Timeflies band members talk balancing health and fitness with music career

Cal Shapiro and Rob Resnick bonded over a love of music when they met in college. The duo went on to start their band Timeflies, which performed at Lollapalooza in 2013, and now finds that another common interest adds to their success.

Shapiro, 25, and Resnick, 24, both rank health and fitness as a priority and push each other to achieve their goals despite busy schedules.

Shapiro, a native of Westchester, and Resnick, who was raised in Montclair, N.J,  live in Manhattan where they focus on their music career -- in 2012, they created their own label, which is linked to The Island Def Jam Music Group -- and physical well being.

Among rehearsals and tour dates, the two stay fit with regular gym workouts, experiments in P90X and what they call “perfect push up contests.”

Shapiro said that while on tour, they wake up at noon to get in a training session before 5 p.m. sound check, focusing on exercises consisting of low weight and high reps, and interval running .?.?. but taking it easy with legs. "We are getting a good leg workout on stage," he said.

Resnick added that while on tour is also when his training excels: “I work out more on tour," he said. "We don’t eat a lot of sugar [or drink soda]. And I never eat dessert.”

The duo gave an inside look into what it takes for them to carryout a healthy lifestyle:

Please take us though your typical day at the gym:
Resnick: “I usually do a two-day rotation -- [Day 1]: back and biceps (including curls and rows), and some shoulders or abs; [Day 2]: chest (press/flys) and triceps, and the shoulders and abs I didn’t do. Legs are optional.”

Shapiro: “Interval sprints, lift, cardio, legs (lunges/jump squats) and lift. Just crush!”

When did you start to develop an interest in health and fitness?
Resnick: “In high school I realized that going to the gym was a lot of fun.”

Shapiro: “At about 21 is when I started to take notice. I wanted to really think about what I was eating and try to get the most out of myself. My mom was a huge fitness person.”

After time, it’s normal to reach some type of staleness when performing a fitness regimen. What techniques do you use to switch things up?
Resnick: “Because we’re always in different gyms, it’s easier to be forced into new workouts. We are always excited to hit a muscle from a new angle -- looking for new things to try. The Internet and our friends are good resources.”

What are your favorite/least favorite exercises?
Shapiro: “My favorites are shoulders, chest, back and biceps. I like lifting and listing to pump-up music -- a lot of hip-hop. But straight cardio -- like running on a treadmill forever -- is just unbearable.”

Any advice that you would like to offer to those looking to start a healthy lifestyle?
Resnick: “Sit less, eat better. We really focus on what we put in our bodies. If your nutrition is good, you’ll want to do more and fitness will find you. And it’ll keep your pH right!”

Do you feel that following a fitness regimen helps your signing performance?
Shapiro: “I do. Moving around as much as we do requires us to be in good cardio shape. Having to sing while being out of breath is nearly impossible, so understanding your heart rate and how that affects your performance is crucial. Also, when you look good, you feel good.”

How do you manage to balance your fitness, in conjunction with your music schedule?
Resnick: “On the road or in the studio, we try to keep small workout breaks in mind and push each other to be involved. Loud music makes you want to do pushups.”

Brian T. Dessart is a nationally accredited Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a New York State Critical Care Emergency Medical Technician and an FDNY firefighter. He can be reached at bdessart@strengthusa.com or on Twitter: @briandessart.