You’ve seen the 2024 Grammys performance. The arms, the back, the sheer powerhouse energy. It looked less like a pop star and more like an elite athlete who happened to be holding a microphone. Naturally, the internet went into a tailspin trying to figure out the "Miley workout." But honestly, if you're looking for a quick six-week transformation or a "get shredded" hack, you’re looking at the wrong person.
Miley cyrus fitness isn't about a trending gym circuit. It’s actually a decade-long obsession with discipline that most people would find kind of exhausting.
The reality is that she’s been doing the same handful of things since the Bangerz era. She didn't just wake up with that muscle definition; she built it through a mix of grueling Ashtanga yoga, reformer Pilates, and a lifestyle that's shifted significantly since her early twenties.
The Pilates Obsession That Never Ended
Most celebrities jump from F45 to Barry’s Boot Camp to whatever new boutique studio opens in West Hollywood. Miley? She’s been a Pilates devotee since roughly 2013. She even had a studio built in her home so she could train every single day.
She originally trained with the legendary Mari Winsor. If you aren't familiar, Winsor was the one who basically brought Pilates to the mainstream in Hollywood before she passed away. Miley stuck with those classical foundations.
It’s not just "stretching."
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She uses the Cadillac reformer to perform advanced, gravity-defying moves that require insane core stability. We’re talking about high-repetition leg circles, the "Hundred," and side-kicks that target the obliques. It’s that deep, internal muscle work that gives her that "chiseled" look without the bulk you get from traditional heavy lifting.
Why Ashtanga Yoga is Her Real Secret
If Pilates is her "toning" tool, Ashtanga is her mental and physical engine. This isn't your local "Wine and Yoga" class.
Ashtanga is incredibly athletic. It follows a specific sequence of poses—the Primary Series—that you do in the exact same order every time. It’s a moving meditation, but it’s also a cardio workout that’ll leave you drenched in sweat. Miley has mentioned she’ll spend two hours a day on this, six days a week.
- Focus: It builds functional strength.
- Patience: Some poses take years to master.
- Control: It’s all about the breath (Ujjayi breath).
She told Jimmy Fallon once that it can be "uninspiring" because you’re doing the same thing over and over. But that’s the point. It’s about the discipline of showing up when you don't want to. That’s the "boring" truth behind miley cyrus fitness that most influencers won't tell you.
The Diet Shift: From Vegan to Pescatarian
For years, Miley was the poster child for veganism. She had the tattoos, the advocacy awards—the whole thing. But around 2019, things changed. She started experiencing what she described as "intense joint pain" and serious brain fog.
Basically, her brain wasn't "turning on."
On the Joe Rogan podcast, she got real about why she quit being vegan. She reintroduced fish and omegas because her body was literally screaming for it. She joked that "an infinite number of avocados" couldn't give her what she needed.
Nowadays, her diet is mostly plant-based but includes high-quality fats and proteins from fish.
- Breakfast: Often a pumpkin pie or blueberry smoothie.
- Lunch: Kale and white bean salads or veggie-heavy soups.
- Dinner: Grilled fish (like salmon) with roasted vegetables.
She also stays away from gluten and dairy because of allergies. It’s a very "clean" way of eating, but it’s fueled by necessity rather than just trying to stay thin.
Performance Fitness vs. Gym Fitness
There’s a massive difference between looking fit and being "performance fit."
When Miley is on stage, she’s essentially running a marathon while wearing 20-pound outfits and singing at the top of her lungs. That raspy, powerful voice of hers actually requires a ton of physical support.
Interestingly, her vocal health issues—she has Reinke’s Edema and a vocal cord polyp—have shaped her training. To hit those big notes without straining her throat, she has to use her entire body as a resonator. You’ll see her drop into semi-squats or engage her lats while singing; that’s not just a dance move. It’s a technical requirement to support her breath.
Her workouts include "performance prep" like:
- Battle ropes: For explosive arm and core power.
- Spider-Man pushups: With resistance bands to mimic the tension of stage movement.
- Banded lunges: To keep her legs stable while she’s dancing in heels.
Sobriety as a Fitness Pillar
We can’t talk about miley cyrus fitness without talking about her sobriety. She’s been "sober sober" since 2020.
When you cut out alcohol and weed, your inflammation levels drop. Your sleep quality sky-rockets. Your recovery time after a hard Pilates session becomes way faster. She’s traded the party lifestyle for hobbies like gardening and walking her dogs.
She calls gardening her "medicine." It sounds a bit "woo-woo," but getting your hands in the dirt and being out in nature is a legitimate way to manage cortisol levels. High cortisol (the stress hormone) causes the body to hold onto fat, especially around the midsection. By staying grounded and sober, she’s created the perfect hormonal environment for her muscles to actually show through.
Actionable Steps to Train Like Miley
You don't need a home studio to start, but you do need the mindset.
- Prioritize Core Stability: Stop doing 100 crunches. Start doing slow, controlled Pilates movements like leg extensions or the "bird-dog." Focus on the "scoop" of your abs.
- Master One Thing: Pick a yoga style—like Ashtanga or Vinyasa—and stick to it for six months. Don't chase the "workout of the week."
- Listen to Your Bio-Markers: If you’re vegan and feeling "foggy" or your joints ache, talk to a nutritionist. Miley’s shift to a pescatarian diet was a response to her body’s data.
- Clean Up Your Recovery: You can’t out-train a lifestyle of poor sleep and dehydration. Sobriety isn't for everyone, but reducing "inflammation triggers" is a must if you want that level of definition.
The takeaway here is that Miley’s physique is a byproduct of her life, not just a three-month boot camp. It’s the result of ten years of Pilates, a commitment to vocal health, and a diet that actually supports her brain function. It’s hard work, but the results speak for themselves.