Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell is still going strong at the age of 48 and the rocker credits staying fit for being able to continue his career path with relative ease. The vocalist spoke with ESPN Playbook about his fitness regimen and how it's helped him stay on top of his game.

Cornell says there was a period in his life, once the band started rolling, where he wasn't as physically fit. He explains, "It goes back to the brain. It never felt right to me unless I was working out. If you're a psychiatrist, I assume it was about self-image. I don't like being out of shape and I needed to focus my work ethic."

The frontman says before the band hit it big, he always found time to do pull-ups in the back of kitchens. He adds, "You never know about availability or time or space. I would just wedge it in. I had those periods of my life when I was inactive. I wasn't feeling good then. I finally forced myself to get out and do something."

These days, Cornell says he's avid about cardio and is into isometric workouts to stay in shape. "When I'm mentally distraught, I work out. I'm always hiking or walking these days. And I still love my mountain bike," says the singer. However, when he's on tour, the exercise takes care of itself. "I'm performing three shows in a row for more than two hours at a time and then I'd get a day off. That is my workout," says Cornell. "I don't do anything on the off days so I can prepare for the next show. I need that day off to rest to be able to sing that long."

Speaking about what being physically fit means to him these days, the vocalist concludes, "It means I can do whatever I want without having to worry about it."

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