Honestly, the collective internet gasp when Miley Cyrus stepped onto the 2024 Grammys stage was audible. It wasn't just the hair or the Bob Mackie dress; it was the fact that she looked like she could bench press the entire front row. People immediately started scrambling for the Miley Cyrus exercise routine, assuming she must have spent six months in a dark room lifting heavy iron.
But the reality of how she stays "performance-ready" is actually way more interesting than just grinding out reps at a Gold’s Gym. It’s a mix of old-school Pilates, a decade-long obsession with Ashtanga yoga, and a very specific "practice how you perform" mentality that involves—believe it or not—Gucci slingbacks.
The Core of the Miley Cyrus Exercise Routine: Pilates and Persistence
Miley didn't just wake up with those abs. She has been a Pilates devotee since at least 2013. Back then, she was working almost daily with the late Mari Winsor, a legendary instructor who basically brought Pilates to the masses.
Mari used to talk about how Miley would spend 30 to 45 minutes a day focused on core stability. We aren't talking about standard sit-ups. Miley’s routine is built on the "Sidekick Series" and the "Cadillac" (that scary-looking bed with the springs and bars).
Why her Pilates works
The secret isn't in the quantity of movements, but the "scoop." Mari Winsor was big on the idea that you don't just tighten your stomach; you pull your belly button toward your spine to create a hollow, protected core. This is what gives Miley that "slender but ripped" look rather than a bulky midsection.
- The Criss-Cross: This is her go-to for obliques. It’s a controlled, slow rotation—think quality over speed.
- The Hundred: A classic Pilates warm-up that pumps the blood and wakes up the transverse abdominals.
- The Reformer: She eventually built a full studio in her home because, as a world-famous pop star, you can't exactly walk into a public class at 10:00 AM without a riot breaking out.
Ashtanga Yoga: The Mental Game
If Pilates is her secret for the red carpet, Ashtanga yoga is her secret for the stage. She’s been doing this for years. If you’ve ever tried Ashtanga, you know it’s not the "lie down and think about a forest" kind of yoga. It’s an athletic, rigid sequence of poses that you do in the exact same order every single time.
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She once told Jimmy Fallon that Ashtanga can be kind of uninspiring at first because teachers will tell you a single pose might take ten years to master. She wasn't joking. It requires massive upper-body strength. You'll see her on Instagram doing the Kukkutasana (Cock Pose)—which involves balancing your entire body weight on your hands while your legs are tucked into a lotus position.
Basically, if she looks steady while belting out "Flowers," it's because she spends her mornings holding herself up with nothing but her wrists and sheer willpower.
The "Practice in Heels" Philosophy
This is the part that went viral after her W Magazine interview. Miley admitted that she often trains in her ivory Gucci slingbacks.
"My mantra is, like any athlete, 'Practice how you perform,'" she said.
Most people think working out in heels is a recipe for a snapped ankle, but for a performer, it’s functional training. She’s feminizing the space. She’s making sure her calves and glutes are accustomed to the exact pitch and tension of a 4-inch heel so that when she’s on stage for two hours, her body doesn't even notice the shoes.
The Treadmill "Vocal Cardio"
You’ve probably seen the videos of her running on a treadmill while singing at the top of her lungs. She isn't just doing this for the 'gram. Singing takes an incredible amount of breath control, and singing while your heart rate is at 150 BPM is a specific skill.
- Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS): She does plenty of walking and hiking with her dogs to keep her baseline fitness high.
- Performance Cardio: High-intensity intervals on the treadmill while practicing her setlist.
- The "Flowers" Circuit: In her music video, we see a glimpse of her real-world training: battle ropes, burpees, and bird-dogs. It’s all about explosive power.
Diet and Sobriety: The "Clean" Factor
You can't talk about the Miley Cyrus exercise routine without mentioning what she's putting into her body. She’s been very open about her shift away from a strict vegan diet. Around 2020, she started eating fish again because she felt her brain wasn't "firing" correctly.
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She’s now what most would call "clean" or "sober-lite." She avoids alcohol and focuses on omegas and proteins that support muscle recovery. She’s also spoken about being lactose intolerant, so dairy is a no-go.
"If I don't work out, I'm not a great person."
She told Joe Rogan that exercise is as much about her mental state as it is her abs. For her, the "clean" lifestyle isn't a trend; it's a necessity to manage the high-pressure environment of being a global icon.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Own Routine
You don't need a home Pilates studio or Gucci heels to borrow from Miley's playbook.
- Focus on "The Scoop": Next time you do any ab work, don't just crunch. Focus on pulling your belly button in and up. That’s the Winsor Pilates secret.
- Consistency over Intensity: Miley has been doing some version of this for over a decade. You don't get those results in a 30-day "shred" challenge.
- Functional Cardio: If you have a hobby or a job that requires physical stamina, train for that. If you walk a lot for work, train on an incline.
- Add Yoga for Longevity: Ashtanga builds the kind of functional strength that protects your joints and keeps you flexible as you age.
The biggest lesson from the Miley Cyrus fitness evolution? It’s about finding a "meditative" form of movement. Whether she’s on a reformer or a yoga mat, she isn't just counting calories. She's building a body that can handle the weight of her career.
Start small. Maybe skip the heels for the first week. Focus on a 15-minute Pilates flow or a basic Sun Salutation sequence. The goal isn't to look like Miley; it's to build the kind of discipline that makes her look like that.
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