{"id":439862,"date":"2025-12-11T10:17:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T10:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/439862\/"},"modified":"2025-12-11T10:17:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T10:17:10","slug":"graham-mctavish-is-in-fighting-shape-at-64-heres-how-he-trains-for-power-and-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/439862\/","title":{"rendered":"Graham McTavish Is in Fighting Shape at 64 \u2013 Here’s How He Trains for Power and Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Graham McTavish will be a familiar face to fans of fantasy TV, with roles in The Witcher<\/a>, House of the Dragon and The Hobbit. Now, as he prepares for Spartacus: House of Ashur, he\u2019s in fighting shape at 64. The weapon work these roles demand means his training is anything but gentle, and his latest social post shows the payoff.<\/p>\n

Graham McTavish\u2019s Training<\/p>\n

McTavish told TrainMag he\u2019s always exercised: \u2018Long-distance cycling since I was a teenager, running<\/a>, squash, tennis, along with weight training,\u2019 he says. As he\u2019s got older, his focus has shifted to \u2018functional, dynamic movement, floor-based exercises that mainly use my own body weight. I mix in some weights for variety, but the goal is to develop an overall fit and functional body that can help me in both career and personal terms.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018I train to develop explosive power, as well as deep tissue and sheer strength. I like setting my body new goals that force it to adapt,\u2019 he adds.<\/p>\n

For The Hobbit, his training became even more targeted. \u2018We concentrated on sudden bursts of cardio, keeping my heart rate up and focusing on rapid recovery, which is what I needed for shooting those movies,\u2019 he explains. \u2018It was also important to remain injury-free over a two-and-a-half-year shooting schedule, so we targeted strengthening connective tissue. My cardio workouts<\/a> switch between rowing, Tabata<\/a> uphill runs and cycling.\u2019<\/p>\n

Despite the professional demands, his routine isn\u2019t just about staying camera-ready. \u2018My work requires that I keep fit and in good shape as the roles I play are often physically demanding,\u2019 he says. \u2018It\u2019s all for how it makes me feel. The energy it gives, and the benefits to your overall health, are overwhelming. It\u2019s worth the hurt that comes with the workouts<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n

Consistency is non-negotiable for him. \u2018If I ever miss exercise for one or two weeks, the sluggish feeling I get is enough to get me back in the gym. I enjoy feeling my body functioning as it was designed to. The feeling of not being bloated, or tired, or dealing with a sugar crash is a good feeling to have.<\/p>\n

\u2018Your body adapts to what it\u2019s used to. If it\u2019s always told it needs to be fit and capable because of the demands you place on it, it will become fit and capable. If your only demand is to sit still for hours, it will adapt accordingly,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

Graham McTavish\u2019s DietBreakfast Options<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Phil\u2019s Vegan Power Pancake made with almond milk
\u2022 Wholewheat bread with cottage cheese and yoghurt
\u2022 Berries added to either option<\/p>\n

Mid-Morning Snack<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Goji berries<\/p>\n

Lunch<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Turkey and avocado sandwich<\/p>\n

Afternoon Shake<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Almond milk
\u2022 Yoghurt
\u2022 Almond butter
\u2022 Honey
\u2022 Berries
\u2022 Banana
\u2022 Two scoops Bulletproof collagen protein<\/p>\n

Dinner<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2022 Fish baked with lemon, butter and black pepper
\u2022 Brown rice
\u2022 Steamed vegetables<\/p>\n

His discipline was shaped early. \u2018My father was my first inspiration,\u2019 McTavish recalls. As a teenager, he watched his dad train almost daily: running with a club three nights a week, cycling 100-mile routes near Glasgow on a single-speed bike, plus swimming and ballroom dancing. \u2018Exercise was an easily acquired habit in our family and one I try to pass on to my children,\u2019 he says. \u2018It means that it is as natural as eating or sleeping, and just as important. Having two young kids means it also helps me keep up with them.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Kate is a fitness writer for Men\u2019s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men\u2019s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn\u2019t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Graham McTavish will be a familiar face to fans of fantasy TV, with roles in The Witcher, House…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":439863,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[3178,203063,1201,1198,210,1200,203062,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-439862","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-content-type-news","9":"tag-contentid-6689c6d3-75fd-4d3d-838a-af1d42defb5e","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-locale-gb","14":"tag-shorttitle-graham-mctavish-is-in-fighting-shape-at-64","15":"tag-united-states","16":"tag-unitedstates","17":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115700423429316726","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=439862"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/439862\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/439863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=439862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=439862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=439862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}