Inside the kick-ass workout that’s made Sydney Sweeney the ultimate in body goals – as vile trolls label star ‘chunky’

IF there is a celebrity body we’re swooning after right now, it’s that of American actress Sydney Sweeney. 

The 27-year-old, who has starred in White Lotus, Euphoria, The Handmaid's Tale and Anyone But You, recently offered fans an insight into exactly how she stays in such great shape.

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It comes after fat-shaming trolls subjected the star to a barrage of abuse after seeing paparazzi pictures of her in a bikini chilling at her home in the Florida Keys.

Sydney hit back at the vile trolls by sharing a selection of the cruel jibes, calling her “frumpy”, “chunky” and “ugly” (yes, to someone with her figure!), followed by clips of her kicking ass in the gym.

She’s been training to play America's most successful female boxer, Christy Martin, in a new film and has clearly been spending a lot of time in the ring.

Sydney’s also shows her tyre flipping, using battle ropes and training her upper body a lot - she clearly means business. 

Sarah Lindsay, who is a three-time winter Olympian, personal trainer and owner of Roar Fitness gyms, tells Sun Health that focusing on being strong is important for a number of reasons.

Sarah, who has trained the likes of Piers Morgan, Pixie Lott and Sheridan Smith, says: “I believe it's beneficial and necessary for all women to train to be stronger at any age.

“When you are younger you are able to train harder and recover faster so it's an amazing opportunity to build a body that will last a lifetime.

“As you get older you lose muscle and bone density which weight training can offset.

“It improves your metabolism, making fat loss easier and it improves your ability to train hard and create intensity, physical capability and confidence."

Keen to get in stunning shape like Sydney? Here’s how…

1. TORCH FAT WITH BOXING

THE bulk of Sydney’s recent training has been boxing for the sake of her upcoming role.

But Sydney’s no stranger to combat sports as she has in fact been doing MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) since she moved to LA when she was 12.

“Some of my guy friends were MMA training, and they were doing grappling, and I was like, ‘This is so cool’,” Sydney told Women’s Health.

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The actress trained up to three times a week for the following five to six years before bagging the first place spot in her first competition aged 18.

, London-based personal trainer and founder of the new explains that boxing is one of the best ways to boost your health whilst also targeting all the muscles in your body.

“Not only are your arms working, but your legs and core are working hard to keep you upright and stable," he tells Sun Health.

Oh, and let’s not forget the stress-relieving benefits of boxing.

“For me, nothing clears my head more than 20 minutes of boxing,” he adds.

2. GET TONED ARMS WITH RESISTANCE TRAINING 

WHILE glutes, legs and core are often the cornerstone of many women’s workouts, Sydney shows just how important it is to put your upper body through its paces. 

As Will explains, a strong upper body helps improve posture, general strength and muscle helps to protect bones.

He tells Sun Health: “Women often neglect the upper body, but done right, it’s a great way to improve your physique, make your waist appear smaller and your arms and back generally look more toned.”

Sydney has been showing off her upper body muscles, lean arms and shoulders and carved back on social media.

Her Instagram reel shows she has been doing a lot of cable-machine bent-over rows and cable pull-downs. 

The ‘longer and leaner’ look that people talk about is because you have to eccentrically work your muscles in reformer Pilates

Helen O'Leary director and clinical director at Complete Pilates

Will says that the cable machine, a staple in most gyms, helps to maintain tension throughout an entire exercise.

“Various cables and pulleys connected to a weight stack help to move your chosen amount of weight up and down," he explains.

“There are so many moves you can do on the cable machine but the cable bent-over row is great to work the upper back whilst the cable pull-down also works the back, the biceps and the lats, which run down most of the lower back.”

If you’re training at home, a large looped resistance band can help mimic a cable machine. 

Using weights such as barbells and dumbbells is also a great way to build muscle, improve your strength and even boost your metabolism. 

When lifting weights, the last two reps of any set should be really difficult; going too light won’t achieve the results you want. 

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4. 'LONG LEAN LIMBS' WITH PILATES

IF you want to get in Sydney-esque shape, then it’s not just gym workouts you need to focus on. 

Reformer Pilates is also a great workout to add to your week.

In the past, Sydney has revealed that she goes to Solidcore, a US-based studio.

Its classes are described as reformer Pilates but harder (and if you didn’t know, reformer Pilates is already very tough!)

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The Solidcore website states: “The workout is intense, but results are unbelievable.”

Helen O'Leary, director and clinical director at Complete Pilates says that reformer Pilates is a great way to build strength, adding: “The equipment uses springs to assist, or resist your movement, making each movement challenging in a different way.”

Pilates will no doubt be helping to maintain Sydney’s “long, lean and strong” look, Helen says.

“The ‘longer and leaner’ look that people talk about is because you have to eccentrically work your muscles in reformer Pilates,” she explains. 

“This means that as the muscles contract, they are getting longer.” 

Solidcore differs slightly from reformer Pilates as they use their own ‘reformer’ machine. 

“It is inspired by Pilates but geared more towards HIIT (high intensity) training,” says Helen.  

“On one end of the Solidcore reformer there is a bungee cord attached to the machine. This works like a theraband (a type of resistance band) and allows you to do more gym-based exercises. There is normally a set of weights as well to add load.”

5. STAY FIT WITH OUTDOOR EXERCISE

SYDNEY also prioritises her step count, walking her dog, Tank - a pitbull-mix - twice a day.

She has spoken extensively about her love of the great outdoors; from swimming to surfing and water skiing.

Speaking to Women’s Health US, Sydney revealed: "The moment I could walk, my mum put me on what’s called a U-board to learn how to [water] ski. 

“I’ve been doing it [skiing] for as long as I can remember. It’s my favourite. You get tired really fast.

"I see such a change in my body after an entire summer of skiing. My arms are stronger, more sculpted. My abs are rock solid.”

YOUR AT-HOME SYDNEY-ESQUE WORKOUT

YOU might not have access to ropes and tyres, but you don’t need to have a fully-decked gym space to get strong.

Sarah has shared an at-home workout which requires zero equipment.

“A way of challenging and stimulating the muscles without equipment is to slow the move right down and create lactic acid," she says. 

“The body moves in a few different planes of motion, so if we can do an exercise that covers all of these then we have a balanced workout.”

A rep is one repetition of a movement. Finish the stated reps to complete one set. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets. Shorten rest time as you get stronger and fitter. 

UPPER BODY

1. Press ups: 2 sets of 15 reps 

Start in a high plank position, bend at the elbows and lower your body down to the ground before pressing back up through your palms to return to plank. 

“Drop down to your knees if you need to, but put as much weight through the upper body as possible and keep the hips low,” says Sarah.

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2. Prone cobras: 3 sets of 15 reps 

Work your back like Sydney by lying face down on the floor in a straight line with your hands up toward your head, with elbows bent.

Engage your core and clench your glutes before bringing your head and upper back off the floor. 

Keep your arms straight and reach your thumbs up towards the ceiling. Then lower everything back down to the floor. That’s one rep.  

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3. Pike press up: 3 sets of 15 reps 

This move will target your shoulders and upper back. 

Rather than start in a high plank position, like a regular press-up, start in a downward dog position, with your hips high. 

You should look a little like an upside down V. 

Load the weight through the shoulders, slowly lower your head towards the floor and push back to straight arms.

4. V- hold: 3 sets of 60 seconds 

To tone those abs, lie flat on your back, hands on top of your thighs. 

Lift your feet and torso a few inches off the floor and hold that V-shaped position. 

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LOWER BODY

1. Pause squat: 5 sets of 10 reps

Drop into a normal bodyweight squat, but hold at the bottom for five seconds with no rest time at the top. 

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2. Split squat: 3 sets of 15 reps 

Stand with your left foot forward and right foot behind. This is the stance you will be staying in. 

Using a five-second lowering tempo, do 15 reps on one leg before swapping sides.

When you lower down, both of your knees should bend and your back knee should rest just above the floor. 

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THE FINISHER: Shadowboxing

To get your heart rate up, try shadowboxing; a low-impact, full-body workout. 

Will recommends three lots of three minutes of shadow boxing, with a minute rest between each. 

He says: “Stand with feet slightly apart, and knees bent. Keep your fists up close to your face. 

“Engage your core and throw punches out to the air, ensuring that your fists return back to their start position between punches. 

“Move around with your feet as you would if you were really boxing.”

YOUR SYDNEY-ESQUE GYM WORKOUT

Sarah suggests these gym-based moves to help strengthen and tone your whole body, including your back and arms.

Rest for 60 seconds between sets. 

UPPER BODY

1. Single arm cable row  - 3 sets of 12, each arm

Sydney’s workouts have included cable bent-over rows. 

You can do all sorts of exercises on the cable machine, including a single-arm row. 

Set the cable to its lowest setting, kneel on your left knee facing the machine with the right leg forward for stability.

Grab the handle with your left hand and pull it toward you, keeping the elbow close through the movement.

Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top, then slowly return the cable to the start. Swap arms/legs after 12 reps.

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2. Single arm row: 3 sets of 12 reps on each arm

Work your back and arms with this dumbbell move. 

Place your left knee and left hand on a bench, maintaining a flat back. 

Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and let your right arm hang low. 

Engage back and core and then drive the dumbbell up to your rib cage. 

Pause here, then lower back down. 

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3. Upper back face pull: 3 sets of 12 

Carve the upper body with this cable machine exercise. Set the cable to just above face height. 

Ideally, use the rope attachment for this move, but you can also use a short bar.

Hold each end of the rope, palms facing in. 

Step one foot back behind the other for stability. Keep your upper body engaged as you pull the rope towards your face. 

Pull the rope apart as you do this and make sure your elbows stay upwards as your hands come to either side of your face. 

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4. Seated shoulder press: 3 sets of 12 reps

Sydney’s shoulders are popping - you can see the definition on the sides of her upper arms.

To get the same effect, sit upright on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on your shoulders. 

Elbows should be bent and core engaged as you push the dumbbells up overhead. Then, slowly lower back down. 

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5. Dumbbell chest press: 3 sets of 12 reps

Women can benefit from chest work too, giving the appearance of perkier breasts. 

Lie back on a bench with feet flat on the floor and knees bent. 

Hold a dumbbell in each hand just above your chest, with elbows bent. 

Next, push the dumbbells up until your arms are straight, then lower back down slowly. 

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LOWER BODY

1. Walking lunges with dumbbells: 3 sets of 20 lunges (10 each leg)

You’ll need some space in front of you for this exercise. 

Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, arms down by your side. 

Then, step forward with your right leg and lower down into a lunge, bending both knees. 

Push up through the right foot before stepping forward with the left and repeating the lunge. Keep repeating until you have completed 20 lunges. 

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2. Deadlifts, 3 sets of 10 reps

Deadlifts target the back as well as the glutes, hamstrings and core.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Pick up the bar, gripping it with your hands just outisde of your knees.

Hinge at the hips as your lower the barbell down, imagining you are gliding it down your shins towards the floor.

Engage your core throughou and ensure your spine is neutral, not arched or rounded.

Push through your heels and reverse the movement to come back up to the starting position. Squeeze your glutes at the top.

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3. Barbell hip thrusts: 3 sets of 15 reps

To really target your glutes, sit back against a bench and roll your barbell up towards the crease between your legs and torso. 

Then, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. You’ll need a towel or squat pad around the barbell to avoid it hurting you. 

With your shoulders comfortably against the bench and your gaze forward, drive your hips up until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. 

Your shoulders should remain firmly on the bench. Give your glutes a squeeze before lowering back down. That’s one rep.

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