Phil Vassar’s high-energy performances often involve a piano and a lot of running and jumping. But years ago, the singer-songwriter did his running and jumping in the athletic arena. He was Virginia state champ in high jump and hurdles in high school, and he went to college at Virginia’s James Madison University on a track scholarship.

Vassar has made some modifications in his training schedule since his college days. “I don’t run as much as I used to,” he says. “My knees can’t take it anymore. Jumping off the piano night after night on stage has pretty much done in any life I had left in my knees. Treadmills are better for my knees than running on the street is. And I haven’t tried a hurdle in years — if I did, you would probably hear about me in the hospital somewhere!

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