Not that the “Burn It Down” singer’s current meteoric run needed many adjustments. The hit single became his fourth consecutive No. 1, building on his 2022 ACM New Artist of the Year honors. His 41-date Burn It Down Tour in 2024, followed by 2025’s What Kinda Man Tour, were both smashing successes.
But before the finale even ended last October, McCollum already started laying out X’s and O’s to make this year’s version of himself even more striking. A short celebration and much-needed family time soon gave way to setlist selection, vocal warm-ups and a regimen to reset both physically and mentally.
“You have to go back as an athlete and assess the year,” McCollum says. “There are things I want to do better [in 2026] that would have made [last] years easier. I’m super over-analytical. I overthink everything. I am hard on myself and brutally honest about what is good, what needs to be worked on and which habits help or hurt.”
In McCollum’s world, the connection between sports and music is clear: In his home, autographed footballs, jerseys and game-worn World Series shoes hang harmoniously next to his multitude of gold and platinum plaques.
Physically, at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, McCollum remains the country singer trapped in a slot receiver’s body, and seems as adept at running a hitch route as he is at churning out a string of chart-toppers night after night. Now, at 33, with a long tour about to launch and baby No. 2 on the way, he realizes that longevity—and not just muscularity—must be the focus, which includes a little more mobility and cardio. These days, he’s equally focused on throwing the recreational deep ball with his father — whom he calls “the strongest 65-year-old in the world” — and chasing his kids around the backyard, while still delivering unforgettable shows to sold-out crowds.
“I think your goals change over time,” he says. “Now mobility and cardiovascular health is a big goal. As I get older, I still want to hoop, play soccer with dad and the boys, swing a golf club hard, play pickleball, whatever it is.”
While his exercise and nutrition routines remain consistent, if somewhat toned down, time management and mental clarity have emerged as crucial priorities in the singer’s repertoire. That was the reason he called in the expertise by Brian Cainone of the leading coaches in mental performance, towards the end of the last tour. The compound aimed to detect and address signs of fatigue before it appears on stage. In a short time, Cain’s advice has resulted in a more energetic entertainer.
“Being intentional about what I eat and how I schedule my day really gave me confidence,” says McCollum. “Going to bed knowing I had been executed – from front to back – helped enormously.”
Parker McCollum is ‘designed’ for top performance
At home, McCollum’s extensive memorabilia collection is one of the key benefits of success. Among his most prized pieces are cleats worn by former Houston Astros catcher Brian McCann in the 2017 World Series, autographed footballs from Peyton Manning and members of the University of Alabama, as well as one of his personal favorites: a New York Jets jersey signed by Michael Vick. “Man, I got lucky,” he says. “I have experienced some nice things and have some memories.”
The collection fits in nicely with his own gold and platinum records. In October, ‘What Kinda Man’ became McCollum’s fifth gold record, joining a gold album (Gold Chain Cowboy) and his double platinum single ‘Pretty Heart’.
These achievements come at a small but significant cost to his overall mental edge, according to McCollum’s, especially as last year’s tour nears its end. The non-stop travel and time away from family that comes with a 50-stop, 19-week tour requires the kind of endurance found in athletes — a quality that can exhaust even the most physically fit performers like McCollum.
And there’s a lot more to a band’s daily schedule. McCollum’s itinerary is packed with media appearances, meet and greets, sound checks and even time spent brushing up on the history of each city to share with concertgoers. (“I’ll research the city and know some history behind the city so you can chat with the audience on stage,” he says.)
Add to that the challenge of making time (and finding a place) to train in each city before the show, and it’s easy to see why McCollum was feeling the effects of the daily grind by the end of the year. The turning point came late in the tour, when fatigue started to set in. At that point, his immediate goal was to return home not “in a daze” but excited to spend time with his wife Hallie — when the couple announced at Christmas that they were expecting their second child, a son.
“There were times this year where I thought I was losing the battle a little bit mentally,” he admits. “I hate to use the word, but you get a little tired, a little mental fatigue.”
These concerns prompted him to enter Brian Cain who has worked with dozens of professional athletes, including NFL All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson. With what seemed like an ever-increasing and overwhelming list of responsibilities, Cain’s mission was to help McCollum streamline his process and better protect his headspace offstage. The goal was for McCollum to be re-energized and mentally sharp, not just for a single show, but for the entire tour.
“It’s my job to make sure he fills his own cup, too,” Cain says. “Whether it’s exercise, sleep, diet, mindset, routine, or being super organized so he can make fewer decisions in the moment and stick to his routine — to make sure he has the juice he needs for everyone else. It’s about being the best version of yourself so you can show up the best for others.”
To achieve this, Cain introduced the idea of ’design’ over ‘discipline’. Under Cain’s guidance, McCollum began planning his days down to the minute. Every aspect – from wake-up time and workouts to mindfulness exercises, rehearsals and relaxation – was deliberately mapped out.
His days became even more regimented than the disciplined “Handle on You” singer’s normal routine. On a typical day on the road after a show, he would wake up at 9 a.m., have breakfast at 8:30 a.m., check in with family before heading to the gym at 11 a.m. Lunch was followed by some free time, and by 7:15 p.m. the singer was showered, dressed, meditated and put through vocal warm-ups before taking the stage.
“We’ve done our best to raise awareness about what works and what needs to be adjusted,” says Cain. “We then created a strategy to close the gap from where we are to where we want to be. Parker took action, then we gained new awareness and adjusted the strategy as necessary – and that process is repeating and always evolving as his career and life evolve.”
McCollum is already enjoying the results and calls them a game changer for concert performances. As he embarks on this tour, he feels not only reset, but recharged. He even tries to do as much of his on-the-road routine at home as possible.
“I wasted a lot of time all day,” he says. “I always felt like I had a lot to do and wasn’t taking any action to do any of it. And when I made time for everything and was very intentional and specific with my schedule during the day, I realized that I don’t really have too much to do, and it’s not overwhelming. This allows you to take advantage of your day and have the mental confidence to take care of what you need to take care of today.”
Parker McCollum redefines wellness on and off stage
Hiring a mental performance coach is the latest evolution of McCollum’s wellness journey, which began during his childhood. He credits his father, Mark, as his role model for staying fit. “My dad is 65 and in the best shape of anyone I know,” he says. “Growing up and seeing him get up every morning and go to the gym definitely pushed me to stay committed to my own health.”
Now that he himself is the father of a 1-year-old – Major Yancy – and another child this summer, McCollum’s goals for staying fit have shifted from not just performance and aesthetics to a more practical and functional reality. While he and his father still train hard, play football and basketball on family outings, McCollum now wants to be there for his children, just like his father has been there for him. For now, strength training-only days have been shortened and a more targeted approach to daily movement and even rest has been added to the schedule.
“As I get older, it really does [about] mobility and flexibility,” he says. “I don’t always really try to be Mr. To be jacked. I just want to be in good shape and be healthy.”
Nutritionally, the self-proclaimed “hardgainer” also brings in catering staff to maintain consistency with their diet and eliminate the stress that comes with a scavenger hunt-like struggle to find a healthy meal. Instead, he relies on the same meal to start his morning. “Four eggs, scrambled eggs, cheese, crispy bacon and a cup of fruit with a protein shake and water is my daily start on the go,” he says.
In his heavy lifting days, McCollum says he got his weight up to 230 pounds, but he’s much more comfortable these days at a more reasonable 200 pounds. He moves better on stage, his stamina from start to finish is now second to none, and he has worked to keep the musical momentum going all year. The key he has learned is not to add more weight to the bar, but to add more exercise to his daily routine.
“At some point in the day you have to get out there and get the blood flowing,” he says. “Whether it’s playing basketball or lifting weights, running the stands, whatever you have to do at some time of the day, get the blood flowing.”
Despite all the strategies implemented to ensure this year’s tour remains exciting, McCollum still knows there is no exact science to guaranteeing a flawless performance every night, even with every painstaking step he has taken to get closer to perfection. Like sports, every performance is its own unpredictable entity, with bad nights an unfortunate reality. However, after McCollum’s well-planned strategy and execution for this tour, fans can expect an All-Pro performance night after night. After all, he was put to work.
“It’s a bit like shooting hoops,” he says. “I mean, Steph Curry goes out a few nights and can’t buy a bucket and the next night he drops fifty. It’s really hard to be consistent and be the exact same person on stage, and so you do all these things — staying in shape, focusing on sleep and eating right — so you can try to have as many of those nights as you can.”
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