Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock (14440098ai)
Sir Richard Branson
‘This Morning’ TV show, London, UK – 18 Apr 2024
Richard Branson is famous for kitesurfing, playing tennis and taking on adventures most people half his age would avoid. But the habit he says keeps him going is far less spectacular: a short session in the gym, every single day.
In short
- Richard Branson, 76, says he trains for 20 minutes in the gym every day to avoid injuries.
- His routine focuses on lighter dumbbells and higher reps, with moves like single-arm rows and shoulder presses.
- A major review of studies found that strength training cut sports injuries to less than a third.
The 20 minutes he never skips
In an interview with Men’s Health UK, republished by Yahoo Life UK, the Virgin founder explained his approach. “I train for 20 minutes in the gym every day, just a quick 20 minutes to stop me ever getting injuries,” he said.
The motivation is personal. A year before the interview, he hurt his shoulder while cycling, and he recovered by strengthening it in the gym.
What he actually does
Branson’s gym session is built around dumbbells, using lighter weights and higher reps, with the focus on quality rather than heavy lifting. The moves he performed for the magazine included:
- Single-arm dumbbell rows, for the back and shoulders.
- Russian twists, for the core.
- Standing dumbbell shoulder presses.
The rest of his training does not look like training at all. “I work out everyday, but a lot of my working out is fun things,” he said, from kitesurfing to singles tennis in the morning and evening and mountain biking. The result, in his words: “If I don’t look in the mirror, I feel I’m in my twenties.”
What science says
Branson’s logic is well supported. A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, covering 25 trials and more than 26,000 participants, concluded that “strength training reduced sports injuries to less than 1/3 and overuse injuries could be almost halved.” Stretching, by comparison, showed no protective effect, while balance and proprioception training also helped.
The CDC also recommends that adults do muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week, alongside regular aerobic activity.
It is the same principle behind Helen Mirren’s 12-minute routine and Mick Jagger’s training mix: short, regular sessions beat occasional heroic efforts, as Sharon Stone’s little-and-often habit also shows.
How to borrow his approach
- Keep it short: a focused 20-minute session is easier to repeat every day than a long one.
- Go light: moderate dumbbells and more repetitions, with good form.
- Add something you enjoy, like tennis, cycling or dancing, so moving never feels like a chore.
The limit
Branson trains with professional guidance and has an unusually active lifestyle. Anyone starting strength training later in life, or after an injury, should check with a doctor and begin with light weights.
The bottom line
At 76, Richard Branson’s secret is not an extreme workout. It is 20 focused minutes a day, plus plenty of activities he genuinely enjoys, and the science says that combination is time well spent.
