Jon Pardi keeps delivering knockout performances without ever throwing a punch.
The country music powerhouse is no fighter, but hitting every note for 20-plus songs in front of sold-out audiences who are singing right along has earned the singer the right to add a little championship style swagger to his step.
Staying stage-ready takes more than a gifted set of pipes and the ability to write No. 1 hits—as the multi-platinum-selling artist is proving. Approaching his training with UFC-level ferocity has been key to Pardi’s onstage success as he nears 40. He rarely takes a training day off, no matter where he’s performing. Whether pushing through a grueling HIIT session with his trainer at home or finding a gym when the Honkytonk Hollywood Tour stops in places like Prescott Valley, AZ, staying fit is non-negotiable—especially when his fans are all prepped for another round of “Pardi time.”
“When people are at your fingertips and we’re all there together having a great time, it’s something special,” he explains. “You can’t get that in the gym, brother.”
Today, Jon Pardi’s fitness routine centers on weights and conditioning, though he still hopes to add boxing one day. “My goal is to at least fit jump rope into the workouts,” he says. On his latest tour, he stepped into the role of athlete, teaming up with MMA star Michael Chandler for a Rocky-style motivational promo to boost his Honkytonk Hollywood tour. “He’s the fittest guy I’ve ever met in the world,” Pardi says. “That guy works out hard.”
While Pardi may not match Chandler’s energy in the Octagon, staying in shape has helped him maintain a demanding schedule. Recently, he headlined shows in Australia before hitting America’s roads in support of his latest 18-track album, Honkytonk Hollywood. Fans still flock to classics like 2015’s “Head Over Boots,” which is nearing half a billion streams, while eagerly embracing new hits like “Friday Night Heartbreaker,” already creating buzz on Spotify and SiriusXM.
His newest album represents a significant workload, though Pardi jokes that 18 songs is a light load compared to some country music peers. “Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan don’t help,” he laughs. “They’re releasing like 37 songs a record, which I think is crazy. For me, 18 is good.”
Looking good is important to Pardi as he approaches 40. At this point, it’s not about making the cover of a fitness magazine, instead leaving a few buttons undone on his signature Wrangler shirt is the goal now. “I have to look good in clothes,” he says. “I don’t have to take my shirt off if I don’t want to. But when you’re touring, you’ve got to look good fitted.”
Another key to making 2025 an exceptional year has been his decision to give up alcohol. The extra rest he now prioritizes prior to and after showtime has become a health and longevity game changer.
“The bus is the best place,” he says. “You just go there, chill out, hang with the band. When the engine goes on, you go to bed to the sounds of the humble highway.”
Never an Excuse to Skip a Workout
Whether the band is rolling into Pittsburgh or Idaho Falls, every tour stop has its own unique feel. But over two decades, Jon Pardi has spotted a couple of cross-country constants. “I swear every small town has a Planet Fitness and a Dollar General,” he jokes. For an artist boasting 11 million monthly listeners worldwide, a $25-a-month Planet Fitness Black Card might be his smartest investment, especially when he needs to get a workout in a new town. “They’re everywhere, and I at least know what I’ve got wherever I go,” he says. “There are some crappy gyms out there, though.”
At Planet Fitness, there’s no skipping leg day for Pardi. But as a backup, he keeps a compact home gym right on the bus—decked out with dumbbells, kettlebells, slam balls, and his must-have ab wheel. “That’s a must,” he admits. “It’s a great upper-body workout for me.”
Maintaining strength and mobility while touring means adapting workouts to fit road life without sacrificing intensity. Pardi often leans into bodyweight exercises that can be done anywhere, crafting a routine as versatile and effective as his high-energy shows.
“It’s very athletic to perform,” he says. “I dance and move around a lot, and you’re pushing, inhaling. Sometimes singing feels like being out of breath all the time. A core workout is so important for performing. Even yoga is great.”
Yoga has taken a backseat lately due to limited free time and fatherhood duties. When he’s at home, Pardi works with a personal trainer focusing on fundamental moves like squats, lunges, push-ups, and pull-ups. At 6’4” and dealing with some lingering back pain, he’s given up heavy back squats but always finds ways to work his lower body hard. “I don’t need to be putting up 400 pounds on the squat rack—but you’ve got to work your legs out.”
Though he enjoys boxing, opportunities to practice are rare. One day, he hopes to find the nerve to add jump roping to his routine. “That’s a great way to bring in cardio while you’re resting,” he says. “People forget about the jump rope and all these old-school workouts. Those old-school dudes were tough for a reason.”
Jon Pardi Channeled His Inner Michael Chandler
Headlining a concert is an adrenaline rush from intro to encore, and Jon Pardi clearly relishes every moment on his 32-city Honkytonk Hollywood Tour. You won’t catch him taking a break during his extensive setlist—that would be a disservice to the legions of fans who helped him climb to the top of the charts with platinum hits like “California Sunrise” and “Dirt on My Boots.” That’s why staying energized is crucial.
“You get in there, grab some Red Bull, go get some energy,” he says. “You hit a high you can’t get anywhere else. Your adrenaline kicks in, endorphins flood you, and you’re giving it your all.”
Pardi’s two-plus-hour shows go beyond music, dancing, and fan interaction—there’s fireworks and pyrotechnics, too. To promote the tour over the winter, Pardi teamed up with UFC star and fellow Nashville native Michael Chandler to combine the theatrics of pyrotechnics with the intensity of an MMA workout. The results were hilariously spectacular.
“I had an idea to do working out with pyro,” he explains. “Like, we’d do some curls, hit the bench, squat, then boom! Some pyro. Then it turned into getting Michael Chandler as my trainer. He’s in your face and shirtless. The contrast between me, the band, and Michael is way different when he’s got his shirt off.”
Decked out in an old-school gray sweatsuit, Pardi powered through the simulated workout. “It really gave it that comedy feel. Then we all got trained up and ended it with some pyro.”
While the video offered an entertaining glimpse into Pardi’s training routine, his interaction with Chandler created memorable moments. “Michael couldn’t have been a better sport—really getting it and just having fun. It turned out great.”
Sleep for Maximum Performance
Today’s tour bus may be a fancier upgrade from the old van Jon Pardi and his bandmates relied on before his first studio album, Write You A Song, dropped in 2014. The grind of creating new music and performing night after night, however, never gets easier. It may be even more taxing on a body that’s pushing 40, but Pardi is nowhere near the end of the road. In fact, embracing the struggle is a musician’s badge of honor.
“I’m used to it now,” he admits. “It wears on you, but what are you gonna do, complain? No—you get back on the bus, get back on stage, and you do it.”
Fitness wasn’t always a priority for Pardi. He admits that during the early years, he rarely set foot in a gym. But a successful career, along with a wife and two young daughters, reshaped his health priorities. “Fitness and health in the van days were in a bottle of Jack Daniels—that was your go power,” he laughs. “Back then you didn’t need to work out. You could eat whatever you wanted. But playing shows did burn calories. Looking back, you’re a different animal in your 20s than you are now.”
Since quitting drinking in 2023, Pardi has enjoyed the mental clarity it brings to his performances, songwriting, and training—though he admits he misses the fun times a bit. “There’ve been so many great hangover songwriting days, you know, but there’s definitely clearness now.”
Now, for Pardi, rest and quiet time have become his healthy addictions on the road. He’s noticed how much of a difference a sober, well-rested version of himself makes onstage—especially during grueling back-to-back shows like those on his Australian tour.
“By the end of the third show, you get a little squeaky,” he says. “You’re giving everything you’ve got for the last song. You’re trying to stay focused, push through, sweating buckets, but it’s the crowd lifting you up.”
Before showtime, after finalizing setlist strategy with the band, Pardi heads back to the bus to unwind. He knows sleep and recuperation are essential to delivering the high-energy performances fans expect night after night. “I’d say at least three hours before the show, just be quiet. That’s what every vocal doctor would recommend.”
