{"id":231200,"date":"2025-09-16T11:09:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T11:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/231200\/"},"modified":"2025-09-16T11:09:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T11:09:17","slug":"how-tom-grennan-transformed-his-body-and-rebuilt-his-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/231200\/","title":{"rendered":"How Tom Grennan Transformed His Body and Rebuilt His Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

Music history is littered with tales of sex<\/a>, drugs and rock \u2019n\u2019 roll \u2013 jaw-dropping feats of debaucherous human endurance<\/a> that, to mere mortals, seem closer to fiction than fact. You don\u2019t often hear the same celebration of rockstars\u2019 impressive achievements in health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

The odd story breaks the trend \u2013 take Joe Strummer, for instance, the songwriting genius and frontman of The Clash, who ran the Paris and London marathons in four hours without any training, in a pair of trainers you could scarcely believe capable of surviving 26.2 miles. Then there\u2019s Lenny Kravitz<\/a> who, at 61, boasts a set of abs<\/a> most twentysomethings can only dream of.<\/p>\n

For too long, these have been outliers \u2013 exceptions that prove the rule. But a new generation of artists are gradually replacing the well-trodden tales of over-indulgence, of TVs being chucked out of hotel windows and raucous tour shenanigans, with cardiovascular pursuits fuelled without the help of Class A drugs.<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Cue our cover star, the multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter Tom Grennan<\/a> who, after a recent transformation, better resembles an elite athlete than a chart-topping musician. At just 30 years old, his CV already lists 1.5m album sales, Brit and Ivor Novello nominations and two number-one albums. In the early stages of his career, he would have fitted in well with fellow hell-raisers, but by the end of this year will have completed something few musicians can shout about: his second 70.3 Ironman<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Over the past few years, Grennan (who has an impressive 2.5bn streams to his name) has committed himself to fitness<\/a> to such an extent he has trained with some of the greatest CrossFit<\/a> athletes on earth \u2013 and didn\u2019t look, or feel, out of place.<\/p>\n

\u2018There was a day [when] I was at a gym in London and Mat Fraser<\/a> came along,\u2019 he reveals with a look of pure awe, describing the five-time CrossFit Games champion. \u2018We trained with him and seeing that guy in the flesh \u2013 it was like watching someone from a different planet. I held my own, but that level of performance is another level, man.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"tom<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fair to say Grennan hasn\u2019t always covered himself in glory in front of his sporting idols. Two significant moments of personal humiliation stand out \u2013 both providing a catalyst for an extreme fitness epiphany.<\/p>\n

The first came five minutes into a boxing<\/a> class when he was sick in a bin in front of one of his teenage idols \u2013 former MH cover star \u2013 Manchester United, Real Madrid and England icon, Sir David Beckham<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Burying his face in his hands, Grennan describes the incident as a lightbulb moment. \u2018I realised I had to do something about the nick I was in. I had to run to the changing rooms \u2013 I was sick after about five minutes of circuits. It wasn\u2019t my finest hour.\u2019<\/p>\n

The second instance was with his now wife, who works in the fitness industry. She suggested they go for a run together in the early stages of their romance \u2013 but it nearly backfired when he saw the disappointment on her face when he couldn\u2019t keep up.<\/p>\n

\u2018I remember going out for a 3km run<\/a> and I couldn\u2019t even do five minutes of it,\u2019 he recalls. \u2018I could see it in her face \u2013 she was thinking, \u201cThis guy is always tired, he\u2019s unfit and he can\u2019t even run.\u201d That was a turning point \u2013 I needed to sort my life out.\u2019<\/p>\n

Fighting Fit <\/strong><\/p>\n

Today, I meet Grennan in a film studio in north-west London. He\u2019s arrived ready for the shoot looking box fresh \u2013 you can tell he has put the work in, not just from the swell of his biceps beneath his T-shirt, but the healthy glow in his cheeks suggestive of a man in peak health. He has the presence of a big star \u2013 even in casual clothes he looks like he\u2019s ready for the shoot before the stylist has had a say. His trademark curly hair frames a face with eyes that twinkle with mischief.<\/p>\n

This is all in stark contrast to the first time I met Grennan, back in 2018. He was a guest on a radio show I was hosting and arrived looking like he had just rolled out of the pub \u2013 probably because he had. At the time, he was an artist on the rise, having just landed high-profile collaborations with Calvin Harris<\/a>, Chase & Status, Ella Henderson and Bugzy Malone<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If the Grennan I meet today is bright and full of optimism \u2013 and he should be, as he prepares for the release of his new album \u2013 his journey has come with its share of bumps in the road. Aged 18, while outside a chicken shop in his hometown of Bedford, he was beaten so badly he almost died \u2013 three men held him down while the main assailant punched him so hard and repeatedly that he needed four metal plates and wire to rebuild his face.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018When you go on long runs, you meet every dark side of who you are\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It led to a period where he seldom left the house, his confidence and body shattered. He managed to dig himself out of the hole through music, overcoming severe dyslexia that meant letters appeared as if moving on a clothes line.<\/p>\n

Slowly but surely, he rebuilt his confidence, securing the qualifications that earned him a place at university in Twickenham to study performing arts. He had discovered his voice singing along to The Kooks at a party \u2013 leaving the assembled guests speechless thanks to his distinctive, raspy voice. He started gigging on the side while holding down a job at Costa Coffee, before he was finally spotted by a management company. <\/p>\n

\u2018Getting beaten up when I was a teenager was the start of putting me into a spiral of getting unfit and having depression,\u2019 he says. \u2018I didn\u2019t know where I was going after that or who to be.\u2019<\/p>\n

To make matters worse, in 2022, Grennan was on the receiving end of another brutal attack, this time in New York. He was punched in a doorway and knocked clean out. He got up to chase his attacker, only for a gun to be pulled out.<\/p>\n

\"tom<\/p>\n

\u2018The second time it happened to me, it wasn\u2019t as bad as the first time because I had learned how to deal with that situation,\u2019 he reflects. \u2018I had never been knocked out before. I woke up quickly and I immediately knew I had to snap out of it, so I didn\u2019t sink into a depression again. I had to understand what happened and accept I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I couldn\u2019t get lost in it. Two unlucky places and that was it.\u2019<\/p>\n

His journey into fitness helped him manage the trauma that inevitably came with such harrowing episodes.<\/p>\n

\u2018When I go on long runs training for Iron Man, you meet every dark side of who you are. The endurance events have definitely helped me handlethose experiences, no doubt.\u2019<\/p>\n

At the beginning of this year, he finally had the wires removed from his jaw, putting an end to that horrible chapter that started in his teens. \u2018That was the door being shut at last,\u2019 he says. \u2018That constant reminder of pain was gone. I\u2019m just glad I made it through.\u2019<\/p>\n

Grennan admits that in his twenties, before the Ironmans and the CrossFit sessions, he was the most unfit he had ever been \u2013 and it was taking its toll.<\/p>\n

\u2018I was in a bottomless pit of going out every night, boozing<\/a> and eating rubbish\u2013 that cycle just made me really unfit. The only exercise I was getting was on stage and I was a sweaty mess, puffing for air after one note.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018Fitness is the key to unlocking so much about yourself\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u2018I come from a football<\/a> background, so when I was younger I was really fit and I thought my metabolism would always be sweet. Turns out, the drink and the food when I was in my twenties caught up with me.\u2019<\/p>\n

He describes them as \u2018the bad days\u2019, but acknowledges for an emerging star that they were \u2018the fun days\u2019, living in the moment. The most painful thing, for him, is comparing those performances with his high-energy shows now.<\/p>\n

\u2018Looking back, I can hardly recognise that person. I remember the day it switched, I needed to find something, and some people, that really challenged me.\u2019<\/p>\n

It was at this point, pre-pandemic, that Grennan was introduced to CrossFit guru Gustavo Vaz Tostes<\/a>, and taken to his London gym by Beckham\u2019s trainer, Bobby Rich. Undeterred by the embarrassment of the moment he was sick in the bin, he kept training and through that circle of elite athletes, was introduced to former professional rugby player Tom Lowe, who became his full-time trainer.<\/p>\n

\"tom<\/p>\n

Since then, his fitness \u2013 and life in general \u2013 has been on a steep curve of improvement. The two Toms now go on tour together to keep the training on track, and with his biggest ever arena tour kicking off in September, they are about to embark on another block of serious fitness \u2013 with his second Ironman planned for October.<\/p>\n

Recently, he also started training at Roar Fitness in London with Sarah Lindsay, a former Olympic speed skater, and her PT brother, Matt. Grennan has been battling through a bad ankle injury and they carefully plotted his recovery with a training and nutrition plan that stripped him down to 9% body fat<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ve been in a really dark place, so I surround myself with good people. They introduced me to CrossFit. Anybody was welcome and they triggered this mindset in me \u2013 where I applied myself to fitness as I applied myself to music. When those two things clicked, my whole life changed in every aspect. I saw things clearly and I understood what I wanted.\u2019<\/p>\n

Grennan soon noticed a big change in his on-stage performance, even giving him more power in his distinctive vocal. At the same time, the crowds from his shows started growing and his personal life finally found balance and contentment.<\/p>\n

\n

\u2018The album is about optimism, opening up and looking at the path ahead\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u2018Being in a room with a bunch of lads who were older than me, but had that machine mentality \u2013 just solid fitness \u2013 I realised I had lost myself. That wasn\u2019t me \u2013 not being able to compete.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think that fitness is the key to unlocking so much about yourself. It completely changes the way I think. I suffer from self- doubt, I struggle a lot with intrusive thoughts, I\u2019m a bit paranoid sometimes about whether this person or that person likes me. So that\u2019s my biggest challenge. I know I could end it all if I wanted to, and those intrusive thoughts have to be managed.\u2019<\/p>\n

Grennan still seeks therapy to handle the demons of his past, is happily married and has a baby daughter giving him even more focus to continue his successful trajectory, pushing him as far as he possibly can with his fitness.<\/p>\n

He starts every day at 6am with a workout<\/a> in his well-stocked home gym \u2013 a SkiErg<\/a> and air bike<\/a> are his main weapons of choice for a workout \u2013 before picking up his share of parenting duties. Each session is planned meticulously with blocks of cardio, strength sessions and a strict diet \u2013 macros<\/a> carefully measured \u2013 to make sure he\u2019s in prime condition to tour.<\/p>\n

\u2018My focus is longevity,\u2019 he states. \u2018I look at older people like my grandad, who just sits in his chair. When I\u2019m 60 to 80, I still want to be able to do pull-ups<\/a>, be flexible<\/a> and do the things I want to do.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"tomNew Heights<\/strong><\/p>\n

This year has seen Grennan really start to reap the rewards of his hard work. In May, he was the star turn at the BAFTAs, where he performed a rendition of his song Full Attention. Shortly after, he appeared at Soccer Aid, one of the biggest moments in the TV calendar, generating more than \u00a315m for Unicef this year. His fourth appearance at the popular charity match, Grennan\u2019s skills on the pitch reflect a childhood spent in the youth academy at Luton Town, an experience that helped shape his work ethic today. \u2018When I was a kid, I felt like I could run forever,\u2019 he says. \u2018At school, I\u2019d do cross-country and I always felt like I could do it twice. I played football four or five times a week. I remember feeling like my body could keep going, even when I was knackered.<\/p>\n

\u2018[As a teenager], you can do anything and not think about it. There was a moment when I was putting my football boots on and I knew I\u2019d be gliding across the grass because I was so fit. I haven\u2019t felt that fit until Ironman training.\u2019<\/p>\n

But his natural fitness was soon being challenged by the classic Achilles heel most teenagers face \u2013 attitude, apathy and adolescence, which might explain why he never took his promising youth career further.<\/p>\n

\u2018Ages 14 to 17 were my crucial football days, but because my attitude wasn\u2019t great, it didn\u2019t help,\u2019 he admits.<\/p>\n

\u2018I thought I was better than a lot of them \u2013 I saw boys getting released from bigger clubs coming to Luton Town where I was. Players from Arsenal and Tottenham \u2013 I could see they had been working at the gym as well as on the football pitch. I realised I wasn\u2019t strong enough \u2013 but it did motivate me when I was that age. I needed to figure out how to make my body stronger and improve that winning mentality.\u2019<\/p>\n

Missing out on earning a living playing football might have been a blessing, because the music career is now more than paying dividends. He is the face (and voice) of a massive Gillette campaign, a hugely lucrative gig that has fans singing The Best A Man Can Get to him as he walks down the street. Not that he\u2019s complaining.<\/p>\n

\"tom<\/p>\n

As his former footy pals go about the start of a new season, Grennan is set to release his new studio album, Everywhere I Went Led Me To Where I Didn\u2019t Want To Be, where he points to George Michael, Prince and Freddie Mercury as the major influences. After albums about painful break-ups and hedonism in his early career, this one is all about \u2018optimism, opening up and looking at the path ahead on a journey to physical and psychological robustness\u2019, he says. \u2018So much of the new album is uplifting \u2013 it makes you dance, makes you sing.\u2019 Among the standouts is a song called Shadowboxing, which addresses his battles with mental health<\/a>. Then there\u2019s Boys Don\u2019t Cry, about the stigma around young men opening up to discuss their emotions. Another, Higher, encapsulates the contentment he has found with fitness. \u2018It\u2019s about me reaching my prime \u2013 taking myself to a higher place,\u2019 Grennan says.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s these new heights that have made Grennan into a cover star, a feat he proudly describes as an \u2018honour\u2019. \u2018It\u2019s one of those milestones I\u2019ve had in my head for a while \u2013 if I could ever get on the cover, I\u2019ve proved to myself that I can go from down and out to the front of the most prestigious fitness magazine on the planet.\u2019<\/p>\n

Such a milestone surely breaks the mould for the outgoing crop of debaucherous musicians. Grennan\u2019s story of dedication and transformation may not lend itself to salacious gossip columns or Netflix docudramas, but arguably what Grennan has landed upon is more profound: a laser focus on his performance and longevity that not only sets himself up for a lasting career, but a more fulfilled life outside of it, too. <\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m mentally prepared and physically prepared,\u2019 says Grennan. \u2018I\u2019m in athlete mode now \u2013 I\u2019ve fought all these demons and now I can go out and smash up life in a good way. For the first time in my career, I\u2019m ready for it.\u2019<\/p>\n

Styling:<\/strong> Abena Ofei at Wizzo & Co.
Styling Assistant: <\/strong>Joshua Cornejo
Grooming: <\/strong>Charlie Cullen at Forward Artists
Set Design: <\/strong>Helen Zarkina
Set Stylist: <\/strong>Holly Ross <\/p>\n

This interview features in the October 2025 issue of Men’s Health \u2013 out now. Subscribe to MH by hitting this link<\/a>.\"mens<\/a>\"Lettermark\"<\/p>\n

Our new Editor-at-Large, Gordon Smart, is an award-winning broadcaster and journalist. He hosts Weeknights and Sunday evenings on BBC Radio 5 Live and his podcast Restless Natives, with actor Martin Compston, has had 1.4 million listens.
\nGordon made his name in journalism as the youngest Showbiz Editor of The Sun and the youngest Editor of The Scottish Sun. On TV, he has anchored Good Morning Britain and is a regular presenter and host on BBC Morning Live.<\/p>\n