
Rod Stewart's unusual 'brick into the pool' workout helps keep him fit at 80
Despite joking that it takes "lots of women, drugs and wine" to keep up with his busy performing schedule now that he's 80 years old, Rod Stewart has traded many of his rock 'n' roll vices for healthier habits.
The "Maggie May" singer told AARP about how he stays fit entering his ninth decade: "Lots of women, drugs and wine. No, I keep myself very fit," he said. "I played soccer all my life – don't so much anymore, because I had a knee replacement. And I've always had a trainer – same guy for 38 years."
Stewart, who turned 80 in January, explained he has an indoor pool, "massive" gym and golf course at his disposal.
"We 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," Stewart said.
He added that Frank Sinatra – who thought he always had a sore throat because of his gravelly voice – told him: "Rod, the secret to being a great singer is having powerful lungs. Do lots of underwater swimming, where you hold your breath."
Aside from swimming, Stewart is also taking a page from Usain Bolt and doing 100-meter sprints on his private track.
"I got it down to 19 seconds by learning how to push off," the "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" singer told AARP, the Magazine, where he appears on the cover of their June/July issue. "I'm going to try and do 17 seconds, which I think is a world record for an 80-year-old."
In 2023, Stewart told People magazine that his underwater workouts had been designed for the British Special Air Service (SAS).
"You have a big rubber brick, and you've got to swim the length of the pool and push it the length of the pool, on the bottom of the pool," he told the magazine at the time. "It's really wonderful. Well, sometimes it's not wonderful because I don't want to do it, but I'd say it's fun."
He added that in between shows, he makes sure he works out at least four days a week, which can include running, swimming or soccer.
He told AARP: "Speaking of touring, one thing I'd like to clear up. Critics say, 'Rod was great, but he had to take a rest.' Drives me mad! When I do concerts, I change costumes, mainly because I like to show off, but also because I sweat a lot. I'm not resting."
He pointed out that Taylor Swift goes offstage around a dozen times per show, "but they don't say that about her because she's young."
To prepare for shows these days, Stewart said voice rest is important.
"If you feel your voice getting husky, don't talk for eight hours, and the response is amazing," he said. "I drink tons and tons of water. And on tour, don't go to restaurants where you have to shout."
He said he gets to the venue two hours before a show and his trainer gives him a massage.
"Then I'll do my vocal warm-up, which takes half an hour, and ride a stationary bike to pump my legs up," he added. "I do like to have a drink before I go on, I admit that. One rum and Coke. Can't remember the last time I got drunk. And the drugs are long gone."
The "Forever Young" singer was, however, forced to cancel several concerts last week.
On Saturday, Stewart canceled his next six performances due to an ongoing battle with the flu."So sorry, my friends. I'm devastated and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to my fans," he wrote on his social media.
He additionally announced the cancellation of two other concerts at his Las Vegas residency while he was on the mend.
"I'm awfully sorry to have to cancel my show June 5th at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace," Stewart wrote on his Instagram on Wednesday. "My doctor ordered a bit more rest while I recover from the flu. Thanks for your love and understanding."
He also previously canceled a performance at the residency, hours before he was set to take the stage, telling fans: "I am sorry to inform you that I'm not feeling well and my show tonight at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace is being rescheduled to June 10. Your tickets will be valid for the new date."
Stewart revealed late last year he was taking a step back from the stage.
"This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me, but I have no desire to retire," he said in a statement on social media. "I love what I do, and I do what I love."
He added, "I'm fit, have a full head of hair, and can run 100 meters in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79."
His residency will continue in Las Vegas until the beginning of October.
Last month, he also appeared at the American Music Awards, where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award, which he said he was "honored" to receive.
Stewart also celebrated his 80th birthday in style this year.
"We hired a massive yacht," he told AARP. "Cost me an absolute fortune. I don't mind – you're only 80 once. I've got eight kids and five grandchildren, plus various boyfriends and husbands, so there were 15 of us. We had three chefs. The boat was so big that I didn't even see some of it. We dressed up every night, with a different theme. One night, they all dressed up as Rod Stewart and didn't tell me. My dear wife brought wigs for everybody and some of my old outfits. It was a wonderful time."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Times
44 minutes ago
- New York Times
Brian Wilson: A Life in Pictures
Wilson (left) with Dr. Eugene Landy. Landy was a psychotherapist who helped Wilson in his recovery from drug abuse, and then became a dominant presence in his life before being blocked from contacting Wilson after an intervention by the musician's family. Credit... Ebet Roberts/Redferns, via Getty Images

Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyer makes his ex-girlfriend read loving texts until she cries
NEW YORK (AP) — A defense lawyer for hip-hop entrepreneur Sean 'Diddy' Combs had his ex-girlfriend read aloud a slew of loving text messages she'd sent him over the past few years until she broke down in tears Wednesday on the witness stand. The second day of cross-examination by attorney Teny Geragos seemed aimed at supporting the defense position that the woman, who testified under the pseudonym 'Jane,' was a willing participant in the sometimes-weekly sex with male sex workers that Combs directed and watched for hours. Geragos and Jane read aloud dozens of text messages exchanged during a relationship that stretched from 2021 until Combs was arrested last September. At one point, Jane read a text saying she had 'never had a man take care of me like you do' and professing her unending love for the entertainment icon — before Jane stopped reading and began sniffling, then dabbed tears from her eyes with a tissue. After prosecutors objected and requested a sidebar conversation with the judge away from the jury, Jane sat slumped in the witness chair, hair hanging over one side of her face. At the defense table, Combs was quietly reading from one of the TV monitors in front of him. It was the fifth day of testimony for Jane, who has said she still loves Combs. She previously discussed gaining insight into her relationship with Combs after three months of therapy. Jane also said she never wanted to have sex with any man except Combs but did so to please him. At other points on Wednesday, Geragos elicited from Jane that she frequently became angry at Combs and wanted to end their relationship because she got upset that he was treating other girlfriends better. In one instance, Jane acknowledged, the Bad Boy Records founder even bought another girlfriend jewelry that was a matching set to jewelry he had given Jane. Prosecutors say they charged Combs with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy because he used threats, drugs and violence to force women into unwelcome sexual experiences and used his employees and associates to help him get what he wanted. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison. The testimony Wednesday came during a shortened day in the courtroom that began in the afternoon. Geragos said she expected to finish her cross-examination Thursday morning. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, who is leading the prosecution, said the government expects to rest its case as early as next Wednesday. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo would not outline what will occur when the defense gets its turn to call witnesses, saying that will depend on which witnesses the government still calls to the stand, but he said he was confident the trial will end by July Fourth.


Fast Company
an hour ago
- Fast Company
Gavin Newsom is having his social media moment
'Fuck around' and 'find out,' read a TikTok post, following a screenshot announcing that California is suing President Donald Trump for deploying the National Guard to the streets of Los Angeles. But the TikTok wasn't shared by a typical meme account—it came from California Governor Gavin Newsom. 'I damn near fell over when I realized this was Gov. Newsom's page,' one user commented. Since Friday, demonstrations have erupted across Los Angeles in protest of the president's immigration policies and the ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. Although many of the demonstrations have remained peaceful, there have been violent incidents including authorities deploying tear gas and rubber bullets, and protestors setting Waymo vehicles ablaze throughout the city. As tensions escalated, the Trump administration deployed the National Guard and Marines—despite objections from local officials—sparking a lawsuit from the state, threats of arrest against Governor Newsom, and a surge of defiant memes. 'And remember kids, the next time anybody tells you 'the government wouldn't do that', oh yes they would,' says the popular TikTok sound used on Newsom's official account video, playing over screenshots of news headlines and images of armed forces confronting demonstrators. In another viral video from the governor's page, which amassed over 5.4 million views, Taylor Swift's 'You Need To Calm Down' plays over a series of photos of the two politicians. 'r u ok?' the post asks, with a caption reading: 'America's keyboard warrior.' Newsom's clapback drew widespread praise in the comments. 'I do disagree with Newsom a lot but him standing up to tyranny and standing with your state takes some serious guts. Hats off to you Newsom,' wrote one user. He's also taken to his personal account to deliver meme-laced messages to Trump—one featuring a photoshopped image of the president wearing a crown, captioned 'send in the troops.' The slideshow ends with a shot from the musical Hamilton, with text reading: 'Democracy is under assault right before our eyes. It's time for all of us to stand up.' The online showdown has significantly boosted Newsom's social media presence, growing his personal TikTok account by approximately 397,000 followers and his official Governor account by 479,000 since Friday. Newsom is the latest in a growing number of politicians leveraging memes and social media to bypass traditional media and speak directly to the public through humor. Famously, Kamala Harris gained momentum during her presidential campaign with ' Brat summer ' and the coconut tree trend, while Joe Biden leaned into the viral ' Dark Brandon ' meme during his reelection campaign. Although meme strategies can generate enthusiasm and visibility, the 2024 election results suggest that online popularity doesn't always translate at the polls.