Zac Efron 'Baywatch' Workout: Exercises, Eating Plan, and More

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Whether you're a fan of the original 'Baywatch' TV series or the'Baywatch' movie that came out a couple of years ago, there's a good chance you've seen the hard-bodied celebrities sporting those now-famous red swimsuits and shorts.

While the TV show featured the fit bods of David Hasselhoff and David Charvet, the movie's new crop of stars seem to be even more chiseled and ready to tackle any beach emergency that comes their way.

But how does the cast — more specifically, Zac Efron — get (and stay) in such phenomenal shape?

Two words: Patrick Murphy.

The trainer

Murphy, a Los Angeles–based certified fitness professional, is no stranger to testing the limits of some of our favorite Hollywood A-listers.

He's the brains behind the workout routines of several celebrities, including Alexandra Daddario (who's also in 'Baywatch'), Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, and Daniela Ruah.

But it's Efron's transformation that put this highly sought-after trainer in the spotlight. His intense and effective workouts have inspired many people to want to follow the diet and exercise program he designed for Efron.

How did this brilliant trainer get Efron ready to spend all day shooting scenes in nothing but swim trunks? Read on, and we'll tell you exactly how it's done.

The philosophy

To say that Efron went from fairly fit to phenomenal is an understatement.

While his 'Baywatch'performance made it seem like he'd always looked that way, one thing's for sure: To get Efron's body in tip-top shape, Murphy had to design workouts that evolved over time.

'Efron's 'Baywatch' movie training program involved an ever-changing approach, involving full-body workouts, two-day splits, three-day splits, power training, strength training, stability and balance training, lifeguard training, hiking, biking, obstacle course training, and more,' says Murphy.

The change in programming meant that Efron never hit a plateau, which Murphy credits with helping Efron become a strong, high-endurance machine as well as maximizing fat loss.

'Simply put, he ended up shredded,' says Murphy.

Murphy also points out that setting the bar high for Efron was easy, especially since he has one of the hardest workout ethics Murphy's ever seen.

'Since failure was never an option, I knew what was going to transpire after only a month into the program,' explains Murphy.

With that in mind, Murphy changed Efron's workouts daily. He adjusted the rep schemes and added supersets, circuit training, bodybuilding-style workouts, cardio training, and more.

'I threw the whole fitness toolbox at him, and I own a very large one,' he says.

The workout

You've likely seen this 'whole fitness toolbox' of moves in other publications, but the Baywatch Body Workout below is one that Murphy has never shared before.

Full disclosure: This workout is intense. If you follow it exactly as it's laid out, you will complete 720 reps, not including the warmup. Yes, you read that correctly.

This is a 720-rep workout Murphy used with Efron. What does that mean for you? Well, it depends on your current fitness level and the amount of time you're willing to dedicate to working out.

Fitness level

  • Beginner: Perform 2 rounds per exercise
  • Intermediate to advanced: Perform 3 rounds
  • Fitness fanatics: Perform 4 rounds

While it's great to want to get in better shape, it doesn't make sense to compare your body to that of a famous actor who has the time and resources to get in this kind of shape for a movie role.

That's why we suggest you use this as a guideline for getting the most out of your workouts, which will help you feel healthier and stronger. Here's a video of Zac Efron doing a workout to get you pumped:

Full-body 10-20 drop-set workout

To do: Perform 10 reps of the exercise with a somewhat challenging weight. Then use half the weight for 20 reps.

For example:

  • 10 reps of lateral raises with 10-pound dumbbells
  • 20 reps of lateral raises with 5-pound dumbbells

Dynamic warmup

Wall press

To do:

  • Stand with your hands on a wall, more than shoulder-width apart.
  • Lower your chest toward the wall to perform a pushup-like motion.

Standing leg swings

To do:

  • Stand next to a wall or another surface you can place your hand on for balance.
  • With your feet hip-width apart, keep 1 foot on the floor and swing the opposite leg forward and back.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.

Alternating reverse lunge with trunk rotation

To do:

  • Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
  • Step backward with your left foot and lower your left knee almost to the ground.
  • At the bottom of the movement, rotate your torso over your right leg.
  • Turn back to the center, press your right foot into the ground, and step your left leg forward to return to the starting position.

Hip stretch with torso twist

To do:

  • Stand with your feet together. Step your left foot back about 3 feet from your right foot.
  • Place your right hand on your hip. Raise your left hand and twist your torso until you feel a slight stretch in your left hip.
  • Return to the starting position and switch sides. You can also do this stretch from a kneeling position.

Drop sets

Exercise #1

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  • 10 Dumbbell lateral raises
  • 20 Dumbbell lateral raises (with half the weight)
  • Complete 4 rounds, resting for 90 seconds after each round

To do:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides.
  • Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing in.
  • Raise your arms out to the sides until they reach shoulder level. Pause.
  • Lower the weights to the starting position.

Exercise #2

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  • 10 Kettlebell squats
  • 20 Kettlebell squats (with half the weight)
  • Complete 4 rounds, resting for 90 seconds after each round

To do:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly out.
  • Grab the handle of the kettlebell with both hands. Hold it in front of your chest, close to your body.
  • Lower to a squat position, holding the kettlebell close to your chest.
  • Pause at the bottom. Press up to the starting position.

Exercise #3

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  • 10 Floor dumbbell chest presses
  • 20 Floor dumbbell chest presses (with half the weight)
  • Complete 4 rounds, resting for 90 seconds after each round

To do:

  • Lay on your back with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend your knees and extend your elbows to a 90-degree position. The backs of your arms will rest on the floor.
  • While holding the dumbbells over your chest, press up.
  • Pause at the top. Lower the weights to the starting position.

Exercise #4

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  • 10 Dumbbell stiff-leg deadlifts
  • 20 Dumbbell stiff-leg deadlifts (with half the weight)
  • Complete 4 rounds, resting for 90 seconds after each round

To do:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand, arms in front of your thighs.
  • Bend your knees slightly. Bend at the hips until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Pause.
  • Make sure your glutes are contracting as you drive up to the starting position.
  • Keep your core engaged during the entire movement.

Exercise #5

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  • 10 Incline bench dumbbell rows
  • 20 Incline bench dumbbell rows (with half the weight)
  • Complete 4 rounds, resting for 90 seconds after each round

To do:

  • Lie facedown on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Your chest will press against the bench, and your arms will hang down.
  • Pull the dumbbells up toward your chest. At the top of the movement, squeeze your shoulder blades together.
  • Lower to the starting position.

Exercise #6

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  • 10 Cable AB crunches from knees
  • 20 Cable AB crunches from knees (with half the weight)
  • Complete 4 rounds, resting for 90 seconds after each round

To do:

  • Kneel below a cable machine. Attach a rope to a high pulley.
  • Grab the rope and crunch your body, bringing your forearms down to your knees and your head to the floor.
  • Pause. Return to the starting position.
  • Keep your body slow and in control during the entire movement.
The schedule

Efron used a split workout plan divided into three days. The three-day split focused on back and biceps on day one, legs on day two, and shoulders, chest, and arms on day three. He also trained his abs throughout the week. It looked something like this:

  • Day 1: Back and biceps—this includes eight exercises, such as:
    • straight-arm pulldowns
    • ab rollouts
    • seated cable rows
  • Day 2: Legs—this includes 10 exercises, such as:
    • leg presses
    • squat jumps
    • kick butts
    • mountain climbers with slides
  • Day 3: Shoulders, chest and arms—this includes 10 exercises, such as:
    • pushups
    • cable chest flyes
    • dumbbell squat front raises
The eating plan

As you can probably guess, Efron eats an extremely nutritious diet. Murphy has him dialed into a whole-foods diet, which means he stays far away from highly refined, processed foods.

Not sure what that looks like? Here are a few examples from Efron's food plan:

  • Yes to brown rice, but no to brown rice pasta
  • Yes to quinoa, but no to quinoa crackers
  • Yes to apples, but no to apple juice

And no flour products. Murphy says Efron eats whole foods 90 percent of the time, but he does allow room for three cheat meals per month.

Typically, a whole-foods diet, especially one used to fuel a fitness plan, will include:

  • fresh fruits and vegetables
  • lean sources of protein
  • complex carbohydrates
  • healthy sources of fat
Cautions

Before you pound out 720 reps, it's a good idea to assess your current fitness level. Jumping into an intensive program without working up to it can lead to injuries and burnout.

If you're new to exercise, you might want to talk to an exercise expert to discuss the smartest way to go about building up to the program that Murphy has laid out.

You may also want to speak with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any preexisting conditions, injuries, or limitations that may be exacerbated by working out.

Realistic goals

Don't worry if you're not ready to take on Murphy's advanced Baywatch Body Workout. You can easily modify many of these moves and still crush your fitness goals. With that in mind, consider basing your fitness goals on how you want to feel, not who you want to look like.

While you may not have a rippling six pack like Efron's, getting on a regular workout program will make you feel healthy, strong, and happy.

How to get started

If you're not sure how to get started with an exercise plan or you've hit a plateau with your training, you might want to consider working with a personal trainer. If you're going to ease into the Baywatch Body Workout, you might want to modify the program.

For example, start by completing only 10 reps of each exercise. When you've mastered that, add the round of 20 reps. Or you can keep the 10-20 rep scheme but do only two rounds of each exercise rather than four.

The bottom line

Amping up or starting a regular workout routine is great, and the good news is you'll likely see results from your hard work.

It's important to remind yourself that it's not about comparing yourself to Zac Efron. Instead, use his workout and eating plan as a good starting point for your fitness journey.

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