making it a perfect option for training that also provides some recovery.
To make things even more challenging, CR7 is also known to add weights to his ankles and only use his arms to swim for an intense upper-body muscular endurance workout.
Cristiano Ronaldo Training Principles
Cristiano's athletic ability comes from his consistency over the years. Remember, he's been playing for 30 years, which is a ton of time to develop his super-human abilities. However, time is nothing if you don't train hard, which Cristiano does.
Focused On Athleticism
Even though Cristiano Ronaldo has a body most guys would love to have, it's essential to understand his training philosophy—it's not the same as that of your top bodybuilder or fitness model.
Cristiano's primary focus in the gym is not to build muscle but to enhance his athleticism and playing ability on the field. In fact, he doesn't want extra muscle mass, as it would slow him down and impair his movement.
This isn't to say he doesn't have muscle, as he very much does. However, this muscle is more of an effect of his training to play better.
Cristiano's training philosophy reminds us that fitness isn't always about appearance—sometimes, it's about functional strength and agility. You need to train for what you want and choose your programs wisely.
Therefore, if you are a bodybuilder or looking to put on a lot of mass, Cristiano Ronaldo's workout probably isn't for you. However, if you're looking for the shredded, sleek look reminiscent of Brad Pitt's portrayal in Fight Club, this might be for you.
Use Of High Reps
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the highest-paid athletes in the world, making his body extremely valuable. He can not risk unnecessary injury, as accidents could cost millions.
Therefore, his gym workouts primarily use higher reps to mitigate the risk of any injury. The lowest rep scheme you'll see him do is 8 reps per set, while he usually uses around 12-15 reps, and sometimes you'll see him go up to 20-25 sometimes.
Due to the movements ' complexity, he may use 5 for specific exercises, such as deadlifts. Cristiano wants to ensure he doesn't hurt himself, and using higher reps for these movements can build fatigue.
Remember, his goal is to stay strong and functional. He's not attempting to set personal records in the gym, as he's setting plenty on the field.
Related: High Reps vs Low Reps
Body Weight Exercises
After looking at the available research, it's clear that bodyweight exercises are where Cristiano pushes it in the gym and are his most impressive lifts. You can find videos of him knocking out pull-ups like he weighs nothing. Seeing someone who can effortlessly pick up their entire body to an overhead bar is truly impressive.
This makes sense as bodyweight exercises demonstrate your level of relative strength, which is your strength compared to your bodyweight. As Cristiano doesn't want excessive muscle, using calisthenics is ideal as it ensures his muscles can always maneuver and control his body easily.
Mixture Of Strength And Conditioning
Cristiano Ronaldo is smart, and his training reflects his needs during his matches. During matches, he must exhibit a mixture of strength, speed, and endurance to achieve his level of play.
Many of his workout sessions combine strength training with conditioning to replicate this. This can include circuit training, supersets, and alternating between conditioning and strength movements.
Sleep And Recovery
Cristiano Ronaldo is very strict with his recovery, and it makes sense. He trains like a madman. Keep in mind that the above is just his physical training. In addition, he practices skill training by himself and his team. He also performs stand-alone cardio sessions.
All this work means he needs plenty of sleep to recover, train again, perform at his highest levels, and mitigate injury.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Diet
Like everything, Cristiano optimizes his diet for his health and performance and adheres to it. While not necessarily strict, he eats clean for most of his meals. Here are the basic variables that guide his nutrition plan.
- Eats 4-6 smaller frequency meals throughout the day
- High protein in every meal
- Eat as much vegetables as you want
- Use supplements when needed to fill in the gaps (Protein powder, vitamins, joint supplements)
Verdict On Cristiano Ronaldo's Workout
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest athletes in the world. He's quick, agile, and extremely athletic. However, when it comes to his gym workouts, much of what he does would not be considered "intense" by regular gymgoers. This is mainly because they're not supposed to be.
Cristiano Ronaldo's primary concerns are his cardio and speed workouts and using plyometrics, which directly increase his performance.
Compare that to having a massive overhead press. Of course, he needs strong shoulders and high endurance, but CR7 has little concern with lifting heavy. You can apply this training philosophy to his entire program.
We specifically like his full-body superset session. If we were looking for an awesome workout that would save time, we would run it three times a week.
Should You Use Cristiano Ronaldo's Workout?
As you read this article, there's probably a good chance that you're interested in working out like Cristiano Ronaldo. His workout could be a good choice for athletes who want to maintain a solid, athletic body.
On the other hand, if you're looking to gain muscle mass or break deadlift records, you should probably continue looking for another workout program.
Train Like Cristiano Ronaldo!
There's no question that Cristiano is one of the hardest-working athletes, boasting one of the top athletic builds. He has trained for years and built a body that optimizes his performance on the field.
After researching his training, we learned some good news: Cristiano's workout is easily doable by the average lifter. What's not so easy is the 100% consistency and dedication the CR7 has to his training and sport. This is an important lesson we can all take from – training hard is the easy part, while consistency and intensity are where most people have issues. So, if you learn anything from Cristiano's training plan, it's adherence and effort.
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Garett Reid
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