Take That will embark on eight weeks of intense preparations before hitting the road.
Frontman Gary Barlow already trains four to five days a week, mixing cardio, with weights and movement, and then he’ll have the addition of their “six to eight-week rehearsals”, which will see the trio – completed by Mark Owen, 51, and Howard Donald, 55 – practice their famous routines.
Asked how they prepare for tours these days, Gary, 52, told The Daily Mirror newspaper: “Move and get outside – that’s what my dad used to say. I’ve tried everything, I really have. I come from a generation that works out when we’re overweight, but I don’t think like that anymore.
“We set aside six to eight weeks before the tour starts for rehearsals – that is our workout for what’s coming.”
Gary famously lost five stone after reaching 16 stone after the band split in 1996 through overhauling his lifestyle.
The ‘Shine’ hitmaker, who swears by taking ice baths, insists he works out regularly for how good it makes him feel mentally, not for weight loss.
He said: “It’s a mental thing for me and exercise makes me happy.
“I see it as a way of making my mind clearer, which in turn makes my day better.”
Howard quipped: “And if there isn’t an ice bath available in our hotel, Gary orders ice to fill the bath.”
Other ways the ‘Never Forget’ hitmaker keeps his mind happy is by switching off from the outside world and saying no to jobs that he believes will be stress-inducing.
He added: “I believe in serving my mind these days. I avoid stressful situations. If a job looks like it’s going to be a pain, I don’t take it. I know I’m very fortunate to be able to make those choices.
“In the last six months, I’ve taken a lot of apps off my phone. I don’t read the news on there anymore, which means I don’t feel like I’m taking on the world’s problems. Instead, I take on the issues around me, the ones I feel I can fix. It makes a real difference.”
Take That kick off their ‘This Life On Tour’ run in Sheffield with two gigs at the Utilita Arena on April 13 and 14.