For rising country star Ashley Cooke, fitness isn’t about chasing a number on a scale or building the leanest physique possible. It’s about feeling strong enough to command a stage, healthy enough to survive life on the road, and balanced enough to enjoy the journey.
As Cooke prepares for another headlining tour, she’s entering the busiest stretch of her career feeling stronger than ever. Between sold-out shows, endless travel days, media appearances, and late-night bus rides, the singer has developed a wellness routine that combines strength training, Pilates-inspired workouts, recovery-focused habits, and a faith-centered mindset.
The result isn’t just a physique she’s proud of, but a sustainable lifestyle that allows her to perform at a high level while navigating the chaos of modern touring.
An Athlete Before She Was an Artist
Long before she stepped onto a stage, Cooke was already building the foundation that would eventually support her career.
“I’ve kind of always been a really active person,” she says. “Before music was ever a thing, I was super into sports.”
Growing up in South Florida, she played volleyball, ran track, and spent much of her free time outdoors. With a father who loved sports and encouraged backyard competition, Cooke embraced an athletic lifestyle early.
“My dad was a football player growing up,” she says, “so he’d get home from work and want to toss the ball around in the backyard. I was always a sporty tomboy kid.”
That active upbringing eventually evolved into weight training during high school. As she learned how to lift and build strength, she began seeing changes not only in her performance but in her physique.
Those lessons would prove invaluable once touring became her full-time job.
Ashley Cooke
Why Solidcore Changed Everything
While traditional weightlifting remains a major part of her routine, Cooke says she found her fitness sweet spot when she discovered reformer-based Pilates and Solidcore training. The appeal wasn’t just the workout itself, it was the feeling afterward.
“I was always chasing that soreness feeling after wakeboarding,” Cooke explains. “You know that first day back on the water after winter, when your whole back and body are sore the next day? There’s nothing quite like it.”
Then she tried Solidcore.
“I got that same soreness in a completely different way than I got from lifting weights,” she says.
Today, her approach combines both disciplines.
“I’ve kind of combined weightlifting and Solidcore, and it’s gotten me my favorite physique yet.”
More importantly, she feels 100% better.
“There was a time when I was trying to lift super heavy and drink all the protein and do all the things,” Cooke recalls. “It just wasn’t necessarily the right fit for my body.”
Instead, Cooke found success blending resistance training with Pilates, mobility work, yoga, and mindfulness practices.
“I think there’s a perfect combo where weightlifting meets yoga, Pilates, and mindfulness. For me personally, that’s what creates that leaner, muscular build that I love.”
Staying Fit on Tour Isn’t Easy
Ask any touring artist about maintaining healthy habits on the road, and you’ll likely hear the same answer: consistency is difficult.
Cooke knows that challenge firsthand.
“When you roll off a bus, you don’t know where the hell you are,” she laughs. “Then you have to figure out where the nearest gym is, buy a day pass, and hope it has the equipment you need.”
One experience, however, showed her what life could look like with the right support system. While opening for Luke Bryan, Cooke had access to the superstar’s traveling trainer.
“Every day we’d wake up and work out together. We’d do team lifts in the parking lot of the venue. It was a game changer.”
It’s a model she’d love to recreate someday as her own tours continue to grow.
“My dream would be to eventually bring a trainer on the road and let my openers use them too, just like Luke did.”
Until then, preparation remains her secret weapon. Before arriving in a city, she’ll research local studios and fitness options, often booking classes ahead of time.
“If there’s a Solidcore, Pilates class, or CycleBar nearby, I try to plan it out before I even get there.”
Fueling Performance With Simplicity
Nutrition becomes another challenge when your office changes cities every night. For Cooke, meal prep has become the answer.
“I’m big into meal prep,” she says.
Back home in Nashville, she relies on prepared meals that make tracking her nutrition easier and eliminate the guesswork that often comes with travel.
Recently, she’s also gotten back into tracking her intake through MyFitnessPal.
Instead of obsessing over every ingredient, she focuses on consistency and having dependable options available.
“When you’re on the road, it’s nice knowing exactly what you’re getting.” That strategy extends to restaurant chains as well. “I have my standard orders. I know exactly what I’m getting at Chipotle. I know exactly what I’m getting at Chick-fil-A.”
Having those familiar options allows her to stay aligned with her goals regardless of where the tour bus stops.
Ashley Cooke
She’s Traded Coffee for Matcha. And She’s Surprisingly Serious About It
Like many touring musicians, Cooke once relied heavily on coffee to survive early flights and long travel days. Lately, though, she’s made a switch.
“I’m kind of off the coffee train right now,” she says. “I’ve been more on the matcha train lately.”
And don’t expect a sugary coffee-shop concoction.
Cooke’s order is surprisingly simple: ceremonial-grade matcha, extra ice, almond milk, and absolutely no sweetener.
“I like no sweetener at all,” she says with a laugh. “I very much like grass and milk.”
The minimalist approach extends to her refrigerator at home, which she admits might surprise fans. While she describes herself as naturally disorganized, one thing is meticulously maintained: the beverage shelf.
“The whole top row is just beverages,” she says. “It’s all color coordinated.”
The lineup includes water, seltzers, matcha essentials, and plenty of products from her favorite clean coffee company, Seek. For someone whose schedule is anything but predictable, those small rituals have become grounding habits amid the constant movement of touring life.
Strong, Not Small
Perhaps the most refreshing part of Cooke’s wellness philosophy is her perspective on body image. Instead of chasing unrealistic standards, she’s focused on strength, performance, and longevity.
She points to actresses and fitness advocates who embrace strength rather than thinness as inspirations.
“I think there’s something really powerful about being strong,” she says.
For an artist who spends countless nights under bright lights and in front of thousands of people, maintaining that mindset isn’t always easy. But Cooke has learned that confidence comes from capability.
Whether she’s crushing a Solidcore session, navigating another tour stop, or commanding a stage in front of thousands of fans, her goal remains the same: feel strong enough to handle whatever comes next.
And judging by the momentum she’s carrying into this next chapter, she’s doing exactly that.
