- Bruce Springsteen’s new documentary offers some fresh insight into how he manages to stay in shape.
- He follows up concerts with morning gym sessions, one of his band members said.
- Springsteen has previously said he prioritizes his diet.
“Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band” premiered on Hulu and Disney+ on Friday.
It gives fans of the musician, who attended a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris this week, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the tour and the star’s routine — including his fitness regime.
Here’s how he stays in shape.
Morning gym sessions after concerts
“I would catch Bruce in the gym the morning after our show day,” said Anthony Almonte, Springsteen’s 32-year-old percussionist and backup vocalist.
“This guy gives out three hours of concert, and the next morning, he’s in the gym,” he continued, adding that it was “pretty impressive.”
Almonte said that Springsteen was also pleased to see him getting into the gym: “I walked in and he was like, ‘That’s how I like to see my guys, in the gym, ready to go!'”
And such dedication may have helped the band defy expectations about their sound, helping them recreate the energetic performances they became known for.
“People would expect musicians in their 70s to play that loping thing, which is unfortunate,” E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, 73, said in the documentary.
“We had to recall some of that manic, out-of-control way we played 50 years ago. Really get back to where we were,” he added.
Springsteen prioritizes his diet
Springsteen has previously opened up on other health habits he has built into his lifestyle.
In a conversation with country star Tim McGraw for Apple Music in 2021, Springsteen said he lifted weights to “stay toned” and would sometimes use a treadmill to walk.
But the “biggest thing” for him, he said, was “diet, diet, diet.”
“I don’t eat too much, and I don’t eat bad food, except for every once in a while when I want to have some fun for myself,” he said.
“So I think anybody that’s trying to get in shape, exercise is always important of course, but diet is 90% of the game,” he added.
More recently, Springsteen told The Times of London that he followed the OMAD diet — eating one meal a day.
“I’ll have a bit of fruit in the morning and then I’ll have dinner. That has kept me lean and mean,” he told the outlet.
A representative for Springsteen did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Following a screening for the new documentary in London last week, which Business Insider attended, Springsteen said paying his band “a tremendous amount of money” had been another key to their longevity.
“I pay them a tremendous amount of money. That greases the wheels pretty good,” he said at the event. “And then I’m a pretty nice boss. The truth is you need to cast your band well.”
“If you get the art right, the music right, and the band right, you go out and play every night like it’s your last night on Earth. That was the serial philosophy of the band, and we’re sticking to it,” he added.
Springsteen has won 20 Grammy Awards and sold more than 140 million records worldwide over the course of his career.
Forbes has estimated his net worth to be $1.2 billion.
