I Worked Out Like 81-Year-Old Mick Jagger for a Week. Here’s What Happened.

Mick Jagger is 81 years old and on the Rolling Stones’ “Hackney Diamonds” tour. The shows run somewhere between two and two-and-a-half hours long. Jagger is running, gyrating, singing, and dancing at each one. I couldn’t help but notice that Jagger is in incredible shape—for a person at any age. How does he do it? And what would it feel like to work out like him?

How to Work Out Like Mick Jagger

Jagger has worked with the Norwegian personal trainer Torje Eike for many years, and online sources cite yoga, dancing, strength training, sprinting, and meditation as the types of workouts that Jagger tends to do five to six days each week.

Using these online sources—along with videos Jagger has shared and interviews he has given—I put together a five-day Jagger workout plan that incorporates each of his core fitness practices.

And then I tried it.

Day 1: 1 Hour of Vinyasa Yoga to Start the Day

I decided to start my Jagger week in my comfort zone with a form of physical activity we both seem to love: yoga. I practice vinyasa two to three times a week and have done so on and off for a decade.

Today’s class started with a dash of kismet, though. The instructor at my usual studio, Beloved Yoga, asked if anyone in the room was familiar with Rick Rubin. Surely she can’t be talking about the record producer, right? I thought to myself as I tentatively raised my hand. But Rick Rubin, the unparalleled American producer of albums ranging from The Beastie Boys’ 1984 License to Ill to Mick Jagger’s 1993 Wandering Spirit, was exactly who she was talking about. She used Rubin’s thoughts on creativity to ground that day’s practice, which ended up going pretty heavy on the chair poses if you ask me.

Mick, are you here with us in the room right now?

Day 2: Transcendental Meditation and Strength Training

I’m not going to lie; I was dreading the meditation component of Jagger’s routine. Any source online will tell you that meditation is one of his major habits. Except, and this is important, I have spent at least 15 of my 36 years on the planet very aware that meditation might help quiet my usually screaming mind. But I’ve always refused to do it because it sounds a little too quiet. And 15 minutes sounds like a very long time.

So, since I’m a meditation avoider and thus a total novice, I did some cursory research on Transcendental Meditation before I sat down to try it. From what I read, picking a mantra, one that consists of sounds vs. meanings, and repeating that mantra throughout the practice serves as step one. Step two is sitting for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day, choosing a comfortable position, and repeating the mantra until the end of the allotted time.

Obviously, I went for the 15-minute option. I chose the classic Sanskrit “Om” as my mantra and settled into a comfortable position in my office and guest room. As the minutes ticked by, I resisted the urge to check the remaining time on my phone and to focus on the meditation.

And, honestly, it was kind of great. The time passed much faster than I expected. I assumed I was around the five-minute mark when the timer went off to signal 15. Repeating the mantra made it easier to push out intrusive thoughts, and I felt myself settle into silence in a way that is usually pretty elusive to me. I think I might keep meditating even after my Jagger week.

Oh, I also did strength training on Day 2 because Jagger gets in a few good gym workouts each week, and weight training is already part of my regular routine. I performed bench presses, shoulder presses, tricep extensions, flys, concentration curls, medicine ball twists, incline bench with dumbbells, and kettlebell shrugs.

Not bad.

Day 3: 1+ Hour of Vinyasa and Sprints

Most places I looked online included a striking detail about Jagger’s purported regimen: in the past at least, he’s done sprints to keep in shape. A lifetime ago, I, too, regularly did 100-meter sprints, and I was actually very good at them. I was a high school soccer player who set the all-time scoring record for the sport at my high school because, in addition to a strong right foot, I was just really, really fast.

But then, close to 20 years elapsed, and I became a sedentary knowledge worker and had a baby. I can’t say sprinting is part of my week unless we’re talking about hustling behind my child after she darts toward the street in front of our house.

So sprinting hurt, and I went relatively easy on myself since it had been a while. I opted to do four 100-meter sprints with a ten-minute warmup consisting of a short jog, leg swings, and some stretching. I tried to be reasonable, too, and get some negative splits going by starting at around 70 percent of my already diminished sprinting capacity. I was huffing and puffing by the end, but I made it through, which was my singular goal for this exercise.

I should note that I also did an hour and 15 minutes of vinyasa yoga in the evening. I’m not sure if Mick Jagger combines workout types across his days, but I have to imagine that if he’s feeling up to it, he does.

Day 4: Dance Workout

No Jagger workout week could exist without at least one dance workout. (And in one 2024 interview with Reuters, Jagger said he does two dance workouts a week.) I kept it simple and found a 30-minute dance workout on YouTube, though I’m certain Jagger must be able to dance for much longer stretches.

Dancing isn’t at all part of my regular regimen, and it was hard. It required coordination and speed, and I had to keep my eyes on the screen to be able to follow the instructions with any semblance of proficiency. I think the cardio component of this workout is great, and I totally get why it makes sense for someone performing “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” on the regular, but I’m not sure I’d subject myself to this particular form of training again. My dancing is best saved for family wedding receptions.

Day 5: Strength Training

On my final day of Jagger Week, I repeated my strength training circuit from Day 2. This is my regular lifting routine, and it makes my arms and back feel strong and pliable. I figured I would end the Jagger week in my own comfort zone.

Should You Work Out Like Mick Jagger?

I spoke with Kristyn Gaines, a former Division 1 athlete, SoulCycle instructor, and certified personal trainer, to get her take on the workout plan I put together, as well as what she would suggest for anyone who really does want to get started working out like Jagger.

Gaines told me it would be best to ease into the Jagger-style workout if you’re a relatively sedentary person. She recommends working out two to three times per week for the first month, building up to four times per week in month two, and maxing out at five to six times per week in month three. “For the first month, I would suggest strength training two times per week and cardio once a week,” she says. “Strength training will help prevent injuries and will give your muscles the foundation to take on other activities, such as dance or yoga.”

If my week as Mick Jagger taught me anything, it’s that a diversified workout plan and a focus on mindfulness feel really good. If I were to habituate some of what I tested out this week—and move beyond the initial soreness—I think I would feel really balanced and strong.

And, as Gaines reminded me, the most important thing to remember when starting any routine is to take it easy on yourself. “Have patience in building a program that works best for you, but also patience in getting the results you are looking for, she says. “The best way to build a Jagger-style regimen would be over time, so patience is key.”

Ryleigh Nucilli is the former Director of Digital Content at National Geographic and the former Digital Managing Editor at Outside Online. Sturgill Simpson is her favorite musician, but she’s not sure what he does to stay in shape.