It’s not every man who can hold his own against Dwayne ‘The Rock' Johnson. Especially when 'holding your own' entails appearing shirtless beside him for an entire movie, without getting laughed off screen.
For Baywatch (2017), Zachary David Alexander Efron did just that, graduating from his youthful High School Musical persona to emerge a lean, muscle-bound machine of a man.
Reportedly, Efron shred down to just 5 per cent body fat for the film over 12 weeks. And while that probably isn’t achievable for 99.9 per cent of men (Efron himself has since called his transformation ‘unreal’) it’s always nice to have something to aim for, right?
The man behind the abs? That would be legendary Hollywood trainer Patrick Murphy.
Unlike many celebrity trainers, Murphy’s focus is on longevity. Sure, actors want to look good, but they need to be able to perform on cue, and maintain that ability over a long career.
“I became known as the trainer who produces low risk, super high-benefit exercise programmes,” Murphy says. “My foundational approach is high-intensity training, with low-risk, non-ego driven exercises that yield amazing results, with the added benefit of creating perfect posture and alignment.”
It’s an approach that has served Murphy well, landing him clients including Jason Segel and Jennifer Lawrence.
His standout work, however, is still Efron’s beach body. So popular was the transformation that it launched Murphy’s own Baywatch Body Workout plan, incorporating everything from nutrition to balance training and corrective moves.
Want to don your own pair of red speedos this summer? Then let’s dive in.
The Mission
“I was in Rome, training Keanu Reeves and Ruby Rose for John Wick 2,” Murphy humble-brags. “About a week before production ended, I got called to train Zac Efron and Alexandra Daddario for the Baywatch movie.”
The call, Murphy says, left him “more than thrilled.” Here was an opportunity to apply 25 years of learning to a huge project.
“Early in our training relationship, Zac and I had many great conversations about our approach and ultimate goal,” Murphy says. “We bounced around many ideas for ‘the look’ and realised he was acting beside the big man, Dwayne Johnson. There was no way we were going to compete with his size, right?”
Efron and Murphy knew it would be near impossible to try and match Johnson’s bulk. Instead, they went a different route; get ripped. Or, as Murphy puts it: “The Bruce Lee look”.
Insider Info
Getting Efron into the best shape of his life required a multi-pronged approach based on Murphy’s foundational tenets of stabilisation, strength and power. Without any postural issues or injuries to overcome prior to training, they were able to move quickly for great results.
“We had 10-12 weeks to prepare before shooting started,” he says. “But we decided to get where he needed to be in eight weeks, and then plan his ‘leanest days’ for specific shoot dates.”
From the start, Murphy says Efron was “100 per cent committed” to achieving the look of an uber-ripped lifeguard. Before they even set foot in a gym together Efron was already around 10 per cent body fat. Throughout the training window he reduced this by half, while adding 3.6kg of lean muscle.
“He never missed a workout,” Murphy says. “He was always super nice and gracious with the people around him in the gym. Who knows, maybe it was a stall tactic to gain a little more rest before getting into another rep?”
The Method
You can’t cut half of your body fat without putting in some serious work in the gym. Likewise, you’ll probably need to make a few tweaks in the kitchen. Murphy is reluctant to give away Efron’s diet plan, but stresses that with both weights and meals, continually adjusting the formula is the key to success.
“My nutritional programs build from a whole foods diet,” Murphy says. “In order to maximise fat loss and add lean gains, I made sure to change my training schemes and Zac’s nutritional macros to avoid a plateau.”
When it came to Efron’s training, the plan followed a pre-programmed progression. Phase one focused on a full-body circuit. Phase two incorporated push/pull workouts split between upper and lower body parts in a superset format (ie two push arm exercises immediately followed by a pull arm exercise).
The final phase is one Murphy calls ‘Show & Go’. And with good reason. With Efron losing fat and building muscle, this final part combined rep schemes designed to boost muscle mass while simultaneously scorching away fat. In other words: the finishing touches.
The Zac Efron Baywatch Workout
To get help you achieve that bronzes adonis physique, Murphy has put together an equipment-free upper body workout focused on building muscular endurance while ramping up your heart rate, for the ultimate calorie burn.
Over 30 minutes, complete as many rounds as possible (or, ‘AMRAP’) of the following, with 10 reps of each exercise per round.
“Accomplishing 12 rounds (960reps) would be a great goal,” Murphy says. Don't beat yourself up if you're not there yet.
Prisoner squat with calf raise
Sets: As many as possible
Reps: 10
Rest: None
Squat down with your hands behind your head. Drive back up, but lift onto your tip toes, to work your calves. Lower back down again before pushing through your heels to return to the start position. Once you've finished your 10 reps, go into the wall press.
Wall press
Sets: As many as possible
Reps: 10
Rest: None
Lean forward to perform a vertical press-up against a wall. Yes, it sounds simple, but it will activate your chest muscles ahead of the next, tougher move.
Push-ups
Sets: As many as possible
Reps: 10
Rest: None
You know the drill. Get into a plank position, then lower your chest to the ground before extending your arms to return to the start. Don't rush them – stick to a two-seconds-down, one-second-up rhythm for maximum muscle growth.
Plank with hip rotations
Sets: As many as possible
Reps: 10 on each side
Rest: None
Efron's chiselled core wasn't carved out with sit-ups. The plank is an abs exercise that works your obliques, too, especially with this, ahem, twist. Start in a standard plank position, supporting yourself on your forearms, then rotate as far as possible to the left – try to touch the floor with your hip – then repeat on the right. That's one rep.
Mountain climber plank
Sets: As many as possible
Reps: 10 on each leg
Rest: None
This slow-mo version of a cardio move works your abs in two ways, by forcing you to hold your body in position, but also contract to bring your knees up. Start in a press-up position, then slowly bring one knee up to your chest, pause, return to the start position and repeat with the other knee. That's one rep.
Jump squat
Sets: As many as possible
Reps: 10
Rest: None
This move works your biggest muscles and ramps your heart rate, for a serious calorie burn. Start by sinking into a deep squat – no, deeper than that – then drive up explosively and jump in the air. As you land, sink back down, and repeat. Try to breathe.
Tuck crunch
Sets: As many as possible
Reps: 10
Rest: None
This one works your abs from top to bottom, to help carve out that Baywatch six-pack. Start on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Crunch your abs to lift your shoulders off the ground and simultaneously bring your knees to your chest. Push your lower back into the floor throughout to make sure it's your abs doing the work.
Glute bridge
Sets: As many as possible
Reps: 10
Rest: 60 seconds
Finally, work on what's behind you (well, you want to fill out that Speedo, right?). Lie on your back with your feet and forearms on the floor. Raise your groin towards the ceiling, feeling the tension through your glutes at the top of the movement.
Done? Now, take a breath, think of Efron’s abs, and go right back to the start.
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