{"id":283710,"date":"2026-02-10T10:41:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T10:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/283710\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T10:41:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T10:41:13","slug":"rod-stewarts-age-defying-exercise-routine-at-81","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/283710\/","title":{"rendered":"Rod Stewart’s Age-Defying Exercise Routine at 81"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sir Rod Stewart<\/a> is proving that age really is just a number. At 81, the British rock legend still delivers an energetic stage presence that\u2019s stood the test of time \u2013 something that wouldn\u2019t be possible without a dedicated, carefully planned training routine.<\/p>\n

With 37 dates announced for his 2026 tour, Stewart is gearing up for another demanding year of performances across the US and Europe. He\u2019s more than fit enough to handle it, too, with an indoor swimming pool, gym, golf course and running track all located on his English estate.<\/p>\n

\u2018I keep myself very fit,\u2019 Stewart told AARP<\/a>. \u2018I played soccer all my life \u2013 don\u2019t so much anymore, because I had a knee replacement. And I\u2019ve always had a trainer \u2013 same guy for 38 years.\u2019<\/p>\n

That trainer, Gary O\u2019Connor, works to three key principles when it comes to fitness. \u2018You have to look at what\u2019s attainable, what\u2019s repeatable \u2013 in other words, it has to be something you can do on a regular basis \u2013 and it\u2019s got to be relevant to your lifestyle,\u2019 O\u2019Connor told The Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sir Rod Stewart’s <\/p>\n

Underwater Swimming<\/p>\n

Stewart\u2019s unconventional pool work traces back to advice from Frank Sinatra, who once told him that strong lungs are built by swimming<\/a> underwater and holding your breath. Since then, the Maggie May singer has made aquatic training a regular feature of his routine. After consulting with someone from the SBS<\/a> (Special Boat Service), O\u2019Connor adapted elements of underwater training to suit Stewart.<\/p>\n

\u2018We do a lot of underwater training, where the trainer throws a brick into the pool and I have to dive in, push the brick to the end of the pool, and come up,\u2019 Stewart said. Flippers and rebreather tubes \u2013 a closed-circuit diving system that allows him to stay underwater longer by recycling his breath \u2013 also feature, though bricks remain a constant. Stewart will tread water holding a brick overhead, retrieve bricks from the bottom of the pool, or move them from the deep end to the shallow end.<\/p>\n

\u2018He really likes doing this because he says it helps his singing. This is all about holding your breath,\u2019 O\u2019Connor explained. \u2018We have obstacles and he\u2019s the kind of guy who says, \u201cTime me,\u201d and then tries to beat it. These aren\u2019t just swim sessions \u2013 they\u2019re almost military type workouts<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n

Chasing a 100m Record<\/p>\n

Stewart isn\u2019t training solely for the stage. In 2025, he revealed his ambition<\/a> to break the 100m world record for his age group. \u2018I got it [his 100m time] down to 19 seconds by learning how to push off,\u2019 he said. \u2018I\u2019m going to try and do 17 seconds, which I think is a world record for an 80-year-old.\u2019<\/p>\n

With American Kenton Brown clocking an extraordinary 14.21 seconds at the 2024 Nevada Senior Games, Stewart would need to make significant gains to become the fastest ever in the 80-plus category. His private track certainly helps, while O\u2019Connor regularly has him running on a treadmill under medical supervision. \u2018I work with a definitive maximum heart rate rather than a calculated one,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

Build strength, add muscle and strip body fat in 2026 with this simple four-week training plan from Men\u2019s Health fitness director Andrew Tracey. You\u2019ll also get a fully comprehensive nutrition guide, giving you the tools to create a smart, sustainable calorie deficit \u2013 without compromising your training. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to the Men\u2019s Health app and start training today.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/p>\n

\"magazine<\/a>Pre-Show Warm-Up<\/p>\n

Performing for two hours on stage multiple times a week would be demanding for anyone, let alone someone in their 80s. Stewart understands the importance of preparation and sticks to a thorough pre-show warm-up to stay consistent night after night.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ll do my vocal warm-up, which takes half an hour, and ride a stationary bike to pump my legs up,\u2019 Stewart said. O\u2019Connor then adds deep-tissue massage, percussion therapy<\/a> and a full-body mobility routine<\/a> to loosen him up. The bike work, meanwhile, is short and intense.<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019ll do perhaps three to five one-minute pushes out of the saddle just to pump your thighs up so that you feel ready to go,\u2019 O\u2019Connor added. <\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men\u2019s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.<\/p>\n

During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.<\/p>\n

Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running \u2013 he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark\u2026<\/p>\n

You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs<\/a> or on X @ryandabbs_<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n