<\/p>\n
From the moment Parker McCollum<\/a> strikes the first chord on opening night of his 2026 tour this Friday in El Paso, fans will be floored\u2014or more likely, dancing and singing along on the arena floor\u2014by a flawlessly crafted, 90-minute country music spectacle. And every moment, from now until the final curtain falls in September, was built by design.<\/p>\n Not that the \u201cBurn It Down\u201d singer\u2019s current blazing-hot run needed many tweaks. The hit single became his fourth consecutive No. 1, building on his 2022 ACM New Artist of the Year honor. His 41-date Burn It Down Tour in 2024, followed by 2025\u2019s What Kinda Man Tour, were both smashing successes.<\/p>\n Yet before the finale even came to a close this past October, McCollum already began drawing up X\u2019s and O\u2019s to make this year\u2019s version of himself even more showstopping. A short celebration and much-needed family time quickly gave way to setlist selection, vocal warmups, and a regimen to reset both physically and mentally.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to go back like an athlete and assess the year,\u201d McCollum says. \u201cThere are things I want to do better [in 2026] that would\u2019ve made [last] year easier. I\u2019m super over-analytical. I overthink everything. I\u2019m tough on myself and brutally honest about what\u2019s good, what needs work, and which habits help or hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n In McCollum\u2019s world, the connection between sports and music is obvious\u2014in his home, autographed footballs, jerseys, and game-worn World Series cleats hang harmoniously alongside his multitude of gold and platinum plaques.<\/p>\n Physically, at around 6\u20193\u2033 and a shredded 200 pounds, McCollum remains the country singer trapped in a slot receiver\u2019s body,<\/a> appearing equally adept at running a hitch route or belting out a string of chart-topping hits night after night. Now, at 33, with a lengthy tour about to launch and baby No. 2 on the way, he\u2019s realized that longevity\u2014not just muscularity\u2014have to share center stage, which includes a bit more mobility<\/a> and cardio work to go along with his standard weightroom routine. These days, he\u2019s just as focused on throwing the recreational deep ball with his father\u2014whom he calls \u201cthe fittest 65-year-old on the planet\u201d\u2014and being able to chase his kids around the backyard, all while still delivering unforgettable shows to sold-out crowds.<\/p>\n \u201cI think your goals change over time,\u201d he says. \u201cNow a big goal is mobility and cardiovascular health. As I get older, I still want to hoop, play football with Dad and the guys, swing a golf club hard, play pickleball, whatever it is.\u201d<\/p>\n While his training and nutrition routines remain consistently dialed in\u2014albeit slightly toned down\u2014time management and mental clarity have emerged as critical priorities in the singer\u2019s repertoire. That\u2019s what led him to enlist the expertise of Brian Cain<\/a>, one of the industry\u2019s leading mental performance coaches, toward the end of last tour. The connection was aimed at both detecting and addressing signs of fatigue before it appears onstage. In a short period, Cain\u2019s advice has resulted in a more energized entertainer.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing intentional about what I eat and how I schedule my day gave me real confidence,\u201d McCollum says. \u201cGoing to bed knowing I executed\u2014front to back\u2014helped tremendously.\u201d<\/p>\n At home, McCollum\u2019s extensive memorabilia collection is one of the major perks of success. Among his most prized pieces are cleats worn by former Houston Astros catcher Brian McCann in the 2017 World Series, signed footballs from Peyton Manning and members of the University of Alabama, as well as one of his personal favorites\u2014a Michael Vick\u2013signed New York Jets jersey. \u201cMan, I\u2019ve been lucky,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ve gotten to experience some cool things and have a few memories.\u201d<\/p>\n The collection fits nicely alongside his own gold and platinum records. In October, \u201cWhat Kinda Man\u201d became McCollum\u2019s fifth gold record, adding to a gold album (Gold Chain Cowboy) and his double-platinum single \u201cPretty Heart.\u201d<\/p>\n These achievements come at a small but noticing cost, McCollum\u2019s says, to his overall mental edge, especially as last year\u2019s tour neared its end. The nonstop travel and time away from family that come with a 50-stop tour over 19 weeks demand the sort of durability found in athletes\u2014a quality that can wear down even the most physically fit performers such as McCollum.<\/p>\n And there\u2019s much more involved in a band\u2019s day-to-day schedule. McCollum\u2019s itinerary is packed with media appearances, meet and greets, soundchecks, and even time spent brushing up on each city\u2019s history to share with concertgoers. (\u201cI\u2019ll research the town, and know some history behind the town so you can banter with the crowd on the stage,\u201d he says.)<\/p>\n Add to that the challenge of carving out time\u2014and finding a place\u2014to train in each city before showtime, and it\u2019s easy to see why McCollum was feeling the effects of the daily grind by year\u2019s end. The turning point came late in the tour, when fatigue began creeping in. At that point, his immediate goal was to return home not \u201cbeat to hell,\u201d but excited to spend time with his wife Hallie\u2014as the couple announced on Christmas that they\u2019re expecting their second child, a son.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were some times this year where I was like, I kind of felt like I was losing the battle a little bit mentally,\u201d he admits. \u201cI hate to use the word, but you get a little tired, get a little mental fatigue.\u201d<\/p>\n These concerns led him to bring in Brian Cain,<\/a> who\u2019s worked with dozens of pro athletes, including NFL All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson.<\/a> With what seemed like an ever-growing and overwhelming list of responsibilities, it was Cain\u2019s mission to help McCollum streamline his process and better protect his headspace offstage. The goal was for McCollum to be reenergized and mentally sharp not only for a single show, but for the entire tour.<\/p>\n \u201cMy job is to help make sure that he is also filling his own cup,\u201d Cain says. \u201cWhether it be exercise, sleep, nutrition, mindset, routine, or being super organized so he can make fewer decisions in the moment and follow his routine\u2014to be sure that he has the juice he needs for everyone else. It\u2019s about being the best version of yourself so you can show up the best for others.\u201d<\/p>\n To accomplish this, Cain introduced the idea of \u201cdesign\u201d over \u201cdiscipline.\u201d With Cain\u2019s guidance, McCollum began scheduling his days down to the minute. Every aspect\u2014from wake-up time and workouts to mindfulness exercises, rehearsal, and downtime\u2014was mapped out intentionally.<\/p>\n His days became even more regimented than the disciplined \u201cHandle on You\u201d singer\u2019s normal routine. A typical day on the road following a show had him up by nine, breakfast by 9:30, checking in with family before hitting the gym at 11. Lunch was followed by some free time, and by 7:15 pm, the singer was showered, dressed, meditating, and going through vocal warmups before hitting the stage.<\/p>\n \u201cWe worked to build awareness on what is working and what needs adjustment,\u201d Cain says. \u201cWe then created a strategy to close that gap from where we are to where we want to be. Parker took action, then we gain new awareness and adjust the strategy as needed\u2014and that process repeats itself and is always evolving as his career and life evolve.\u201d<\/p>\n McCollum is already relishing the results, calling them a concert performance game changer. Heading into this tour, he feels not only reset, but reloaded. He even tries to implement as much of his on-the-road routine at home as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cI was wasting a lot of time throughout the day,\u201d he says. \u201cI always felt like I had a lot to do and wasn\u2019t taking any action to get any of it done. And then when I would kind of allot time for everything and be really intentional and specific with my schedule during the day, I realized that I don\u2019t really have too much to do, and it\u2019s not overwhelming. This allows you to utilize your day and have that mental confidence to take care of what you need to take care of today.\u201d<\/p>\n Hiring a mental performance coach is the latest evolution of McCollum\u2019s wellness journey, which began during his childhood. He credits his father, Mark, as his role model for staying fit. \u201cMy dad\u2019s 65, and is in the best shape of anybody I know,\u201d he says. \u201cGrowing up, watching him get up every morning and get in the gym definitely pushed me to stay committed to my own health.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, as a father himself to a 1-year-old\u2014Major Yancy\u2014and another due this summer, McCollum\u2019s goals for staying fit have shifted from not only performance and aesthetics to now also a more practical and functional reality. While he and his father still train hard, throw the football around, and play pickup basketball at family outings, McCollum now wants to be there for his kids in the same way his father has been there for him. For now, the days of just weight training have been reduced and a more intentional approach to everyday movements and even rest have been added to the schedule.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I get older, it\u2019s really [about] mobility and flexibility,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m not trying to really be Mr. Jacked all the time. I just want to be in good shape and be healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n Nutritionally, the self-described \u201chardgainer\u201d also brings along a catering staff to maintain consistency with their diets and eliminating the stress of having for a scavenger-hunt-like scramble to find a healthy meal. Instead he relies on the same meal to begin his morning \u201cFour eggs, scrambled, cheese, crispy bacon, and a cup of fruit with a protein shake and water is my daily start on the road,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n In his heavy lifting days, McCollum says he got his weight up to 230 pounds, but is much\u00a0 more comfortable these days at a more reasonable 200 pounds. He moves better on stage, his stamina from beginning to end is now unmatched, and he\u2019s worked to keep the musical momentum at a high for the entire year. The key he\u2019s learned, isn\u2019t by adding more weight to the bar, but adding more movement to his daily routine.<\/p>\n \u201cAt some point in the day, you\u2019ve got to get out and get the blood flowing,\u201d he says. \u201cWhether it\u2019s playing basketball or lifting weights, running the stands, whatever you have to do, at some point during the day, just get the blood flowing.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite all the strategies implemented to ensure this year\u2019s tour stays electric, McCollum still knows there\u2019s no exact science for guaranteeing a flawless performance every night\u2014even with each meticulous step he\u2019s taken to become closer to perfection. Like sports, each performance is its own unpredictable entity, with off nights an unfortunate reality. However, after McCollum\u2019s well-laid-out strategy and execution for this tour, fans should expect to see an All-Pro performance night after night. After all, he\u2019s put in the work.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s kind of like shooting hoops,\u201d he says. \u201cI mean, Steph Curry goes out some nights and can\u2019t buy a bucket and the next night he drops 50. It\u2019s really hard to be consistent and be the same exact person on stage, and so that\u2019s why you do all these things\u2014staying in shape, focusing on sleep, and eating good\u2014so you can try to have as many of those nights go your way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nParker McCollum is \u2018Designed\u2019 for Peak Performance<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Parker McCollum Is Redefining Wellness On and Off Stage<\/h3>\n