Men’s Health: Built For Life

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.

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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.

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

Wellness video producer: https://www.instagram.com/chelia.batkin/
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Spencer Matthews joins Ben Shephard and Andrew Tracey fresh off one of the most extreme endurance challenges ever attempted — completing seven Iron-distance triathlons on seven continents in 21 days.

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We break down what that actually involved, from the brutal logistics and relentless travel to the moments where the project nearly fell apart. Spencer opens up about the Antarctic swim that haunted him for months, the safety briefing that made him question whether they should even be doing it, and the moment fear almost stopped everything. Along the way, we get into decision-making under pressure, the difference between toughness and recklessness, and why doing hard things isn’t always about bravado — especially when you’ve got a family waiting at home.

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Hosts: 

https://www.instagram.com/benshephardofficial/

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

Wellness video producer: https://www.instagram.com/chelia.batkin/   

Director of photography : https://www.instagram.com/edmundcurtiscine/  
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Shephard and Men’s Health Fitness Director Andrew Tracey cut through the noise around training in 2026. We get into hybrid training vs HYROX, why bodybuilding is having a comeback, what actually builds muscle, how hard you really need to train, and why most people are overthinking it. From strength and cardio to time-efficient training and long-term health, this is a no-nonsense look at how to train smarter, get fitter, and build muscle without letting fitness take over your life in 2026

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Hosts: 

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

https://www.instagram.com/benshephardofficial/

Director of photography : https://www.instagram.com/edmundcurtiscine/  

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

Paddy Pimblett joins Ben Shephard and Andrew Tracey ahead of his interim title bout with Justin Gaethje at UFC 324. We get into what’s going through his head pre-fight, lying awake thinking about finishes, cutting weight without losing your mind, why most gyms are sh*te, why he avoids 'that stupid HYROX stuff', and how many calories he can eat post-fight without blinking. Paddy also opens up about mental health, therapy, and why being tough isn’t what people think. 

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Hosts: 

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

https://www.instagram.com/benshephardofficial/

Director of photography : https://www.instagram.com/edmundcurtiscine/ 

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

Men’s Health: Built For Life — with hosts Ben Shephard and Men’s Health Fitness Director Andrew Tracey — is the podcast for men looking to take control of their fitness, health and life. Sharing practical science, actionable, real-world advice and incredible stories from inspiring guests, we can’t promise that listening to this podcast will change your life… but it will give you everything you need to go away and do that yourself. 

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Join us for new episodes, every Thursday. 

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Hosts: 

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

https://www.instagram.com/benshephardofficial/

Director of photography : https://www.instagram.com/edmundcurtiscine/ 

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