A recently resurfaced interview with Jean-Claude Van Damme is sparking a wave of nostalgia. The clip from 1993 reveals he used to workout three-hours to stay in peak condition.

On March 2, Retro Hollywood Rewind posted a video on its Instagram with the caption, "Jean-Claude Van Damme explains why training three hours a day isn’t just about vanity."

In the video, he explained, “I like to train for myself. But I was training since I was 11-12. If I don't train for a few days, I become a strange person. I need to go to the gym.”

The Hard Target actor further explained, “So I spend about three hours a day when I have the time. On promotion and everything, I'm just doing some bicycle or running just to keep fit, to keep cut. I like to feel healthy.” 

So if you're wondering how he trained, on February 26, BestActionMovies posted another old video of Jean-Claude Van Damme where he discusses his training approach.

“When I was a kid, I was not a very strong child. I was very skinny, and I was not too good-looking. And I changed myself because I trained every day in the gym. So I was having heroes. And because of those heroes (Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and Kirk Douglas), I became somebody strong and nice.”

On June 30, 2025, Retro Hollywood Rewind shared another video in which Van Damme revealed his diet. He said, “I just eat like normal, fish, steamed rice, and vegetables. I eat bread in the morning. I don't know if it's normal, but it's normal to me.” This simple diet helped him fuel his action sequences and training sessions.  

Jean-Claude Van Damme’s current training and diet

According to Men’s Health Australia, the 65-year-old philosophy has shifted from training hard to following a longevity regimen.

His training routine includes:

• Isometric training 
• Yoga
• Martial arts
• Lightweight lifting
• Cardio

While the fundamentals of the training stay the same, he doesn't train as hard as he once used to. According to BoxLife, Jean-Claude Van Damme follows a well-balanced, personalized diet. He eats nearly 6-8 small meals a day, which provides a steady flow of energy. Some of the food staples in Van Damme's diet are:

• Vegetables
• Salmon
• Hummus
• Eggs (Mostly yolks)
• Berries

This combination of regular exercise and personalized diet helps Jean-Claude Van Damme stay physically fit and active even in his mid-sixties. 

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi