Whenever singer Lewis Brice looks at photos of himself onstage, he sees a fitter version of the young man he was in his 20s. Now approaching 44, he says he looks better than he did two decades ago—and his years of training show in his defined arms, chest, shoulders and core. He says he’s still close to having a six-pack.
“I feel like I’m in better shape now than I was then,” he says.
Today, the 40-something former high-school football and golf athlete, whose latest song, “Seein’ Things,” was released Oct. 16, keeps his routine simple enough to see plenty of ripped results, but flexible enough to ensure that his other responsibilities, songwriting, performing—and most important, daddy duties—are fulfilled as successfully as possible.
He tries to work out three or four days a week minimum, often getting up around 5 a.m. and getting to the gym before his wife and daughter are awake. When the gym’s not an option, he also has weights and a punching bag in his garage for at-home workouts.
“I found out that if I don’t get up before they get up, I’m just not gonna be able to get it in,” Brice says.
The training, he says, helps him maintain the stamina for his high-energy shows, but his motivation goes well beyond stage performance. With his daughter now 2 years old, Brice says he needs to stay strong to stay strong and fit while she grows up—and when the inevitable day comes when guys come knocking on his door asking her out.
“I gotta stay in real good fighting shape at least another 20 years for all these little young rascals that are probably gonna be trying to take my daughter out on dates,” he says, laughing.
Brice’s dedication to staying fit for his family is just one of many examples of his commitment to fitness as he explained to CMP host Jeff Tomko. You can check out the entire Lewis Brice interview—as well as every other episode of the Country Muscle Podcast—on the Country Muscle YouTube Channel.
5 Takeaways from the Lewis Brice’s ‘CMP’ Appearance
1. Staying Fighter-Fit as He Nears 44
Brice’s reasons for staying fit have evolved. Looking good is still a bonus, but maintaining his stage stamina and staying strong for his daughter matter, too. As he approaches 44, he says his years of training have paid off: He believes he looks better now than he did in his 20s and is still close to having a six-pack.
“I see pictures of me now on stage as compared to when I was back when I was in my 20s, and I’m like, ‘Dude, I look way better now. Let’s go.’”
2. Deadlifts Before Dad Duty
With late-morning songwriting sessions in Nashville and a daughter who was nearly 2 at the time of the interview, Brice has learned that getting to the gym means waking up before the rest of the family. He tries to work out three or four days a week, often spending a couple of hours at the gym before heading home around 8 or 9 a.m. and taking on the day’s demands.
“I found out that if I don’t get up before they get up, I’m just not gonna be able to get it in,” Brice says. “I’m gonna get up around five or six in the morning, go to the gym about six, and be back home by eight o’clock.”
3. A Muscle-Building, Mood-Boosting Morning Ritual
Training serves a dual purpose for Brice. Staying fit after 40 is a bonus, but the gym also helps him manage the demands of fatherhood and life as a singer-songwriter and performer. His wife can tell when he’s gone a few days without a workout: he says he gets a little more irritable.
“The gym is definitely a saving grace for me,” he says. “My wife could tell if I don’t go to the gym in like three or four days. You could tell I get a little more testy if I ain’t been to the gym.”
4. Work Out Hard, Rock the Stage Even Harder
High-energy performances take conditioning. Brice needs the stamina to move across the stage, guitar in hand, and sing song after song without running out of breath. That’s why he builds cardio into his routine, whether he’s running on the treadmill, working the heavy bag in his home gym or warming up before a show.
“I have a pretty high-energy show, so I’ve got to keep my cardio up, just so I can breathe on stage,” he says. “I’ll probably run a couple miles or a mile or so before I start my set.”
5. Eating Smarter to Stay Stronger—for Longer
Brice’s approach to nutrition centers on cooking at home and setting a good example for his daughter. His go-to meals include grilled chicken, steak and vegetables such as green beans and asparagus. He also swears by his air fryer, especially for making chicken wings.
He admits that late-night cookies and milk can be hard to resist, but he generally aims for balanced meals and plenty of protein.
“Whenever I cook the meals for the wife and my kid, we generally have, like, some grilled chicken, green beans,” he says. “Every once in a while, we’ll throw a little pasta in there, because my wife likes pasta, but I don’t eat all the noodles, so I just eat most of the protein.”