Kip Moore has earned the right to indulge in all the spoils that come with country music success. For the moment, he simply chooses not to.
The multi-platinum-selling performer’s nearly two-decade compilation of hits have set him up to live a comfortable life for the long term, but you won’t find much evidence of excess parked in his driveway. At the same time you most certainly won’t find any overpriced tech gadgets on any credit card statement. Moore says he hasn’t owned a computer in over a decade and jokes that the outdated phone he carries around stopped receiving upgrades since around the time his triple-platinum single, “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck,” was released in 2011.
“I’ve always been a simple human at my core,” he says. “I’ve never desired things. I’ve never desired the things that money will buy, you know, for a fancier life, whatever kind of thing. And now my life has changed a lot from what it used to be, and I had the means, but there’s no part of me that that envies or craves any of that life.”
Instead, the perks that matter most to the well-built “Beer Money” singer can be stored into compact, beach-friendly backpack. Moore is helping redefine the alpha male’s definition of luxury: a fresh pair of underwear to relax in after an afternoon of riding waves is all the high life he currently needs in his life. “If I’m gone for two months surfing, that’s all I take,” he says. “I literally just pack a couple of pairs of socks, a few pairs of underwear, one pair of board shorts, and one or two T-shirts—max—along with fins and surf wax. That’s it.”
For the chiseled country artist, surfing has become the workout Moore turns to when the concert tour and recording come to a close to maximize his muscle and mental-building moments. It’s well deserved downtime, considering he pushed his most recent artistic endeavor to the max. Moore dropped a whopping 23 original tracks on his latest album, Solitary Tracks, his most significant project yet professionally and personally.
His newest album marks his first release with a new label—Virgin Music Group—after spending most of his career at MCA Nashville. The label change coincided with a recent relocation from Nashville to the more laid-back shores of South Carolina.
His new surroundings complement his admittedly minimalistic lifestyle. So much so, that even those close to him find it hard to believe how committed he is to living well under his means, despite success worldwide and sold-out shows across the globe. “For the longest time, my business manager would ask, ‘What’s going on—are you hiding something?’” he says. “All we see are grocery store trips, the gym, and a surfboard here and there. Where is everything going?’”
The 45-year-old’s evolution has been both personal and professional. As a former two-sport college athlete, Moore had been accustomed to an athletic lifestyle before he turned his full attention to music. His commitment to training has never wavered during this time. Moore’s built a reputation for taking on brutal high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. Now, post-40, the stamina, core work and balancing practice that surfing requires make it his go-to functional training program when he’s away from home.
“I’m not as regimented,” he admits. “Sometimes my body needs rest, and I’ll take a couple of weeks off from lifting weights. But I’m surfing for five or six hours a day, getting plenty of back work and cardio while burning a ton of calories. I don’t stress too much about that.”
Surfing during the down months has helped prepare Moore for the long and grueling concert season, as his current Solitary Tracks world tour is in full swing. He remains one of country music’s most entertaining live performers—offering audiences two to three hours of nearly 20 years’ worth of hit songs. While his fans come for the songs, they also get a glimpse of Moore’s well-defined biceps poking out of any one his signature customized cutoff T-shirts.
No matter where he is, the combination of wellness and creativity are part of Moore morning routine—a cup of coffee and a dedicated writing routine are non-negotiables. It’s the first thing I do,” he says. “It’s a cathartic process for me.”
Kip Moore Shreds the Waves to Stay Physically Shredded
Listening to the lyrics of Kip Moore’s latest song, “Live Here to Work,” living his best life has become his lifestyle anthem.
“F*** that!
I don’t live here to work
And my time is short, and it ain’t yours.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind gettin’ my hands in a little dirt,
But I don’t live here to work.”
After writing nearly two dozen songs for Solitary Tracks, a backpack-toting getaway from the musical grind to the more inviting waters of Central America is one of the benefits Moore takes advantage of. Although his hometown of Tipton, GA, isn’t typically associated with big waves, Moore’s curiosity about surfing led him to buy a one-way ticket to Costa Rica in 2015 to experience it firsthand. “I had some time off, and it’s just something I’d always wanted to try,” he recalls. “Anytime I saw surfing on TV—like Kelly Slater on ESPN—I was captivated.”
While he still hits the weights regularly, Moore relies on outdoor sports like surfing, rock climbing, and even skiing as his primary fitness focus whenever time allows. “I can train all I want in the gym, but if I’m not getting my reps in surfing, it doesn’t matter how much I train. You really have to be in the water,” he explains. “The same goes for rock climbing. You can be the strongest guy in the gym, but that won’t help you if you can’t climb.”
Moore says that for him, surfing demands core strength and balance, skills he hones in the gym through exercises like BOSU ball squats. Equally important is what he calls “ocean intelligence”—the ability to read a wave and ride it smoothly and athletically. “There’s so much that goes into it,” he says. “The mental aspect is significant, especially when you’re tackling a double-overhead wave on a two-foot reef, where a wipeout can really mess you up.”
Surfing has also taught Moore to remain calm under pressure, especially when unwanted shark sightings get the adrenaline flowing into overdrive. “I’ve had a couple of close calls,” he admits. Treading carefully and patiently is essential, but it’s part of the physical and mental mystique Moore loves about surfing. “I’ve always loved the ocean, and I figured if I spent some time practicing, I’d be able to figure it out,” he says. “There’s so much to learn; surfing is such an intricate sport. But there’s nothing that brings me more joy than that.”
Kip Moore’s Gone From Old-School Weights to Functional Conditioning
When Kip Moore enters the checkout line at the grocery store, his shopping cart normally include plenty of lean proteins and fresh vegetables to help maintain a lean and ripped physique. You’ll mostly find foods such as jasmine rice, chicken, fish, and venison to his meal plans. But every once in a while he’ll opt for an indulgence. “Sometimes I’ll find some mochi ice cream—I can’t help it,” he admits. “But I’ll also pick up some Greek yogurt, granola, and eggs.”
While his diet remains relatively unchanged, Kip Moore’s fitness regimen has evolved since his first album, Up All Night, debuted in 2012. The exception here, however, is his lack of interest in new tech fads or micromanaging his programming. “I’ve never counted my steps or my macros—it’s just never been my thing,” he explains. “I focus on experimenting with my body and pushing it as hard as I can. More than anything, I care about staying functional.”
For the gym that wants to begin collecting Kip Moore’s membership fees, it must have two essential items: a turf and a sled. This combination allows him to mix heavy lifting with brutal conditioning—vital for both hitting the waves and performing on stage during tours. “I’ll go really heavy with the sled, depending on how long the turf is,” he explains. “Then I’ll lighten the weight and do a crazy number of reps, incorporating pulls and various other movements. I alternate that with the assault bike and add in push-ups and sit-ups, keeping the intensity high throughout.”
A typical full-body conditioning workout for Moore off the turf requires setting up to eight stations, utilizing a mix of weights and body-weight exercises to maintain muscle and improve conditioning. These exercises can range from presses to push-ups to squats and core work. “I keep moving until I feel like I’m about to puke,” he admits, showcasing his dedication to pushing his limits. “I’m usually using a lot of different muscles for everything I do,” he notes. “For instance, if I’m doing one-legged squats on a BOSU ball, I’m combining that with squat-to-curls.”
Finding a gym on a remote beach is usually impossible, so Moore’s creativity in improvising his training is as diverse as his catalog of music. “I’ll look for a big stone, usually around 35 to 40 pounds,” he says. “I can do curls with it, transition into overhead presses, and incorporate squats.”
Moore’s training method clearly pays off in both appearance and performance. His energized performances reflect the stamina he’s built in both the gym and the water. It’s essential for the demands of an 80-show concert tour. “From start to finish, it’s intense,” he says of his live shows. “If I haven’t been training normally, I can really tell that my engine runs hot and shorter. That makes it crucial to stay in shape, especially for a 90 to 100-show tour.”
Maintaining a Mindset for Music and Muscle
Kip Moore’s dedication to fitness dates back to his teenage years when he played point guard at Alabama’s Wallace State Community College before moving on to Valdosta State on a golf scholarship. On the court, he emulated NBA greats Mark Jackson and Steve Nash. “I was tough on defense,” he explains. “I was a pretty good shooter, but if you got too close, I’d try to go around or penetrate to create passing angles.”
While sports helped pay for college, Moore was already whetting his musical appetite by playing cover songs at local clubs to cover typical college expenses. “In college, you’re drinking with your buddies and having a good time on stage,” he recalls. “It was a way to make a few bucks for food.” After graduating, music became Moore’s sole focus. “Once I finished college, my central focus was nothing but music. I spent years writing and working odd jobs, often sleeping in a garage apartment.”
These days, his dedication to surfing makes hitting the hardwoods or golf course difficult. However, regardless of whether he’s riding the waves or walking the red carpet at a CMA awards event, the most consistent way to kickstart each morning is through songwriting. For Moore, this process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours, depending on inspiration.
“Sometimes it takes all day to get it right, while other times, it only takes 30 minutes. I might return for another two-hour session and chip away at it. Sometimes I can write an entire song in 20 minutes; other times, I spend weeks refining it.” For some songs, like the 2012 hit “Heart’s Desire,” the persistent process can last months. “I spent four to five months on that song, writing three different sets of lyrics before finding the perfect one,” he notes. “It can be arduous to match lyrics with the intensity of the music.”
For Moore, finishing the job and not throwing in the towel during challenging times takes more than fit physique. While sports and fitness have sharpened Moore’s physical resilience, the mental mindset needed to succeed in Nashville requires a different set of skills. “You don’t have to be an incredibly fit gym guy to possess mental fortitude,” he asserts. “When you’re forging your own path, that’s what matters.”
Now, with his world tour in full swing, fans can expect the electrifying, extended performances he’s known for. In May, he heads to Europe, including a long-awaited show at Glasgow’s iconic OVO Hydro. “That’s the venue I’ve always wanted to play,” he says.
Having the opportunity to perform worldwide is a perk Moore certainly doesn’t take for granted. It’s through a combination of staying physically fit while maintaining the mental fortitude that allows him to keep moving at high velocity at this stage of his career. “I always had faith in myself,” he reflects. “I believe it’s a mix of divine intervention and mental fortitude. It’s about putting in the time so that when the stars align, you’re ready.”