It’s more than a little ironic that rock and roll – a business ostensibly built on the maxim of “live fast and die young” – has produced so many vibrant octogenarians. There’s Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, both 81; Paul McCartney, the Velvet Underground’s John Cale, and Beach Boy Brian Wilson, all 82; Bob Dylan, 83; and Ringo Starr, 84, to name a few. As well, The Who’s Roger Daltrey, The Kinks’ Ray Davies, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, and Yes’ Jon Anderson will all fête 81 this year; Pete Townshend hits 80 in May.
Meanwhile, on Jan. 10, Sir Roderick David Stewart CBE, a.k.a. Rod Stewart, joins the octogenarian club, not that you’d ever know just by looking. As seemingly fit now as in his Do Ya Think I’m Sexy disco period – and arguably even more dapper than when he was growling alongside the Jeff Beck Group and Faces in the late-1960s and early 70s – Stewart today is what we all hope to be at any time of life: fit, funny, and at the top of his game while doing what he loves most.
Indeed, this summer, Stewart will play the Sunday teatime legend slot at the 2025 Glastonbury Festival, his first performance there since headlining the Pyramid Stage in 2002. “I’m proud, ready and more than able to pleasure and titillate my friends at Glastonbury in June,” the legendary British singer-songwriter, and ace performer pithily offers in a statement on his website.
As the saying goes though, it’s all maintenance after 40. Stewart has been candid about the work he puts in to maintain his lithe physique. And while there isn’t magic to his methods, his robust health offers further proof, should it be needed, that tried-and-true approaches to well-being really do work best – at least for our man, who boasts an astonishing 250 million records and singles sold worldwide, including last year’s Swing Fever album with pianist-composer Jools Holland, which topped the charts in the U.K.
So, what’s his strategy? Here are five longevity tips we gleaned from the legendary rocker.
Finding a Sport You Love is a Game-Changer
Stewart has always been an avid soccer fan, as both spectator and player. Not only has the sport kept him fit, it has also, on many occasions, kept him out of potential trouble with drink, drugs, and whatever else might tempt a world-famous rock star in the wee hours of the night.
As he revealed in a June 2023 interview with Virgin Radio U.K., when his musical cohorts were partying heartily, Stewart took a polite pass and called it a night. “I put it down to the fact that I’ve played football all my life. So even in the heydays of rock and roll, I was always like, ‘That’s enough for me. Gotta go home now and play on Sunday morning.’” Savvy, that.
Regular Exercise is Non-Negotiable
“I work out extensively,” Stewart told People in mid-2023 before his relocation back to the U.K. after decades living in Los Angeles. “I’m generally very fit. I’ve played soccer all my life, and I don’t smoke. I’m so bloody fit, you won’t believe it.”
His regimen is varied. Stewart also confirmed to People that he works out four days a week, either running, swimming or playing soccer. In the pool, Stewart does underwater training inspired by a program used by the British Special Air Service.
“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 says. “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.”
In his interview with Virgin Radio U.K., Stewart also stressed the importance of taking care of the lower quadrant. “You’ve got to keep fit if you want to stay in this business … keep your legs strong. I build up muscle in my legs two or three times a week as well. Legs and hips [are things] you got to look after.”
Regular Medical Checkups Are Essential
Stewart has twice beaten cancer. In 2000, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer but, as noted on the Oral Cancer Foundation website, “early detection made all the difference” and he fully recovered from treatment. Nearly two decades later, Stewart revealed that he had been successfully treated for prostate cancer. Regular medical checkups and vigilant monitoring of changes in one’s body are the key takeaways here.
Stewart’s gratitude at beating cancer can be measured in the fundraising he has done for the City of Hope cancer treatment centre in California – notably on behalf of children managing the disease.
“To see small children dying of cancer with absolutely no hope, I think, ‘God, I’m one of the lucky ones,’” the father of eight and grandfather of three is quoted as saying by the Oral Cancer Foundation. “[God] must have given me a second chance, and there’s something I’ve got to do with the rest of my life.”
If You Can Swing It, Consult Pros
Granted, not everyone can afford a personal trainer like Rod Stewart, who has worked with fitness instructor Gary O’Connor for decades. But if you can – or your gym offers access to trained, on-site pros – you’re likely to find yourself motivated and uniquely challenged at all stages of fitness.
As O’Connor told England’s Express, “You have to look at what’s attainable, what is repeatable … and it’s got to be relevant to your lifestyle.”
Instructors at most yoga and Pilates studios offer detailed guidance to those hoping to achieve specific goals or work on areas of weakness or discomfort. Ask questions, be open to suggestions and remember to go to class even when it’s raining or you’re tired. Think of exercise as deposits in the health bank that are available for future withdrawal when needed.
Cultivate Joy Wherever You Find It
He’s rich, world-famous, and wildly acclaimed, but family still gives Stewart the biggest thrill. In the People interview, he says nothing rivals spending time with wife Penny Lancaster, 53, and the kids. “[I love] seeing my children grow up, and I have to be a different father to each of them because they’re all such radically different ages. I love what I do for a living, and I love my wife. I am truly blessed. That’s all I can say.”
RELATED:
Paul McCartney at 80: 5 Lessons About Longevity and Living Well From the Former Beatle’s Life
Mick Jagger at 80: What We Can Learn About Longevity From the Legendary Rolling Stones Frontman
