If someone challenged me to perform consecutive jump squats in heels to a 120 BPM track, I’d probably say the odds of doing it are slim, without serious training and a top-tier PT. It sounds extreme, but it aptly describes the modern pop tours we’re seeing today.
Her shows are almost double what other artists were doing
— India Bailey
We are, as is often said, in an age where experience is everything, and ‘I was there’ pop tours like Taylor Swift’s Eras or Beyoncé’s Renaissance are no longer just gigs, they’re cultural moments. And for those cultural moments, the women (and it often is women) are subjecting themselves to training regimes that make even the most committed gymgoer’s routine seem like a light workout.
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What we see on stage is the culmination of months — sometimes years — of preparation. Behind the dazzling performances is something far less glamorous: early mornings spent in rehearsals, late nights at the gym, restrictive diets, and a focus on recovery that rivals professional athletes.
I had to rebuild my body from cut muscles, and was having spasms — what people didn’t see was the sacrifice
— Beyonce
Social media reveals how stars train, and the clips often go viral. See Beyonce’s 22-day vegan challenge created off the back of her Coachella preparations (she actually did it for 44 days), Taylor Swift's treadmill trend (singing her entire set list whilst running), BLACKPINK’s YouTube cardio workouts, Lenny Kravitz working out in leather (reason unknown), or Mick Jagger running backwards through Tuscan country roads. In short, the preparation is nothing like the stereotypical rock and roll diet of Marlboro reds and Jack Daniels. These artists don’t just show up – their rigorous training is day in, day out leading up to tours. Women in particular have the added pressure to make the impossible look effortless. So how do they maintain peak performance?
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For Beyoncé, the intense preparation behind her 2018 Coachella Homecoming performance was no small feat — even after giving birth. “I had to rebuild my body from cut muscles, and was having spasms — what people didn’t see was the sacrifice”, she says in the Netflix documentary. Her gruelling routine included hours of dance rehearsals, SoulCycle classes, and PT sessions focusing on endurance, explosiveness, and strength. When it came to the performance, it paid off. Though she said that she “would never push myself that hard again”, the festival became known as ‘Beychella’ that year.
Luke Worthington, a personal trainer to top artists, shares insights into how he prepares them pre-performance. “I often incorporate positional breathing exercises to help align the ribcage and diaphragm, which not only reduces the risk of injury but also regulates the nervous system before a show”, he says. While every artist and show requires a unique approach, Worthington recalls training one performer in seven-inch heels to help stabilise her hips and maintain balance in the aggressive extension posture that elevated heels creates.
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This level of commitment to physical preparation didn’t begin with today’s pop artists. One trailblazer who led this initial shift was Madonna. The star has never been just a performer — she’s an athlete. At 43, she stunned audiences during her Drowned World Tour in 2001, effortlessly performing 15 explosive squats to the beat of her iconic track ‘Music’ whilst wearing a rhinestone tank top which read “Mother” — in case that status wasn’t already clear. She did all this at the tail end of her two-hour show, in front of a sold-out arena.
Her shift toward this athleticism began even earlier, during her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour, which marked a new era of fitness, demanding performances, and longer shows. “People suddenly saw her as a totem of fitness because the physical demands were constant”, says pop music writer and author of noughties pop book Reach for the Stars, Michael Cragg. “She didn’t just get that from being rich and famous — she got that from being in the gym, taking her performances seriously”. Many artists rely on background dancers, but Madonna didn’t. “This evolution has impacted gigs today”.
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A key moment in modern touring is Taylor Swift’s Eras. Not only has it boosted the economies of cities it’s passed through, as has been frequently documented, but the three-and-a-half hour set time has seen Swift become an icon of physical endurance. Cragg notes that “her shows are almost double what other artists were doing until recently. The scale has grown exponentially, which has made shows more physically demanding”.
Celebrity trainers agree that while routines vary, the one constant is the intense calorie burn. Bradley Simmons notes that “artists are highly active on stage, but strength exercises are crucial for preventing injury“. Worthington adds: “We build through stages of injury prevention, strength, and conditioning to prepare for the physical demands of performing. During the tour itself, it's about maintaining a straightforward routine that can travel with the artist. With chaotic and hectic schedules, simplicity is key”.
Not only are the demands physically exhausting, but they can also take its toll on mental health. Cragg points out: “It’s not for everyone. Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus have talked about not wanting to tour — it’s the mental toll. There’s pressure to maintain this physical shell, but it can be overwhelmingly lonely”. Cyrus commented on this during her interview with British Vogue saying: “There’s no connection. There’s no safety. It’s also not natural. It’s so isolating because if you’re in front of 100,000 people then you are alone”.
Ultimately, pop stars today are redefining what it means to be a performer. They’re rewriting the playbook when it comes to endurance, focus, and resilience. The stage is no longer just a place to entertain; it’s a showcase of what they can do beyond the music and where they push physical limits — all while deeply connecting with millions of fans. We might cheer for the high notes, the glittering costumes, and the perfectly timed choreography, but beneath all of that lies a simple truth: they’re not superhuman — they’ve just, with the help of an athlete-worthy regime, mastered the art of making it seem that way. And, just like with any athlete, they’re only as good as their last performance.
