IF THERE’S ONE actor whose physique looks nearly unrecognisable from what it did at the start of their career, it’s Zac Efron. The actor got his start as a peppy, Bieber-haired Disney jock in High School Musical, but transitioned from child star to fitness pin-up with his role in Baywatch. Then, after a multi-year hiatus from acting where he stepped away from the public eye, Efron returned looking remarkably different.
Gone was Efron’s stripped back, lean physique and boyish looks, replaced by a far sturdier, beefier and yes, tanner frame. Behind the scenes shots of Efron on the set of The Iron Claw had people questioning whether it was really him or a stunt double.
Assuredly, Efron did in fact bulk up for The Iron Claw. There was no CGI, digital retouching or post-production wizardry behind his noticeably larger physique. Instead, Efron decided that to convincingly portray legendary wrestler Kevin Von Erich, he needed to look the part. His training routine included countless strength workouts, a high-calorie diet and a good deal of stunt work, to prepare for some of the film’s more acrobatic scenes.
It’s the latter of which that Efron says was most challenging, with the high-flying antics doing some damage. “I was turning purple in parts – they would just cover it in makeup,” he said. Overall, Efron has said the whole transformation was “one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done, physically.”
So, what exactly did Efron do to bulk up? By piecing together details he’s revealed over the years, and by consulting with our resident expert trainers, nutritionists and dieticians, we were able to put together a workout routine and diet plan that is, in our opinion, about as close as you can get to Efron’s actual routine.
Zac Efron’s workout routine
Details of Efron’s workout routine have come out sporadically over the years. The biggest reveal came when his former trainer, Patrick Murphy, provided a three-day sample for Muscle & Fitness. Other trainers and Efron himself have also revealed specific workouts the actor uses to Men’s Health US. By blending these key details, we’ve been able to construct the below five-day workout routine.
Day 1: Back and biceps
Lat pulldowns – 3 sets of 10
Ab rollouts – 3 sets of 10
Seated cable rows – 3 sets of 10
Suspended rows – 3 sets of 10
Pull-ups – 3 sets of 10
Lat pulldowns from knees – 3 sets of 10
Chin-ups – 3 sets of 10
Dumbbell bicep curls – 3 sets of 10
Day 2: Legs
Leg press – 3 sets of 10
Squat jumps – 3 sets of 20
Swiss ball hip extensions – 3 sets of 10
Swiss ball leg curl – 3 sets of 20
Reverse walking dumbbell lunges – 3 sets of 10, each side
Mountain climbers on sliders – 3 sets of 20
Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells – 3 sets of 10
Kick butts – 3 sets of 20
Single-leg calf raises – 3 sets of 10, each side
Single-leg squat hops – 3 sets of 20, each side
Day 3: Shoulders, chest and arms
Dumbbell front raises – 3 sets of 10
Crossbody cable raises – 3 sets of 10
Dumbbell floor press – 3 sets of 10
Push-ups – 3 sets of 10
Incline dumbbell press – 3 sets of 10
Dumbbell overhead press – 3 sets of 10
Chest cable flyes – 3 sets of 10
Single-arm pushdowns – 3 sets of 10, each side
Single-arm curls – 3 sets of 10, each side
Day 4: Kettlebell EMOM
For 20 minutes, complete the following four exercises every minute on the minute (EMOM):
10 kettlebell swings
5 push-ups
10 kettlebell goblet squats
5 pull-ups
Day 5: 1000-rep bodyweight workout
Three rounds of:
20 alternating lunges (each leg)
20 jump squats
60 mountain climbers
20 push-ups
20 single-leg squats
150 skipping rope single-unders
The Zac Efron bulking diet plan
While Efron has never gone into the specifics of how he ate to bulk up for The Iron Claw, we can assume that the most important factor was being in a calorie surplus. Considering that Efron’s goal was gaining lean muscle mass while minimising fat gain, we can also assume that his diet prioritised high-protein, low-fat foods.
From there, we’ve managed to put together a sample diet plan that consists of around 4,000 calories, 300 grams of protein and only 100 grams of fat per day, similar to what Efron likely would have employed.
Find a sample day of eating below.
Meal 1: Breakfast
6 scrambled eggs with spinach and mushrooms
2 slices of whole grain toast with avocado
1 cup of oats with almond butter, blueberries, honey
1 protein shake (whey protein, banana and almond milk)
Meal 2: Pre-workout
2 chicken breast fillets
1.5 cups of jasmine rice
Steamed broccoli with an olive oil drizzle
Meal 3: Post-workout protein shake
2 scoops whey isolate
1 banana
1 tbsp honey
500ml skim milk
Meal 4: Lunch
200g of lean minced beef
1 cup of cooked quinoa
Grilled zucchini, capsicum and onion
1 tbsp olive oil
Meal 5: Dinner
250g of salmon
1 sweet potato
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Side salad with olive oil vinaigrette
Meal 6: Pre-bed snack
200g of high-protein yoghurt
1 tbsp peanut butter
A handful of almonds
1 scoop of casein protein
Why you shouldn’t train and eat like Zac Efron
We’re in the business of promoting workout plans and fitness routines the average person can follow – or at the very least, aspire to follow – but let’s be honest here: unless you’re a bodybuilder or need to play an iconic wrestler in a movie (unlikely) there really isn’t a good reason to bulk up to the degree that Efron did. Adding that much weight to your frame puts your body under a lot of strain, which can have adverse effects on your health.
It’s worth noting that even Efron himself didn’t enjoy the transformation. In an interview with Variety, he dug into the impact the experience had on him. “Having all that weight on, you don’t feel normal,” he said. “And the delayed-onset muscle soreness was through the roof.”
He also touched on the effect the transformation began to have on his mental health. “During preparation, it’s one thing to manage [the training] – you don’t have to be super social – but I found myself withdrawing quite a bit,” he said. “We’re supposed to be having fun. I have to remind myself that this should be fun above all else.”
