Taylor Swift's intense workout routine that keeps her in shape for three-hour concerts

Taylor Swift is performing on her Eras Tour, which sees her sing for three-and-a-half hours and dance around in high-heeled boots - and it turns out the singer is an athlete

Fans and experts alike are left in awe at Taylor Swift's stamina during her Eras Tour performances, where she effortlessly delivers a three-and-a-half-hour set, complete with numerous costume changes and intricate choreography, all while rocking sparkly high-heeled boots. "She's an athlete," says Kelsey Barnes, a pop culture expert and journalist, to OK!. "Having seen the show seven times, I can't imagine having to do such a long show in those high-heeled boots, or the amount of training and choreography that's gone into the tour."

Showbiz and music PR Sacha Taylor-Cox is also impressed: "It's a mentality. If you want to be one of the biggest stars in the world, you make that investment because it's a lifestyle. I don't know her personal routine, but I would imagine she is working out every day, eating a healthy diet and is fully invested in committing to having the optimum physical health. It's athlete-level training. It's not a job." Taylor herself has spoken about the gruelling nature of her shows, saying, "I knew this tour was harder than anything I'd ever done before by a long shot. I wanted to play a show that was longer than they ever thought it would be, because that makes me feel good leaving the stadium."

The question on everyone's lips now is what kind of regime Taylor follows and who is on her team to help her maintain such peak performance levels? Topping her list of priorities: ditch the booze. She previously shared about ending tour life as a "frat guy" signalling a goodbye to the stereotypical rock 'n' roll tour antics. Next on the agenda: crank up the cardio. Taylor admitted, "Every day I would run on the treadmill, singing the entire set list out loud. Fast for fast songs, and a jog or a fast walk for slow songs."

It didn't take long for her devoted followers to start mimicking her regimen, broadcasting their attempts online – despite Runner's World magazine's estimation that she'd rack up approximately 16 miles just running through her set. Thirdly: pump some iron. The star began weightlifting and engaging in core exercises at the ritzy celeb-favourite gym Dogpound, which boasts locations in New York and LA and can set members back a cool £30,000 annually. Gym owner and trainer Kirk Myers personally oversaw Taylor's fitness regime. In an earlier this year interview with Vogue magazine, he verified that she trains with the "mindset of a professional athlete", noting that her intense workout plan "is really hard. Some people would probably throw up or have to lay down on the floor if they trained like her."

Before hitting the road, Taylor was a gym regular, sweating it out six days a week for up to two hours, focusing on strength, conditioning, and core. However, her workout routine took a backseat while she was touring. Her trainer Kirk revealed, "We would average two times a week. In-season training was more about maintenance, and so it was more like stability, mobility, biomechanics." He also shared his admiration for her resilience, saying, "Taylor is the most resilient person I have ever met. It's super inspiring to see her consistently overcome obstacles and become better and stronger in the end. This also translates into her training and throughout her workouts. I give her a difficult exercise or challenging workout... Not only is she able to complete and push through it – but she also perseveres, moving forward into the next exercise. This ultimately makes her stronger, better and faster."

And that strength was crucial. Despite most tour stops averaging three nights per city, Taylor's schedule was relentless. From 3-9 August 2023, she powered through six shows in seven days, followed by four consecutive nights in Mexico City later that month. February saw her take the stage 11 times across Asia-Pacific, with a gruelling six shows in eight days in Singapore. May, June, and July were just as packed, with hardly a moment's rest. Taylor Swift has opened up about the crucial role of rest and relaxation in her rigorous routine. In a candid chat last year, she dished out on her unwinding methods post-performances, saying, "I do not leave my bed except to get food and take it back to my bed and eat it there. It's a dream scenario. I can barely speak because I've been singing for three shows straight. Every time I take a step, my feet go crunch, crunch, crunch from dancing in heels."

She also shared some wellness tips, revealing, "I take L-theanine, which is a natural supplement to help with stress and anxiety. I also take magnesium for muscle health and energy." Beyond supplementation, Taylor admits she's got a bit of a sweet spot for treats like pumpkin bread and ginger molasses cookies – no doubt burning off any indulgence during her dynamic sets. When it comes to kicking back and feeling cosy, nothing beats staying in bed for Taylor, especially when she's apart from her beloved cats Meredith Gray, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button, and football-playing beau Travis Kelce. Recalling her younger years, Taylor reminisced about her wild 4 July bash traditions at Rhode Island, notably the viral photo-op with ex Tom Hiddleston decked out in an "I heart TS" tee.

However, amidst the Kimye drama and a forced lockdown in London due to the pandemic, Taylor Swift took a step back from the limelight, living a more secluded life for a while. Now, she's emerged from that phase, enjoying dinners with friends and publicly supporting her boyfriend at his games, a stark contrast to her private life with ex Joe Alwyn. Last September, during The Eras Tour, she found time to unwind with celebrity pals Blake Lively, Zoë Kravitz, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne and Ryan Reynolds at Emilio's Ballato in New York. Fast forward two months, and she was seen at BondST restaurant with a similar crowd, including Gigi, Cara, Selena Gomez and Brittany Mahomes.

This June, while on the UK leg of her tour, she enjoyed a dinner date at Casa Cruz in London with squad members Kate Moss, Lena Dunham, Stella McCartney, Andrew Scott and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. A true friend, she also attended Cara's performance in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Taylor is no stranger to London and the UK, having lived here with Joe, first in humble Crouch End and then in Primrose Hill. However, during this visit, it's believed she rented a cottage in the Cotswolds, near Soho Farmhouse - fitting, given her love for cottagecore!