July 9, 2025, 10:48 am | Read time: 4 minutes
On June 8, I experienced it firsthand in Berlin: rapping, singing, shouting, jumping across the stage, playing instruments, and celebrating with fans–none of this is a problem for Emily Armstrong, Mike Shinoda, Joe Hahn, Colin Brittain, and Dave Farrell. I–and an entire stadium full of fans–watched Armstrong and Shinoda sprint across the stage, performing energetically without losing their breath. The fact that the “Linkin Park” musicians, except for the 39-year-old Armstrong, are all approaching 50 was not noticeable at all. To deliver these high-energy performances night after night, the musicians left nothing to chance, perfecting not only the setlist and gimmicks of their shows but also keeping their bodies fit with training and proper nutrition. I’ve now researched what this looks like.
Overview
Before and During the Tour–How Linkin Park Stays Fit
A tour with several multi-hour concerts and travel days each week demands both physical and mental endurance. To prepare for this, each of the five LP members apparently found their own way. Three of them revealed theirs in an interview with the U.S. magazine “Men’s Health” before the start of the European tour. It became clear that these strategies are part of their daily routine not only before but also during the tour.
Emily’s Training and Nutrition Strategy
“I try to balance cardio with weight training so I don’t get too exhausted,” revealed “Linkin Park” frontwoman Emily Armstrong. She continues her training even during the tour, saying she works out daily at the hotel. During the day, she often plans a nap to be fit for the evening concerts. However, this depends on how her body feels, as jet lag can also play a role when traveling between concerts. “If I feel dehydrated, I don’t do it but hydrate as much as possible.”
On days when she feels dehydrated and particularly affected by jet lag, she also skips strenuous workouts. On tours, she feels like “an athlete” because the performances themselves are true endurance training.
Like all athletes, nutrition is important for the musician in addition to training. Moreover, her voice can either benefit from or suffer due to dietary choices. According to “Men’s Health,” Armstrong follows the GERD diet. Her menu mainly includes lean meats, healthy fats, and vegetables. This is supposed to help prevent heartburn. The singer avoids spicy foods, coffee, and pizza.
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How Mike Shinoda Trains His Endurance
Like his bandmate, LP co-founder Mike Shinoda also relies on cardio, albeit reluctantly, as he revealed in the interview. “I don’t exactly love cardio because I grew up with asthma and had many bad experiences with it,” explained the rapper and producer. But for the fitness required on tours, there was apparently no way around endurance training. “I had to incorporate cardio as a non-negotiable element in my plan and find ways to enjoy it.”
He seems to have succeeded at least in part. How? By switching between different cardio workouts, giving monotony in training no chance. On some days, Shinoda does low-impact endurance training, occasionally goes for a walk, or runs a lap. At home, he prefers sessions on an indoor bike. And you might even find the 49-year-old in a circuit training class at the gym, even though, as he says, “they’re full of young people who are much fitter than I am.”
In terms of nutrition, Mike Shinoda seems to be less structured than Emily Armstrong. On concert days, he eats as healthily and lightly as possible. On the days in between, he is less strict. “Before a performance, I don’t eat a big meal,” he revealed. “On off days, I enjoy the local food in the great cities we get to visit.”
Soccer, Golf, and Surfing for Dave Farrell
Bassist Dave Farrell may not jump across the world’s stages like Shinoda and Armstrong, but the hours-long performances and traveling on tour are also exhausting for him. Instead of relying on classic cardio, Farrell takes a more playful approach. He revealed that he stays fit on tour by taking advantage of opportunities for a game of soccer or golf in between. The musician has also managed to fit in a surfing session or two–though perhaps less frequently in Germany and neighboring countries. Farrell prefers to “move my body regularly and competently in a way that I love.” He views fitness as a “lifelong marathon rather than a sprint.”
Additionally, Dave Farrell does classic strength training and completes HIIT several times a week. For recovery, he takes short hikes with his dog.