Miguel Ángel Muñoz turned down the chance to appear on the cover of Men’s Health 20 years ago because, as he puts it, he was tired of taking his shirt off. Two decades later, the 43-year-old Spanish actor and director has finally made his cover debut [for MH Spain] – proving that the abs are still very much intact.
But there’s considerably more behind his physique than meets the eye. After more than 30 years working as an actor, Muñoz has learned plenty about training, ageing and looking after both his physical and mental health.
How Miguel Ángel Muñoz Stays in Shape at 43
Muñoz says he has a good relationship with getting older. He began working in front of the camera at the age of 10 and believes the experiences he has accumulated since have helped him both professionally and personally.
‘In the case of actors, it makes us better, because the more experiences you have, whether good or not so good, the more tools you'll have when it comes to performing,’ he tells Men’s Health Spain.
‘And leaving the profession aside, everything helps you evolve, to grow, to try to become a better person.’
Muñoz has used sport and healthy habits to his advantage over the years, although he puts his mental health first.
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‘I’ve been in therapy for 20 years, and that's what sustains me,’ he says. ‘I absolutely need an hour a week with my therapist and, every so often, another more immersive form of therapy, group therapy or other training. I need that much more than nutrition or the gym.’
As for the question he's inevitably asked: what's the magic formula for maintaining a physique like his at 43?
‘I always say that a large part of it is genetics,’ Muñoz says. ‘It's true that a lot of people say to me, “You don't even believe that yourself, you must train incredibly hard.”’
But while he insists he doesn't push himself to extremes in the gym, consistency has clearly played a significant role.
‘I don't train myself into the ground, but I have exercised every day of my life for more than 20 years,’ he says. ‘The more varied, the better. Because I enjoy it, because it makes me happy.’
From Teen Idol to Director
Muñoz became a major star in Spain through Un paso adelante and the musical group UPA Dance, experiencing enormous fame while still young.
‘It was like Money Heist plus Elite, with concerts attracting the kind of crowds Bad Bunny gets at the Metropolitano,’ he says. ‘If we'd had social media, we would have gone crazy.’
Looking back, Muñoz admits he didn't always handle that level of fame perfectly.
‘Luckily, not messing around with drugs and alcohol, and having the same friends I'd always had, kept my feet on the ground,’ he says. ‘And despite all that, there were many times when I was stupid. I see myself in some interviews and I'd give myself three slaps.’
These days, Muñoz is increasingly focused on telling his own stories as a director, including his latest film, La última vuelta.
Why Mental Health Comes First
The past three years have been particularly difficult for Muñoz personally. He has experienced the deaths of several people close to him, including his mother.
He says the experience has reinforced the importance of allowing yourself to experience difficult emotions rather than trying to avoid them.
‘I know that everything good has another side,’ he says. ‘Many times, when I've had moments of maximum happiness, the day before, the day after or that same week, there was also something tremendously difficult to deal with.
‘But I think the greater our capacity to feel the emotions we don't like, the greater our capacity to enjoy ourselves and be happy.’
That perspective has also affected his approach to setting himself physical challenges.
‘These last three years have been so difficult emotionally that I haven't felt like setting myself challenges,’ he says. ‘I'm not strong enough to put my focus there. I've got enough to do just living life as best I can. When you're grieving, everything takes an enormous amount of effort.’
The Men’s Health Cover He Turned Down 20 Years Ago
It might have taken a while, but Muñoz is finally a Men’s Health cover star.
‘A long time ago, around 2004 or 2005, they asked me to do it and at the time I said, “No, I'm not taking my shirt off any more”,’ he recalls.
‘I had taken it off so much in UPA that, for a few years, I just didn't feel like showing my abs.’
More than 20 years later, things have changed.
‘How lucky that my abs have held up so I can do it,’ he jokes.
And for Muñoz, the timing now feels considerably more appropriate.
‘It's true that now I have many more things to talk about beyond taking my shirt off,’ he says. ‘So it's never too late.’
INTERVIEW AND DIRECTION: Jordi Martínez
PHOTOGRAPHY: Félix Valiente
VIDEO: Antonio Rubio
STYLING: Beatriz Moreno de la Cova
GROOMING: Carmen de Juan
DIGITAL EDITOR: Fran Gómez
PRODUCTION: Marta Sánchez
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANTS: Luis Spinola and Germán Arbós
WITH THANKS TO: Hotel Nômade Temple
