When singer-songwriter Charlie Puth trains, it’s less about biceps than tapping into his creativity. Here’s how he hits the right pitch
6AM WITH... CHARLIE PUTH
It’s another warm, sunny day in Los Angeles, and Charlie Puth is getting to work. No, he’s not creating the melody for his next chart-topping song (at least not yet). Puth is pushing a weighted sled across the length of a tennis court, the earlymorning sun beating down on his lean body every step.
For the 31-year-old singersongwriter – who’s worked with artists such as Wiz Khalifa, Trey Songz, CeeLo Green and Elton John – training isn’t just about staying fit; it’s part of his creative process. Six days a week, Puth exercises for two hours before heading into the studio.
His main goal isn’t to build his biceps or back – instead, he moves his body to jump-start his mind. ‘I may have spent six hours in front of the computer the night before,’ says Puth, ‘but then I go for a 20-minute run the next day and I suddenly have more headroom. More melodies pop up.’ Beyond brain-clearing cardio, Puth devotes a good chunk of his morning routine to working on strength, mobility and corrective exercises – to counteract all the time he spends behind a piano – with PT Jordan Feramisco.
After Puth steps away from the sled, he wipes the sweat from his forehead and Feramisco hands him a medicine ball. He does a few rounds of slams, firing up his core and shoulders as he hoists the ball overhead, then throws it down.
These workouts are a level up from his normal routine. He’s building the functional muscle and endurance necessary for touring with the ‘Charlie’ Live Experience, which will take him around the world this year. ‘Before I go on tour, I want to be lighter on my feet, especially since the shows coming up require me to be slightly acrobatic,’ says Puth. Plus, he needs to satiate the thirst of his more than 17m Instagram followers with the occasional topless shot.
That means more highintensity circuits and cardio sessions. Feramisco is already pushing him to work faster while integrating strength moves for the muscles he says will really ‘pop’ onstage – namely biceps, triceps, forearms, abs and legs. Feramisco is also mindful to incorporate plenty of core work to support Puth’s entire body and keep him pain-free during non-stop travel. Right now, Puth is ready to challenge his body. He walks to a sandy volleyball court and Feramisco ties a 38kg dumbbell to a 50ft battle rope. Puth grasps the other end and drags the rope towards him, a gruelling test of lats, forearm
