Watching Paul McCartney perform it is sometimes easy to forget the musical legend is an octogenarian. The 81-year-old Beatles singer-songwriter remains a lively on-stage presence, earning the acclaim of both audiences and critics for his headlining set at Glastonbury in 2022.
A father-of-five, McCartney has been gigging for almost 70 years, with his latest tour – Got Back – set to conclude at the end of this year.
Each of these concerts runs for almost three hours, requiring plenty of stamina from the former Wings frontman.
So what’s the secret to his staying power? Over the years he has shared a number of his age-defying methods.
Eye yoga
Perhaps the most unusual weapon in McCartney’s arsenal, yoga for the eyes is something he has practised since the late noughties to keep his vision in check. As reported by The Press and Journal, he shared this particular technique with the public during a Table Manners podcast in 2021.
McCartney revealed he was inspired to try eye yoga after a trip to India, claiming he hasn’t needed to wear glasses since.
As with traditional yoga, there are several different exercises that make up eye yoga. One such exercise is called palming, which requires you to place your warm palms on your eyelids for roughly 10 seconds.
According to experts at Lenstore, you can also try zooming – focusing on an object far away and then focusing on one closer, and switching between the two.
Diet
Alongside his late wife Linda, McCartney famously made the switch to vegetarianism in the 1970s, something that was less common then. In 1991, Linda even launched her own brand of vegetarian foods to eat at home, which is still hugely popular.
Speaking of the choice to go veggie, Paul said in the 2021 cookbook Linda McCartney’s Family Kitchen: “Now of course, it’s really not difficult at all. You just go down the shops and most places will have great veggie options.
“It was a joint decision and we never looked back. It was a great thing to do, and it turned out we became part of a vegetarian revolution.”
Multiple studies conducted over the years have shown the various health benefits of a vegetarian diet. Research published in the British Medical Journal in 2019 found that vegetarians had a 22 percent lower risk of heart disease compared to meat eaters.
And findings, presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in 2015 showed that people who ate red or processed meat daily had a 40 percent greater risk of bowel cancer. Even those who ate a “moderate amount” had a 20 percent greater risk of the disease.
His passions
Since a teenager McCartney has been obsessed with music. It is thought this could have had a positive impact on his health.
Music is commonly used as a way to help ease symptoms for people living with dementia.
Dementia UK explains: “For some people with dementia, music therapy has been shown to improve their thinking, feeling, perception, mood and behaviour. It can be used as part of a care plan.”
One meta-analysis of existing studies, conducted in 2021, found a 59 percent reduction in the risk of dementia among musicians, although study authors concluded larger scale research was needed.
Headstands
Unsurprisingly, McCartney also ensures his physical fitness is up to scratch. During a 2020 episode of the podcast SmartLess, he spoke about his fitness routine, which includes foam rolling, stretching, using the cross trainer and occasionally running.
“I have a very definite routine,” he said. However, what makes it unique is the way he finishes his routine – with a headstand.
This test of core strength and balance is McCartney’s “favourite part”, according to the star.