Look What She Made Me Do
I Tried The Workout Routine Taylor Swift Used To Prep For The Eras Tour
She's on the treadmill for three straight hours — while singing.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is a big deal, to say the least. The singer has been on the road since March 2023 and she’s set to continue circling the world until December 2024. Each one of her shows, as any Swiftie will know, lasts about three hours — and she dances for a good portion of the time.
Crooning at a microphone is one thing, but singing while shimmying and shaking is something else entirely. Add in her 16 different costume changes, and it’s no wonder why Swift started a workout routine six months ahead of her first show in order to boost her endurance.
In a Dec. 6 interview with TIME magazine, where Swift was announced as its 2023 Person of the Year, the “Cruel Summer” singer shared exactly what she did to get herself concert-ready. Instead of a boring assortment of exercises, though, she worked out in the most Taylor way possible — so I had to give her routine a try.
Taylor Swift’s Workout
It’s tough to imagine how one would prepare themselves for a years-long, worldwide music tour, but when you hear about Swift’s routine, it suddenly seems so obvious.
“Every day I would run on the treadmill, singing the entire set list out loud,” Swift told TIME. “Fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs.”
She also did a personalized strength training routine at her gym, Dogpound, where she added in weights and other conditioning moves.
The Set List
Swift’s Eras Tour set list includes over 40 songs of varying tempos, and it all adds up to about 180 minutes.
She occasionally sneaks in a few secret songs, but her go-to performance starts off relatively slow with “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,” then it moves to “Cruel Summer” and “The Man” before it eventually picks up speed with “You Need To Calm Down”.
The singer also includes fan faves like “Love Story” and “Bad Blood” before closing the show with mega hits like “Anti-Hero,” “Midnight Rain,” and finally “Karma.”
Singing & Running
I’ll be honest: It’s tough for me to carry a tune while sitting still, much less while jostling up and down, but that wasn’t about to stop me from strutting on a treadmill. I was fully committed to belting out a few tunes and seeing how far I could make it into the set list — before I needed a break.
Swift’s show kicks off with "Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince", and it’s honestly the perfect speed for a warm-up. It’s upbeat but not quite fast enough for a jog, so I got my blood pumping with a speedy stroll as I sang about pageant smiles and winning stupid prizes.
When “Cruel Summer” came on, I picked up my pace to match the beat, all the while squeaking out my best (Carolyn’s Version). Right as I started to feel out of breath — which, turns out, is pretty easy to do when you combine running and singing — “The Man” came on and I slowed the treadmill back down. IMO, this song’s tempo is ideal for a true model-like strut, so it was my favorite part.
"You Need to Calm Down" was up next, which worked well as a faster walk. This is another one of my fave Swift songs, so I was truly feelin’ myself at this point. After that came “Lover” and “The Archer,” so I snagged my shot to slow down, sip water, and ponder how Swift does this night after night after night. Phew.
By now, I’d been jogging and singing/breathing heavily for about 20 minutes, which already made for a decent workout, but I wanted to try just one more song before I admitted that I’m not cut out (just yet) for a world tour.
I skipped ahead to "I Knew You Were Trouble,” tune number 23 on the set list, because it’s fast-paced and extra fun to sing. You know that feeling when the perfect song pops up on your workout playlist and suddenly you’re full-out running with tons of energy? That was me — only I was also screaming the lyrics.
The Verdict
Was I able to sing and jog for a full three hours? No, and I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re Taylor Swift herself. What I can say, though, is that it’s extra fun to bust out some lyrics while on a treadmill.
This workout could be the perfect way to spice up your usual jog. The varying tempos of the concert make for a natural interval workout — and singing the lyrics adds a silly challenge. To give it a try, start at the top and jog/sing for about 20 minutes. Then, if you want a bit more, you can add in another song or two.
Belting lyrics might not be feasible in a quiet gym, but Swift’s tour workout would be a blast to try at home or — if you’re feeling “Fearless” — while jogging around your neighborhood.
