Work out like you’re about to be on the set of Baywatch with this workout routine inspired by Zac Efron in this month’s edition of Hollywood Muscle.
Workout Description
It’s that time again and we’re back for another edition of Hollywood Muscle.
Hollywood Muscle is a monthly installment where the M&S team revisits some of the most iconic physiques in the history of film and media.
On the docket for today is none other than Zac Efron.
Efron has gone from teen heartthrob to developing one of the most aesthetically appeasing physiques over the years.
Today, we’re going to dive into his transition and provide an inspired workout that you can utilize to build your own physique.
Zac Efron Mini-Biography
Zac Efron is really a millennial icon. Having started his acting career in school theater class he went on to guest star in several television series including Firefly, ER, and The Guardian. Inevitably this lead to his first full-time role in the second season of Summerland.
That sort of initial success and his on-screen charisma lead to his breakout role in Disney Channel’s High School Musical. He became instantly recognizable among the teenage and younger crowd who are now entering their various stages of adulthood now.
The High School Musical Trilogy really laid the foundation for Efron’s career and he’s had steady work ever since in a variety of roles as he’s diversified himself in Hollywood.
The most iconic, for our purposes, is his role as Matt Brody in Baywatch. For the role, Efron seemingly transformed his body into the quintessential Men’s Physique Competitor’s body type. It was the most shredded the world had ever seen him.
Zac Efron Workout Philosophy
To prepare for Baywatch, Efron teamed with Hollywood trainer Patrick Murphy. Patrick has helped prepare a variety of Hollywood celebrities for roles. His client list not only includes Zac Efron, but also the likes of Olivia Wilde, Keanu Reeves, Efron’s Baywatch co-star, Alexandra Daddario, and many more.
You can even purchase some of the direct philosophies he used with Zac from his website. These include smart programing broken up into different phases along with macronutrition information to help you achieve the perfect beach body.
He’s also provided several media outlets information and guidelines behind Efron’s training. That information along with Zac’s workout content from his platforms will help us mold the outline for this inspired workout template.
Based on all things we’re able to get our hands on about the way Zac Efron trains, it is very apparent that he enjoys maximizing his time in the gym by including numerous circuits and supersets.
Below we will try to put this information together to give you an idea on what you can do at the gym to help improve your physique over the next 12 weeks.
Zac Efron Inspired Workout Overview
The following workout routine is inspired by the way Zac Efron trains and the content on the web about Efron’s training. It is not the actual workout he has performed and isn’t a representation of Patrick Murphy’s programs either.
It has, however, been put together with sound training principles and includes a lot of examples of the supersets he might incorporate on specific training days.
The workout can be performed for 12 weeks. During those 12 weeks you will perform the workouts in a 3 days on 1 day off fashion, starting over with the first workout listed after your rest day. This sort of training frequency will help you build lean muscle mass.
Keep your rest periods relatively short throughout each workout. 45-60 seconds in between supersets should do the trick.
Letters represent that the exercise is part of a pairing that forms a superset and/or circuit. Perform all of the exercises of the pairing prior to taking your rest period.
After each workout, perform 20 minutes of a cardio of your choice. It doesn’t have to be too strenuous and it should be something you enjoy doing as this will make you consistent in performing it.
Weight selection will be highly individualized. You will want to select a weight that challenges you during both exercises.
Zac Efron Inspired Workout: Back and Biceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| A1. Dumbbell Pullover | 3 | 8-12 |
| A2. One Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| B1. Pull Up | 3 | 8-12 |
| B2. Seated Cable Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| C1. Lat Pull Down | 3 | 8-12 |
| C2. Inverted Row | 3 | 8-12 |
| D1. Chin Up | 3 | 8-12 |
| D2. Drag Curl | 3 | 8-12 |
Zac Efron Inspired Workout: Legs and Core
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| A1. Hack Squat | 3 | 8-12 |
| A2. Bodyweight Jump Squats | 3 | 8-12 |
| B1. Leg Curl | 3 | 8-12 |
| B2. Exercise Ball Leg Curl | 3 | 8-12 |
| C1. Walking Lunge | 3 | 8-12 Each |
| C2. Romanian Deadlifts | 3 | 8-12 |
| D1. Seated Calf Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| D2. Standing Calf Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| E1. Sit Up | 5 | 15 |
| E2. Oblique Crunch | 5 | 12-15 Each |
| E3. Lying Floor Leg Raise | 5 | 15 |
| E4. Plank | 5 | Timed Failure |
Zac Efron Inspired Workout: Chest, Shoulders and Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| A1. Dumbbell Floor Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| A2. Push Up | 3 | 8-12 |
| B1. Incline Bench Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| B2. Lateral Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| C1. Standing Overhead Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| C2. Band Pull Apart | 3 | 8-12 |
| D1. Machine Fly | 3 | 8-12 |
| D2. Push Up | 3 | 8-12 |
| E1. Triceps Dip | 3 | 8-12 |
| E2. Hammer Curl | 3 | 8-12 |
Zac Efron Diet and Nutrition
If you’re looking to get shredded like Zac Efron in Baywatch, you’re going to want to get your nutrition in check as well.
Anytime losing body fat is the main goal, you will need to eat in a caloric deficit. This includes knowing what your daily maintenance calorie consumption should be and subtracting roughly 500 calories from this number.
To keep yourself satiated, once you have your fat loss calorie needs figured out, you’ll want to consume a diet that’s both high in protein and relatively high in fiber. For the most part, this will be a diet predominately made up of whole foods and lean protein sources.
For this particular role, and to lose water weight for that shredded look, it would make sense that Zac probably took on a temporary keto diet plan. This protocol was probably followed by dehydration leading into shirtless scenes.
However, this isn’t a smart approach for most people. Your body thrives on carbohydrates and you’re likely not getting paid millions to get shredded to your core.
Instead, focus on a more sustainable approach. Figure out your calories and fill those needs with food sources such as lean protein, whole grains, rice, oats, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and low or non-fat dairy.
Zac Efron Workout & Diet Wrap Up
This wraps up our Hollywood Muscle installment on Baywatch’s beach ready, Zac Efron.
When it comes to following along with this series, or any celebrity workout you might find online, you have to keep things in perspective. For a lot of these men and women, it is their livelihood to get in shape for movie roles.
Thus, they have the resources, time, and lifestyle to dedicate solely for this purpose in the months leading into shooting. You likely don’t have that and getting incredibly shredded might not be practical and definitely not necessary for you.
Not to mention, diets and workouts are highly individualized. No two people are the same. Strictly following what worked for one person and trying to emulate that yourself might or might not lead to you accomplishing your goals.
Instead, take what is useful and apply it into your own lifestyle. View these iconic celebrity looks as motivation and not a guideline.
CREDIT: M&S
