When it comes to competition in sports, the ancient saying that “father time remains undefeated” is as accurate as it has ever been; yet, if there is anyone who is capable of overcoming the effects of aging, it is Cristiano Ronaldo.

The man who is being referred to is of the same opinion. He told Men’s Health in an exclusive interview, “I’m 36 years old and I can still compete with the best players. I can also still maintain the shape I was in when I was 20 years old.”

But what does Ronaldo believe has contributed to his long life? Is it his grueling exercises, his unrivaled motivation, or his determination to come out on top? To be honest, none of those apply. The legendary football player claims that his recovery sessions are the primary reason he is able to maintain his shredded physique and perform at the highest level of his sport.

“Recovery is the most important thing for me and from my point of view,” Ronaldo says, referring to the sport of football. “In football, you have basic points—from training well to eating properly to drinking properly and so on.”

“Theragun marks the beginning of recovery for me.” After a challenging match or session of training, a brief pass over my body helps to reduce muscle pain and kickstarts the relaxing process. I also make sure to drink plenty of water, have a balanced dinner, and get a full night’s sleep. It’s a straightforward regimen, but it helps me perform at my best on a continuous basis, therefore I find it helpful.

Ronaldo is a Therabody athlete, so it goes without saying that recuperation sessions aren’t the only thing he does to keep his enviable body. Exercise in a gymnasium also plays a relatively significant function.

As part of Nike’s Living Room Cup, in which prominent athletes posed challenges to get people moving during lockdown, Cristiano Ronaldo posted a video of himself doing a strenuous abs challenge in which he performed sit-ups with toe taps. Ronaldo published the video on his Instagram account.

Ronaldo challenged others to beat his rep count of 142 in 45 seconds, which, as a point of information, is something that can only be accomplished if one had really amazing core strength.

According to his score, it appears as though Ronaldo’s rippling abs aren’t going to disappear for quite some time yet.