A Former Men's Health Cover Model Explains How He's Fitter Than Ever at 40
Back in 2006, at the the age of 28, Jamie France was at the peak of physical fitness. We know because we put his sculpted six-pack, bulging pecs and undulating biceps on the cover of the July 2006 issue of the UK edition of Men's Health.
Fast forward 14 years and you'd think his body has changed. And it has, for the better.
In the many years that have passed, Jamie France has become a father to four children and has carved out a successful career in the luxury furniture business. Of course, his metabolism has slowed and his body makes a few more creaks and squeaks than it used to, but, as he shows, with commitment, dedication and hard work, growing older doesn't mean your body has to take a back seat.
How exactly has the now 42-year-old built a better body in his 40s than he had at 28, even though time and circumstance tried to stop him? You can find out below—while also seeing some of the workouts he uses now that time, space, and motivation are at a premium.
Men's Health: Once you'd hit 40 did you imagine you'd be back in the pages of MH UK?
Jamie France: To be honest, no I didn't, but it feels fantastic. It feels even better in my 40s than in 2006 when I was last in here. Fitness has always been part of my life, so it's great that I can be part of Men's Health UK again.
MH: There's been a 14 year gap between your first and second shoots. How has your fitness regime changed in that time?
JF: I've got a few more injuries, so I have to be a bit more careful with regards to my regime. I used to train a lot with other people; we used to lift heavy; we used to go for PBs all the time. Now I train a lot on my own, and I'll be a little bit more wary about what exercises I'm doing and how heavy I'm going. That's probably the main difference.
MH: If you could give your younger self one piece of training advice, what would that be?
JF: I think at the time it would have been diet. I didn't really care what I ate – I just trained and didn't watch the diet part. I'd like to have done the two together, when I was younger to see what sort of results I could have got in my late 20s and mid 30s.
MH: What are some of the challenges that get in the way of your training now that you just didn't have to contend with in your 20s and 30s?
JF: Oh man, kids. Family is probably the big thing. I've got four children, so the priorities have certainly changed through the years. I think it's just fitting in training around what the kids are doing and what the wife's doing. Also, my job's changed a lot as well. I'm full time in sales now, which takes up a lot of time. It's not just nine to five, there's a lot of going out, taking clients out and traveling, so it's just working around that really. When I was younger I had a lot more freedom.
MH: With all that to work around, what motivates you to train now?
JF: I think the main reason I train now is to push myself and to see if I can still maintain the physique I had in my late 20s. You see a lot of the young guns now on the magazines or on Instagram, even at the gym, lifting and looking good. So I think that's probably the main reason, I'm trying to keep up with them, but also, who's to say that you can't look fit and be healthy at 40 or 50?
MH: Looking ahead to your next shoot in another 14 years time. What do you want your body to look like then? Are you ready to ease off the gas?
JF: I'm definitely not ready to ease off the gas. Like I said, fitness has been my life. I love sport. I love watching sport. I love playing any sport. If I'm out for a few weeks with an injury, I'm a nightmare to live with, so I need sport and need fitness for myself. In 14 years time, I'm going to try and be as fit as I can in my 50s
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