Tim McGraw on the Motivation Behind His Six-Pack Abs and Shirtless Photos (Exclusive)

The 52-year-old singer has put in some hard work in the gym.

Tim McGraw has made fitness a priority in his life. 

ET's Nischelle Turner spoke with the 52-year-old singer at CMA Fest in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday, where he opened up about his impressive work in the gym and why he's made a change in his lifestyle. 

"Here's the truth of it -- I was not taking care of myself. I was leaning on the success that I've had," he explained. "My family is counting on me. I want to see my kids grow up, I want to be able to spend time with my grandkids. I want to take them diving and spearfishing, all those things that I want to do with my grandkids." 

"All the people who work really hard for me and count on me to show up -- I wasn't doing that. And I thought that if I want to have a long career and I want to be in this position for a long time, it's easy to bail out now. And I don't want to bail out," he added. 

McGraw's ripped bod has made several appearances on his Instagram -- but the singer and gym owner isn't aiming to show off his six-pack. He's instead boasting about his latest catch! 

"We spent a lot of time in the Bahamas and my kids grew up down there. Spearfishing is one of my passions. I love doing that and so, really the music thing is secondary for me. I just want to be in shape so I can do spearfishing and dive deep," he said. 

Wife Faith Hill certainly appreciates her husband's fit physique, but McGraw doesn't expect her or their three daughters, Gracie, Maggie and Audrey, to go all out for Father's Day. 

"They don't make me a king for any day!" he joked. "I got four women in my life who tell me all the time, 'You ain't all that.' We're not big birthday people or big anniversary people... maybe big moments, but we're all about taking care of each other all the time."

"It's Mother's Day every day in the McGraw family for sure!" he added. 

The family is celebrating McGraw's latest project -- a book he wrote with Jon Meacham. Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation celebrates the music that has defined America and its culture. McGraw, who kicks off his book tour on Monday, came up with the idea during a dinner with the Pulitzer Prize-winning author. 

"You just go through the history of our country and you start realizing that music played a huge role in the way that we perceive our country," McGraw explained. "Music... not only does it reflect the mass consciousness of what was going on in the country, but it also propels the conversation forward. And I'm proud to be a part of music."

"Music is more than just entertainment. Music asks you to look in the mirror and examine yourself and everything -- examine your city, your state, your country, examine the world that you live in," he continued. "It was really profound for me."

So, do McGraw and Hill have a special song they like to listen to? "Yes," he revealed. "Because when you listen to that song and you think about love, and you think about making love, the whole arch is there. It's like a rainstorm."

CMA Fest airs this August on ABC. 

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