With his rippling physique and chiselled good looks it’s not difficult to understand the enduring popularity of Gorka Marquez among die-hard Strictly Come Dancing fans.
But the Spanish ballroom professional insists it wasn’t just his appearance that attracted Gemma Atkinson when she signed up for the show in 2017.
Now the father of two young children with the former Hollyoaks actress, Márquez, 35, admits it was a shared passion for personal fitness that drew them to one another as they embarked on the show’s subsequent UK tour.
‘We were both so into health and fitness,’ he told the December issue of Men’s Health.
‘When we were doing shows, I’d go into the hotel gym first thing in the morning and she would be the only other one in there. We used to chat, run on the same treadmill and so on.
‘So we developed a bond. I fancied her. Then I learned she fancied me, too. And soon we were spending everyday together. But she made me work hard.’
With his rippling physique and chiselled good looks it’s not difficult to understand the enduring popularity of Gorka Marquez among die-hard Strictly Come Dancing fans
Now the father of two young children with Gemma Atkinson, Márquez admits it was a shared passion for personal fitness that drew them to one another
And Márquez admits their additional responsibilities as parents to daughter Mia, six, and son Thiago, two, has further motivated them to stay in the best possible shape.
He said: ‘We love it. We are both aligned. It’s not just for aesthetics, it’s for longevity and health. We want to stretch life as long as possible and be healthy, too.
‘We want to keep playing with our children.’
Stripped to the waist, Bilbao-born Márquez shows off the impressive results of his vigorous exercise routine with the latest issue of Men’s Health.
But he also credits his muscular physique to the disciplines applied to his day job as a professional dancer.
‘Dancers have beautiful muscles, but they’re long,’ he explained. ‘It’s because we train with the full range of motion.
‘I spend lots of time in the gym but I also spend lots of time moving and stretching so the muscles will be more useful.
‘Some people train for pure aesthetics. But your muscles are really there for your strength, for your health. The aesthetics are the consequence of this.’
Stripped to the waist, Bilbao-born Márquez shows off the impressive results of his vigorous exercise routine with the December issue of Men’s Health
‘I spend lots of time in the gym but I also spend lots of time moving and stretching so the muscles will be more useful,’ he said
‘Some people train for pure aesthetics. But your muscles are really there for your strength, for your health. The aesthetics are the consequence of this’
The Spanish dancer now pairs his choreography with CrossFit, a branded training programme that utilises a combination of weight lifting, powerlifting, gymnastics and calisthenics, typically performed at high intensity.
And Márquez believes the relatively new exercise routine – launched just 25 years ago in the United States – shares numerous similarities with dance.
He said: ‘It’s got so much in common with CrossFit. That’s why, when I started CrossFit, I loved it – very similar. Short workouts, multiple events throughout the day.
‘I was never great at max lifts – I was more about endurance. I could go for hours in workouts. I love burpees and rowing… Some people hate the pain or the sweat.
‘I love to go to the point where I feel like I’m going to throw up.’
The full interview is available in the December issue of Men’s Health, on sale from 25 November.
The full interview is available in the December issue of Men’s Health, on sale from 25 November
