Phil Taylor’s Post-Darts Lifestyle: Fitness, Diet, and a New Passion
Phil Taylor, the legendary darts player, has long since established himself as one of the greatest in the sport. Now 65 years old, he has officially retired from competitive play, no longer participating in exhibition matches or any official events. However, this doesn’t mean he has completely stepped away from the public eye. He still interacts with fans at various events, but his focus has shifted to maintaining his health.
Taylor has faced some health challenges over the years, particularly with his back and hip. This led him to undergo surgery and receive a new hip. His surgeon gave him some important advice: “Keep your legs strong, because when you’re in your 60s, anybody in their 60s, if they fall and break their hip, you’re in trouble.” Taking that advice to heart, Taylor has embraced a new fitness routine.
A New Routine: Cycling and Strength Training
“I’m trying to keep fit a bit more now. I’m cycling a lot,” Taylor shared. He also mentioned that he trains with his friend Bobbie Goulding, who played rugby for several top teams. “He texts me every morning! He’s in his 50s, and he’s fit as a fiddle. He’s getting me into weights now.”
To support his fitness goals, Taylor built a gym at home and even added a sauna. He uses a vibrating plate for squats and TRX straps to help with his strength training. “I’ll get on there and squat. I’ve got what you call TRX straps, which hold you, so I’ll squat down on it and back up again.” This combination of cycling, weight training, and other exercises has become a key part of his daily routine.
Healthy Eating Habits
Taylor’s commitment to fitness has extended to his diet as well. He shared some of his favorite meals, including sour bread, avocado, olive oil, balsamic, tomatoes, poached eggs, and cheese. “I’m addicted to it, I love it,” he said.
His culinary adventures have taken him to Spain, where he tried a local dish called pil pil, which is made with prawns. “All it is, a good glug of olive oil in there, garlic, put it on a flame so it starts boiling, start cooking the garlic a little bit, some paprika. I like coriander, some people put mint in, then just put your prawns in.”
He even bought the tapas dishes to recreate the meal at home. “Oh mate, addictive! Addictive. I’m telling you. You can put a little bit of chilli flakes in as well. Try it.”
Lessons from Great Athletes
Despite his retirement, Taylor remains deeply connected to the world of sports. He often reflects on the great athletes he admires, such as Roy Keane, Stuart Pearce, Tony Adams, and Stanley Matthews. “My favourite sports people have always been winners,” he said. “I love winners, because I know what it takes.”
Stanley Matthews, a former footballer from Stoke, was a personal friend of Taylor. “He used to go running on the beach when he played for Blackpool, after we finished training,” Taylor recalled. “He said, ‘because they won.’ And that gave him the advantage. I thought, that’s clever.”
Taylor applied similar principles to his own career. “I used to hit five or six 180s before I went to bed,” he said. “It could take 10 minutes or an hour-and-a-half, but I knew my rivals weren’t doing the same.”
Unique Lifestyle Tips
Taylor’s approach to health and wellness is unique. He even had blood tests to understand how his body reacts to different foods. “My blood group is a funny blood group, mine comes from Mongolia. It must have been when the Mongolians took over the world, so I’ve got their blood group.”
He explained that eating rice in Chinese food helps avoid stomach problems, while chips, potatoes, and bread cause heartburn. “I take my own cooking stuff to hotels, I take my own mattress topper, I take my own pillow, and I got all this off different sports people.”
Final Advice for Travelers
One of Taylor’s most practical pieces of advice comes from his experience traveling. “Another thing as well, if you ever go in a hotel, this will spoil you now,” he said. “They wash the linen, they wash the sheets, they wash the duvets, they wash the pillow cushions, they never wash the pillow.”
“Just take the lid off and smell the pillow. All you smell is people’s sweat!” So, he adds, “I take my own pillow.”
