Preparing for the Eras Tour wasn’t just about rehearsing vocals or perfecting choreography for Taylor Swift, it demanded an intense physical transformation. The global tour, which became one of the biggest
live music events in history, pushed the pop star to new physical limits, something she openly addresses in “The End of an Era,” a six-part Disney+ docuseries.
“I’ve never worked out this much in my life, it’s horrible,” Swift admitted candidly. Yet, the exhaustion was part of the price she paid to deliver a show unlike anything she had attempted before.
A three-and-a-half-hour marathon on stage
At 36, Swift undertook her longest and most demanding tour to date, performing a three-and-a-half-hour set every night, a significant jump from her earlier two-hour performances. “I never would’ve believed you if you told me we were doing a three-and-a-half-hour show,” she said. “Saying it is one thing, doing it is another.”
The Eras Tour spans more than 40 songs per show and celebrates every phase of her career, with distinct segments dedicated to each album. According to Swift, genres like 1989 and reputation require particularly intense movement. “1989 and reputation is high cardio,” she noted, adding that navigating a massive stage stretching across NFL stadiums made every performance physically demanding.
Cardio training that mimicked the show
Six months before rehearsals began, Swift began building endurance in a very specific way. “Six months ahead of my first rehearsal, [I was] running on the treadmill every day to the tempo of the songs I was playing while singing them out loud,” she said. “You don’t want them to see you panting.”
She adjusted her pace based on the song tempo, sprinting for upbeat tracks and easing into walks or light jogs for slower numbers. Over the course of one show, Swift estimates she covers nearly eight miles.
Strength training behind the scenes
While Swift managed her cardio independently, she worked closely with longtime trainer Kirk Myers on strength and conditioning. Episode 3 of the docuseries offers fans a look inside Myers’ gym, where Swift tackles battle ropes, leg raises, weighted twists, crunches and sledgehammer exercises.
She also worked on assisted pull-ups, an exercise she openly dislikes.
“In no way do I ever apply this … at any point in the show, I just want to flag that as I do every time I have to do pull-ups,” she said. “Strong dislike. Two thumbs down.” Despite her protests, Myers insists the exercise paid off. “You have gotten stronger on those throughout the years,” he told her.
Built for stamina, Not just strength
Pull-ups helped improve Swift’s posture, endurance and grip strength, essential for playing guitar nightly. Though her hands cramped during a cold Edinburgh show, the incident highlighted just how physically demanding the tour was.
