Taylor Swift‘s adoring British fans have been preparing for months for the pop sensation’s incredible Eras Tour – those of us who were lucky enough to secure tickets, that is.
But behind the scenes, the ‘Cruel Summer’ singer, 34, will be doing a whole lot of preparation herself for the ongoing European leg of the mammoth world tour – and not just in band rehearsals.
The physical endurance required to master complex choreography whilst singing, along with juggling quick backstage changes, is more than a workout – it’s a feat of endurance, strength, and mobility,” says the founder of Ladies Who Crunch, Nancy Best. The fitness expert gives HELLO! the full lowdown on the workout required to sustain Taylor’s immense level of fitness as she continues to sprinkle her Swiftie gold dust around the continent.
Taylor’s impressive level of fitness
“It’s not an exaggeration to compare consistently performing on stage for the Eras Tour, to running multiple marathons, or competing in the Crossfit Games,” says Nancy, reflecting on Taylor’s intense tour which sees her dancing and playing the guitar while belting out her biggest hits for over three hours over months on end.
Nancy explains that in order to maintain the required fitness level the singer would have to focus on three pillars of training – cardio, strength, and mobility.
Cardio training
“Building your cardiovascular fitness is an important element of overall heart health, as it improves your capacity to pump blood around your body,” Nancy says. “I imagine Taylor and her trainer have been increasing the volume of cardio with things like running and spinning, to help gradually lower her resting heart rate, so she doesn’t get breathless when moving around the stage.”
Taylor once admitted in an interview that in preparation for a tour, she sings the whole set while running on a treadmill in order to build up her stamina. Nancy also explains that this will improve Taylor’s coordination and the strength of her core.
“Singing requires recruitment of the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm, which are both parts of the body’s ‘trunk’,” the expert explains. “Running, whilst singing, adds an additional challenge for the core, helping her to stay stable on stage.”
Strength training
Sustaining the required fitness for a sellout tour is underpinned by Taylor’s physical strength. “When she’s on stage, she’s doing everything from sitting down, to jumping, to balancing, so her body needs to be strong and stable enough to withstand these movement patterns,” Nancy explains.
“She needs to have a very strong core to connect to her diaphragm, which is key for hitting the right notes in her songs! Because her performances require full body strength, her trainer should be prioritising lots of compound exercises that recruit multiple muscle groups, like squats and deadlifts, to maximise results.”
Mobility training
Anyone who has seen clips of the tour on TikTok or watched the musical masterpiece in full on Disney+ will know that Tay Tay wears pairs upon pairs of incredible bejewelled boots – but the killer footwear comes with a price.
“She’s wearing high heels for hours, which can wreak havoc on your ankles, calves and hamstrings,” Nancy explains.Â
“Her trainer will be ensuring she’s completing a targeted mobility sequence every day, so she avoids feeling chronic pain or getting injured. In her choreography, there’s hip and shoulder mobility required, so she may also be completing some yin yoga to help improve the range of motion in these specific joints.”
Her trainer’s focal points
In an interview with British Vogue, Taylor’s personal trainer Kirk Myers, revealed that the ‘Love Story’ singer’s goals were to work on strength and conditioning ahead of the tour.
Nancy says this would involve workouts that combine high-impact cardio like sprint training or bodyweight HIIT movements (think burpees or squat jumps), with strength-focused, resistance-based exercises like Romanian deadlifts or chest presses.Â
Time for a rest
Though Taylor has become quite the jetsetter in recent months, it is important to factor in that all-important rest day in order to sustain her physical health and wellbeing for the months of touring ahead of her.
“There will be a huge amount of adrenaline in Taylor’s body during each show, which is a stress hormone that needs to be regulated, otherwise it can lead to health complications,” Nancy tells us.
“The tour schedule will have been mapped to accommodate for adequate rest, to allow Taylor’s body to recover, so she can consistently perform at her best. From ice baths to acupuncture, I expect there is an entire schedule of restorative activity in place to maximise her body’s ‘downtime’.”
Join the party
The good news with Taylor’s Eras Tour workout is that Swifties can get involved too. “The beauty of Taylor’s albums is there is genuinely a song for every type of workout!,” Nancy, a fellow Swiftie, says.
“Her latest album [The Tortured Poets Department] lends itself to pilates or yoga flows, whereas earlier material like the Lover album is perfect for energetic HIIT, barre, or boxing classes.Â
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Nancy adds: “It’s also worth mentioning that as long as you’re dancing, you’re exercising! So if you’re lucky enough to be at one of her Eras concerts and you’re making shapes in the crowd, that counts!”