Since the movie Neighbors hit the theaters, I’ve been having more and more people asking me about the Zac Efron workout and how to get in shape like Zac Efron. You see, Zac is rocking a great looking body! He has awesome definition and just enough muscle to fill out a t shirt.
This is The Warrior Physique if we’re going by Kinobody terminology. Basically if you were to do a proper body transformation and cut down to under 10% body fat with solid training you would very well end up with this type of physique.
So most people wouldn’t actually have to bulk up to look like Zac. Instead, they’d need to start dialing in their nutrition to facilitate fat loss while focusing on getting stronger in the gym on some key movements to create a certain look that we’ll discuss later in this article.
The Zac Efron Workout Routine For Neighbors
Monday – Shoulders, Back & Arms
Seated DB Shoulder Press: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 (RPT)
Pull ups or Chin ups: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 (RPT)
Skull Crushers: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 (RPT)
Hammer Curls: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 (RPT)
Cable Curls: 12-15 reps + 4 sets of 3-5 reps (Rest Pause)
Wednesday – Legs & Shoulders Isolation
Sumo Deadlift: 3-4, 4-5 reps (RPT)
Bulgarian Split Squat: 6-8, 8-10 (RPT)
Calf Raises: 12, 10, 8, 6 (SP)
Lateral Raises: 12-15 reps + 4 sets of 3-5 reps (Rest Pause)
Bent Over Flyes: 12-15 reps + 4 sets of 3-5 reps (Rest Pause)
Friday – Chest & Arms
Incline Bench Press: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 (RPT)
Flat Bench Press: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 (RPT)
Barbell Curls: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10 (RPT)
Cable Rope Push Downs: 12, 10, 8, 6 (SP)
Cable Rope Curls: 12, 10, 8, 6 (SP)
Zac Efron Abs Workout Video
Workout Breakdown
This Zac Efron workout routine will build muscle on your entire physique on a weekly basis. The muscle group that will experience the most growth are the biceps. The biceps will be getting hit hard twice per week with one heavy exercise for a few sets. And one light exercise for high reps and short rest periods. This will maximize muscle growth!
The shoulders are also getting hit heavy on Monday with shoulder presses and light on Wednesday with isolation movements. I’ve had awesome results with this shoulder training strategy with myself and clients. The triceps are getting hit a lot indirectly from pushing movements, and they’re also getting worked heavy on Monday with skull crushers and light on Friday with rope push downs.
The chest and back are both getting hit heavy once per week. This is to add some muscle and strength without overdoing it. For the Zac Efron workout we want to add some muscle to the chest and back but we don’t want to overdo it. Finally, the legs are hit once per week on Wednesday. The legs typically don’t need much work. We want to be strong and athletic but we don’t want huge legs.
The key is just to do 2-3 lowerbody movements once per week with an emphasis on adding sleek proportion by building up the VMO and calves. If you overdo it on the legs, you’ll build too much lowerbody size and you’ll be stuck with chaffing inner thigh’s and sloppy fitting pants.
Workout Notes
RPT = Reverse Pyramid Training. Reduce each set by 10%. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets.
SP = Standard Pyramid Training. Pick a weight you can do for 12 reps. First set is 12 reps, followed by 10, 8, 6. Rest only 30-45 seconds between sets. Use the same weight for all sets. As fatigue sets in, you will naturally have to reduce the reps by 2 with each set. You can learn more about it here – Dual Pyramid Training
Rest Pause = Pick a weight you can do for 12-15 reps. First set is for 12-15 reps followed by 4 sets of 3-5 reps with the same weight. Only rest 15-20 seconds between sets. This allows for enhanced muscle fiber activation. You can learn about it here – The Muscle Pump of the Gods
How to Look Like Zac Efron in Neighbors
The key to Zac Efron’s physique is his leanness, abs density and arm development. Zac didn’t build his chest or back up too much. Playing a young college kid, Zac needed to look like a regular guy. If he added a lot of mass to his chest and back he would look too big in his clothes.
So the key to the Zac Efron workout is to do low volume on the chest and back. This will build strength and add the perfect amount of muscle. For the arms and shoulders, Zac had to combine heavy lifting and pump training for maximum muscle growth.
This allowed him to build muscle size in those areas at a much faster rate. This is really the key to his physique. Now to ensure his abs showed nicely, he also had to work his abs hard a few days per week. When you are at a low body fat (10% or less), and you add a little muscle to your abs, it shows big time!
What Was His Weight And Body Fat % In Neighbors?
Zac Efron stands 5’8 tall and weighs in at around 155-160 lbs at approximately 9% body fat in the comedy flick Neighbors. He’s by no means huge or shredded! He’s what I would refer to as chiseled with a good level of muscle development. Interestingly enough, I’ve heard over and over again about how girls absolutely love his body.
In fitness and bodybuilding, people often become consumed with trying to build more and more muscle. They forget that fitness, like all pursuits in life, is subject to the law of diminishing returns. Once you build up a solid level of muscle mass, you’re set! Similarly, it’s not about getting as lean and shredded as possible. Getting down to the 8-10% body fat range is the sweet spot for the Hollywood look.
So the reason chicks dig Zac’s physique is because it’s not overdone. He looks like a normal fun guy that happens to be in awesome shape. He’s rocking a nice balance of definition and muscle development and his physique is built up in an aesthetic way.
Here Are The Specifics – The Zac Efron Workout Q&A
1. How should I warm up for the Zac Efron workouts?
I cover this extensively in this article – how to warm up for lifting weights
2. What should I do for abs?
To get Zac Efron abs, I’d suggest doing the V Abs Workout 2x per week. You can do this at the end of the Monday & Friday workout or you can do it on separate days.
3. What about cardio, I really need to lean down?
Cardio will not get you lean. Getting to a low body fat requires you to dial in your nutrition. It means eating the proper calorie and macronutrient intake (protein, fats and carbs) to allow you to burn body fat, retain/increase muscle mass and support testosterone and fullness. This is what my Warrior Shredding Program is about.
4. I’m only lifting 3 days per week, won’t 4-6 workouts be more effective?
Nope. After three intense lifting sessions per week, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. The increased training volume is off set by inhibited recovery and a drained central nervous system. By lifting three days per week, you experience greater neural recovery and strength gains tend to be a lot better.
5. I have a lot of body fat to lose, what should I do?
If you’re 20% body fat or higher, I would definitely suggest my aggressive fat loss program. This course is downright effective at dropping fat quickly in one of the simplest and effortless ways. If you only have 5-15 lbs of fat to lose, your best bet is to get my warrior shredding program, this will allow you to build muscle as you strip the last bit of fat off your body.
6. I’m very skinny, how should I eat?
In order to follow the Zac Efron diet and get the Zac Efron look, you’ll want to ensure you’re eating sufficient calories to gain about half a pound per week. This will allow you to gain almost entirely lean mass. It doesn’t matter if you just eat clean food, it comes down to hitting the right calorie intake with a good balance of proteins, fats and carbs.
If you’re not gaining weight, eat more. If you’re gaining too much weight, eat less! For a good starting point, aim for about 16 calories per pound of body weight for bulking up. If you’re gaining more than 0.5 lbs after the second week, drop the calories by 200. If you’re not gaining weight, increase the calories by 200.
If you already know your maintenance calorie intake, I’d suggest going about 250-300 above that. Protein should be around 1g per pound, fat around 25-30% of total calories and carbs should make up the rest.
7. What supplements should I take for the Zac Efron Workout?
There’s really no need to take any supplements for the Zac Efron Workout. If you have trouble eating enough protein then a whey protein supplement can be beneficial. For overall health, mood and cognition a good quality fish oil is recommended. Vitamin/mineral supplements can be helpful if you have any deficiencies.
A good quality creatine supplement is useful for packing on muscle mass, but is definitely not necessary. Finally, some caffeine as an appetite suppressant and pre-workout is highly useful. I stick to good ol black coffee, which is just amazing. But some people prefer to use pre-workout formula’s instead.
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