Ross Kemp may be best known for playing Grant Mitchell in EastEnders, but at 61 the actor says staying fit remains a major priority. Speaking to HELLO!, Kemp shared the workout routine and diet habits that help keep him in shape — built around a mix of boxing, running and strength training.
Weight training, sparring and running form the backbone of what he describes as his military-style workouts, with sessions spread across the week.
Ross Kemp’s Weekly Workout Routine
‘It depends where I am. On Mondays, I do an hour’s pad work and light sparring and go for a run afterwards. On Tuesdays, I do weight training – rather than lifting heavy weights. It’s aerobic weight training with a trainer called Darrell Fitches, who is ex-military and a very good friend of mine. And then I do half an hour of light sparring,’ Kemp said.
The routine continues through the week with additional conditioning and lighter strength work.
‘Wednesdays, I spar and run,’ he explains. ‘On Thursdays, I do light weight training. I try to do weights, aerobic weights. If I can do yoga on a Friday, I will. And on the weekend, I rest. I might do a light 5k run on a Saturday morning when my son’s in for football.’
Alongside boxing and strength training, Kemp says yoga has also become a regular part of his routine, often practising with his wife.
‘It’s great prep training for going off to the jungle. I love hot yoga. Although they now call it warm yoga because of the electricity bill. I remember doing the shoulder stands, where you put your legs up. I remember it was so hot. The sweat was running down my face. It was unattractive.’
Kemp keeps a simple philosophy when it comes to exercise: ‘All exercise is good for you. I don’t think any exercise is bad for you.’
When it comes to diet, he follows a balanced approach rather than strict restriction.
‘It’s like I used to go into the supermarket and I’d buy the large bar of chocolate, Dairy Milk, whatever it was, or the chocolate Galaxy, right?’ says Kemp. ‘Now I buy the smaller bar because I enjoy it just as much. I spread it out to last just as long. I just take smaller nibbles.’
He also makes simple swaps day to day. ‘I drink smoothies rather than cans of Coke. As a consequence, I get into a smaller pair of jeans.’
Recently, Kemp was filmed taking part in a men-only retreat. Reflecting on the experience, he said: ‘Men-only retreats are becoming increasingly popular. But what surprised me the most was just how easy it was for them to open up. But maybe that’s the reason they’re here, because they can’t.’
He later reflected on traditional expectations around masculinity, adding: ‘I still use that armour, because that was what being blokey was being about. It’s not sustainable, actually.’
Related Stories
Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s 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’s 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’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.