Talking to Interview Magazine ahead of her hotly anticipated new album Confessions II, Madonna has revealed that her workout routine has changed significantly in the last year.
While movement remains an integral part of her life and she still works out regularly, Madonna told Interview that following years of dancing ‘in high heels and running on pavement and doing Ashtanga yoga’, she’s had to make some changes to continue moving well.
In fact, she said that after such intense workouts and performances over the years, one of her knees has ‘no cartilage in it’.
‘Up until a year ago, I was jumping on trampolines and doing dance cardio and doing a lot of what a doctor would call loading on my joints,’ she shared. ‘[I] can’t do that anymore.’
Madonna’s current workout routine
So, what does her routine look like now?
‘Now I do Peloton bikes and the VersaClimber and high-intensity circuit training. I ride my bike outside a lot. I dance,’ Madonna revealed to Interview.
And the science suggests her diverse approach is incredibly effective for longevity.
Cycling benefits
Research shows that both indoor and outdoor cycling are hugely beneficial to health, particularly for women in midlife and beyond thanks to the positive effects on aerobic fitness, full-body strength and general mobility, posture and coordination.
One study published in the British Medical Journal found that regular cycling was associated with a 41% lower risk of dying from any cause, a 45% lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
VersaClimber benefits
As for the VersaClimber, personal trainer Michael Baah recently told us all about the machine’s benefits and why he often uses it with clients.
‘It burns significantly more calories per minute than a treadmill at the same perceived effort, but the movement is low-impact, so your joints are not taking a pounding while that happens,’ Baah explained. ‘You also finish standing tall rather than hunched – after years of seeing clients improve their posture from this machine alone, that is not a small thing.’
High-intensity circuit training benefits
While we don’t know exactly what Madonna’s circuits look like, performing bursts of high-intensity exercise is vital for heart health, with research suggesting that it can improve cardiovascular fitness while supporting sustainable fat loss (if that is the goal) without sacrificing muscle.
Dancing benefits
Dancing has always been a huge part of Madonna’s life and performances. She studied ballet as a teenager before later working as a professional dancer.
People often forget that dancing very much counts as exercise, with one study finding it to be an enjoyable way to improve body composition.
There’s also the important feel-good factor, too. Another recent study found that – perhaps unsurprisingly – attending electronic dance events improved both mental and physical wellbeing, with participants describing dance as a way to relieve stress and find emotional support.
Madonna also revealed that her new album was curated ‘based on how much it made me move. And how I felt’.
‘[It’s] an hour and five minutes. And that’s how long my workout is. It’s perfect.’
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Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women’s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner’s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She’s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.