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If there\u2019s one move Idris Elba swears by in his varied training routine, it\u2019s the squat<\/a>. Now 53, the actor admits he\u2019s dealing with more physical niggles than he used to, but instead of turning to stretching or mobility<\/a> drills, he relies on this simple movement to ease his \u2018tight hip flexors<\/a>\u2019. \u2018The squat \u2013 just squatting, like before we were homo sapiens \u2013 is my go-to exercise,\u2019 he said on the Good Hang with Amy Poehler<\/a><\/em> podcast. \u2018Getting down is easy, but once you\u2019re down, you get stuck. My pride\u2019s still too strong for that \u2013 there\u2019s no guy helping me up in that situation.\u2019 <\/p>\n Despite his reliance on squatting, the exercise is still just a small component of Elba’s overall fitness approach. He’s previously stated how staying ‘fight-ready’ is his key focus, with kickboxing an important factor in helping him achieve that. ‘Some guys want to be toned or want to jog for miles, but my ultimate fitness goal is to be fight-ready,’ he told Men’s Health<\/a><\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n ‘If I step into the ring, could I go toe-to-toe for five rounds? That\u2019s what I strive for. That\u2019s what I consider fit. I want to know that if I\u2019m being wrestled to the ground, I\u2019ve got the strength to fight a man off.’<\/p>\n That desire to stay fighting fit originated nine years ago. As part of a documentary titled, Idris Elba: Fighter<\/em>, he spent 12 months learning kickboxing<\/a> ahead of facing Dutchman Lionel Graves in a professional fight at York Hall. Elba won by TKO, but has continued training in the sport despite having not fought professionally since. ‘Kickboxing is rugged \u2013 it\u2019s all core strength \u2013 but when you\u2019re fight-ready, you feel like you can last forever,’ Elba said. <\/p>\n Skipping<\/a> and shadowboxing<\/a> are also preferred options when it’s not possible to find a gym. ‘Shadowboxing is one of the best workouts you can do. You don\u2019t need any equipment, and it works every muscle,’ he said, while adding in an interview with People<\/em><\/a>, ‘<\/em>My favourite way to break a sweat is skipping. Ten minutes of skipping is a lot of work, believe it or not. Your whole body\u2019s going and you break a sweat very quickly.’ <\/p>\n
<\/p>\nIdris Elba’s Varied Training Approach<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
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