As a Les Mills x Reebok ambassador [1], Nina Dobrev [2] has serious fitness credentials; if you haven't tried the GRIT Cardio workout [3] or dance cardio workouts [4] she filmed with the brand, you're missing out on two seriously effective sweat sessions. So when we heard that she hit the gym with Zac Efron [5] — he of the iconically chiseled six-pack [6] — things were bound to be intense. Zac filmed the whole thing for his new YouTube channel [7], which: one, thank you; two, Zac Efron has a YouTube channel now?!; and three, yes, and I hit subscribe so incredibly fast.
First of all, their friendship is adorable. Nina cartwheeled into the video, they hugged, they chatted about her South African safari while doing planks, they pushed each other on a sled. Nina went into a cryo-chamber [8] for three minutes and Zac distracted her from the freezing cold with a bunch of random questions. And I mean the seriously juicy stuff, like: "If you were a vegetable, what vegetable would you be?" (Answer: A carrot.)
Second of all, the workout looks brutal. Nina asked for a focus on abs and butt [9], and they threw in some upper body and oblique moves [10] too.
"A big part of working out is the community of it and going to workouts with friends, and having that accountability," Nina said in the video. It's a testament to the power of a good workout buddy [11] that they're both still laughing through the whole workout, because, damn, it looks insane.
Watch the full video below to see demos of each move, enjoy their cute friendship, and come to terms with the fact that Zac is still blonde. Then, click through the slides to get the details of their go-to moves to incorporate into your next workout.
Elbow Plank
- Start on the floor, resting on your forearms and knees.
- Step your feet out one at a time, coming back into plank position.
- Contract your abs to prevent your booty from sticking up or sinking. Your spine should be parallel to the floor, with your abs pulling toward the ceiling.
Lateral Band Walks
- Place a resistance band just above your ankles.
- Begin standing with feet directly underneath your hips, and squat about halfway down.
- Take a step sideways to the right as far as you can. To fully activate the muscle, be sure to step onto your heel, rather than your toes.
- Actively resist the pull of the exercise band as you bring your left leg slowly toward your right, returning to the starting position.
- Step to the right 20-30 times, then reverse directions stepping to the left 20-30 times.
You can also place the band on the tops of your feet, as shown in Zac and Nina's workout.
High Push
- Grip the high bars on the sled and fully extend your arms.
- Step forward with either your right or left foot and begin to push the sled forward.
- Keep your core engaged and maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement.
- Beginners should push for 25 meters. Those that are more advanced should push for 30 to 50 meters.
Take 30 seconds to one minute of rest, and then move on to the row.