Harrison Ford seems to defy the laws of ageing. At 83, the actor remains remarkably active, regularly spotted cycling, playing tennis or simply showing off his lean physique.
Ford first embraced proper gym training in the early 1980s, aged 40, while preparing to play the titular character in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Although he had already demonstrated his natural athleticism as Indiana Jones by that point, Ford realised how much of the second film required him to be shirtless – and looking like a bona fide action star. So he enlisted the help of trainer Jake Steinfeld.
‘We focused on different body parts depending on the day,’ Steinfeld told Men’s Health. ‘Monday, Thursday: chest and triceps. Tuesday, Friday: back and biceps. Wednesday, Saturday: shoulders and legs. Abs every day.’
The goal wasn’t to look like a bodybuilder. Instead, Ford performed high reps with moderate weights to build an athletic, functional physique.
How Harrison Ford Stays Fit in His 80s
More than 40 years later, training remains a key part of Ford’s routine, even if his approach has evolved.
His long-time trainer, Jamie Milnes, designs workouts centred around core strength and total-body conditioning, often using dumbbells and medicine balls to help Ford maintain strength and mobility.
‘I believe in training for injury prevention more than anything else,’ Ford explained. ‘I’m an old fart and I need to protect myself.’
Outside the gym, cycling and tennis remain major pillars of his fitness routine.
‘I’m active physically – I play tennis, I ride my bike, I do a little work in the gym,’ he said last year.
While filming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in Northumberland, co-star Mads Mikkelsen revealed just how committed Ford remains to staying active.
‘I remember the first day we were shooting, it was a night shoot, then we stopped at 5am – and then he got on his mountain bike and went biking for 31 miles,’ Mikkelsen said. ‘Harrison is a monster of a man, a very nice monster.’
Research published in The Journal of Physiology suggests that even a six-minute high-intensity cycling workout each day could help protect the brain against age-related decline and potentially delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
The Diet Changes Ford Credits for Staying Lean
Above all else, Ford credits part of his impressive physique to a major change in his diet.
‘[I’m eating] practically nothing,’ Ford joked on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. ‘I eat vegetables and fish. It’s really boring.’
Ford later explained that he cut out meat and dairy because he felt it was better for both his health and the environment.
‘I just decided I was tired of eating meat,’ he said. ‘And I know it’s not really good for the planet and it’s not really good for me.’
Related:
How Austin Butler trains and eats to get an A-list body
I’m doing some weights and I love it: Javier Bardem, 57, shares his approach to staying strong
