Dead & Company is currently in the middle of a 31-show national tour, which won’t finish up until Halloween weekend in Los Angeles. That’s a grueling slate for any band, but especially for the Grateful Dead reboot, which has an average age of 63 years old. (John Mayer drags that number down quite a bit, too.)
The band’s legendary shaman-guitarist Bob Weir will turn 74 in a few weeks, but is somehow bringing the same level of energy to the band’s three-hour shows every night. How the hell is he doing it? A recent post to social media offers some clues:
Yes — not only is Bob Weir on TikTok (?!), but the man is apparently yoked. The video above shows Weir alternating between TRX squats and gada mace twists. This is far from the first time Weir has been linked to fitness — he’s been a runner since the ’70s, and his love of CrossFit has been detailed in Men’s Health — but it’s astonishing to see how well the guitarist’s body is still performing. He’s got Phil Mickelson-worthy calves.
Weir’s success boils down to attitude and approach. For one, he’s got a “use it or lose it” mentality. He told MH in 2019: “At my age, if you let it go, it ain’t coming back. I have a lot of stuff I want to get to. And I gotta fuckin’ live to do it.” And while he does look ripped, his focus here isn’t heavy weight-training.
Notice how all of these movements move from one side to another? Weir is prioritizing rotational movements. Hammer curls are fun, but carrying a guitar around for a stage hours at a time requires functional strength. To that end, these sorts of transverse movements are critical. They bring extra support to joints and protect the back, while bolstering Weir’s balance and core.
It’s a great way to age gracefully in the gym — or in Weir’s case, in the Hershey Park parking lot. Head here for more workout content from Bobby.
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