Taylor Swift’s concerts aren’t just musical extravaganzas – they are experiences for a lifetime. Song, dance, and theatrics come together on stage for a couple of hours, making you forget that the rest of the world and your responsibilities exist. Swift belts out her iconic tunes with the energy and enthusiasm of an energy drink-powered racehorse, running from one corner of the dais to another and engaging the audience in an enthralling performance they would likely not forget for years to come. The Eras Tour film captured the multi-national saga over several months in 2022, and the recently released docuseries, now streaming on JioHotstar, gives us a sneak peek into the behind-the-scenes of the Tour.

In the documentary, Swift explained that her longest performance before the Tour was about “2 hours and 15 minutes”.  “I never would’ve believed you if you’d told me we’d be doing a 3.5-hour show,” she shared.

Walking us through her training regimen during the months leading up to the shows, she said, “I’ve never worked out this much in my life, it’s horrible. I really had to up my game in terms of physical training. Six months ahead of my first rehearsal, running on the treadmill every single day at the tempo of the songs that I was playing while singing them out loud. Anything’s hard when you’re scaling the entire length of an NFL stadium. I think I run like eight miles in this show.”

The pop star revealed that working on a strong core and improving her cardiovascular fitness was necessary to be able to sing, dance and move without feeling winded easily. “You don’t want them to see you panting,” Swift shared in the third episode of her docuseries. In the remaining episodes, we see her do sit-ups with medicine ball throws, hanging knee raises, Russian twists, plank-to-pike, reverse crunches, and bicycle crunches with ankle weights.

Swift prioritises cardiovascular fitness and core strength. (Source: Instagram/@sofistadium)

Why is cardiovascular fitness necessary?

Utsav Agrawal, fitness coach, FITTR, shared that activities like brisk walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming and dancing are all examples of cardio exercises.

“Cardio strengthens your heart, enhancing its ability to pump blood efficiently and effectively. Regular cardio exercise can lower your resting heart rate and blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes and high cholesterol,” he told indianexpress.com.

According to Agrawal, consistent cardio workouts gradually improve your lung capacity, allowing you to take in more oxygen and distribute it throughout your body. This increased endurance enables you to engage in daily activities with less fatigue and enjoy physical activities for longer durations.

Cardio also stimulates the release of endorphins, often referred to as “feel-good” hormones. These natural mood enhancers help reduce stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression. He added that regular cardio exercise can positively impact mental health, promoting a sense of well-being.

If you have any underlying health conditions or concerns, Agrawal advised consulting your healthcare provider before beginning a cardio program. “Using the correct form and technique while performing cardio exercises is crucial to minimise the risk of injury. If you’re unsure about the proper execution, consider working with a qualified fitness professional,” he added.