For rising country star Ashley Cook, fitness isn’t about chasing a number on a scale or having as lean a body as possible. It’s about feeling strong enough to command a stage, healthy enough to live life on the road, and balanced enough to enjoy the journey.
As Cook prepares for another headlining tour, she is entering the busiest period of her career and 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 is not just a physique she is proud of, but a sustainable lifestyle that allows her to perform at a high level while dealing with the chaos of modern tourism.
An athlete before becoming an artist
Long before she stepped onto the stage, Cook was already building the foundation that would ultimately support her career.
“I’ve always been an active person,” she says. “Before music existed, I was very into sports.”
Growing up in South Florida, she played volleyball, ran track, and spent most of her free time outdoors. With a father who loved sports and encouraged backyard competitions, Cook early adopted an athletic lifestyle.
She says, “My dad was a soccer player growing up, so he would come 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 to lift weights and build strength, she began to notice changes not only in her performance but also in her body.
Those lessons would prove invaluable once touring became his full-time job.
Why did SolidCore change everything?
While traditional weightlifting remains a staple of her routine, Cook says she found her fitness peak when she discovered reformer-based Pilates. solidcore training. The appeal wasn’t just the workout, it was the feeling afterward.
“I was always chasing that pain feeling after wakeboarding,” Cook explains. “You know that first day on the water after winter, when your whole back and body hurts the next day? There’s nothing like it.”
Then he tried SolidCore.
“I felt the pain from lifting weights in a completely different way,” she says.
Today, his approach combines both disciplines.
“I do a combined form of weightlifting and solidcore, and it’s given me my favorite physique yet.”
More importantly, she feels 100% better.
“There was a time when I was trying to lift super heavy weights, drink all the protein and do all that stuff,” Cook recalls. “It’s not necessarily a good fit for my body.”
Instead, Cook found success mixing resistance training with Pilates, mobility work, yoga, and mindfulness practices.
“I think it’s a perfect combination where weightlifting meets yoga, Pilates, and mindfulness. For me personally, that’s what creates the lean, muscle-building physique that I love.”
It’s not easy to stay fit on tour
Ask any touring artist about maintaining healthy habits on the road, and you’ll likely hear the same answer: Consistency is hard.
Cook knows that challenge firsthand.
“When you get off the bus, you don’t know where you are,” she laughs. “Then you have to find out where the nearest gym is, buy a day pass, and hope it has the equipment you need.”
However, one experience showed her what life could look like with the right support system. While opening for Luke Bryan, Cook had access to the superstar’s traveling trainer.
“Every day we would wake up and work out together. We would do team lifts in the parking lot of the venue. It was a game changer.”
It’s a model she would 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, like Luke did.”
Until then, preparation remains his 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 before I get there.”
Boosting performance with simplicity
Nutrition becomes another challenge when your office changes cities every night. For cooks, food preparation has become the answer.
“I’m big on meal prepping,” she says.
Back home in Nashville, she relies on prepared meals that make it easier to track her nutrition and eliminate the guesswork that often occurs while traveling.
Recently, she’s also started tracking her intake MyFitnessPal.
Instead of focusing on every ingredient, she focuses on providing consistency and reliable options.
“When you’re on the road, it’s good to know exactly what you’re getting.” This strategy also extends to restaurant chains. “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 him to stay connected with his goals, no matter where the tour bus stops.
She’s traded coffee for matcha. And he’s surprisingly serious about it
Like many touring musicians, Cook once relied heavily on coffee to survive early flights and long travel days. However, recently, she has made a change.
“I’m off the coffee train right now,” she says. “I’ve been more on the matcha train lately.”
And don’t expect a sweet coffee-shop blend.
Cook’s order is surprisingly simple: formal-grade matcha, extra ice, almond milk, and absolutely no sweeteners.
“I don’t like any sweetener at all,” she says, laughing. “I love grass and milk.”
The minimalist approach extends to her home refrigerator, which she admits may surprise fans. Although she describes herself as naturally disorganized, there is one thing that is meticulously maintained: the drinks shelf.
“The whole top line 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 little rituals have become foundational habits amid the constant hustle and bustle of touring life.
strong, not small
Perhaps the most refreshing part of Cook’s wellness philosophy is her take on body image. Instead of chasing unrealistic standards, he has focused on strength, performance, and longevity.
She points to actresses and fitness advocates who embrace strength rather than thinness as inspiration.
“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, it’s not always easy to maintain that mindset. But Cook has learned that confidence comes from ability.
Whether she’s nailing a solidcore session, navigating another tour stop, or commanding a stage in front of thousands of fans, her goal remains the same: to feel strong enough to handle whatever comes next.
And judging by the momentum she’s building in this next chapter, she’s doing exactly that.
