9 celebrities who ditched the gym for body weight workouts, from Dune actress Zendaya and Jamie Foxx, to NFL Hall-of-Famer Tom Brady and NBA star Russell Westbrook

Nov 11 , 2021

Jamie Foxx, Zendaya and Jason Statham are three US celebrities who prefer body weight workouts over weightlifting at the gym. Photos: AFP, AP, @jasonstatham/Instagram

Jason Statham chose body weight exercises over hot fitness trends in order to prioritise agility over ‘brute strength’, while Bruce Lee was a callisthenics pioneer

The Los Angeles Lakers’ Westbrook starts the day with push-ups, hip-hop artist Eve does crunches and squats, and the only equipment Brady uses is resistance bands

There’s no shortage of ways to keep fit – and celebrities can splurge on the best personal trainers, workout equipment and gyms that money can buy. But some A-listers prefer to skip the gym altogether and keep it simple.

Workout routines can include a mix of cardio and strength training, but these celebrities say they don’t include any weightlifting in their regimes at all. Instead, they rely entirely on their own body weight – and boy, do they get results.

Tom Brady: resistance bands

Tom Brady relies on resistance bands. Photo: @tombrady/Instagram

Very few human beings can get away with having a Hall-of-Fame career in the NFL without regular weightlifting. But if any human could do it, it would probably be Tom Brady.

As a quarterback, Brady depends less on pure strength and muscle mass than players at other positions in the league. This leaves the 44-year-old, seven-time Super Bowl champion with more freedom on how to address his workout routine, which focuses more on flexibility and injury prevention.

Brady detailed his routine in a post on TB12.com – the website for his diet and workout plan products. There are no dumbbells or barbells – the only equipment Brady used is resistance bands, while the rest of his workouts only relied on his own body.

Jamie Foxx: pull-up bar

Jame Foxx’s Hollywood career spans over two decades. Photo: @iamjamiefoxx/Instagram

Jamie Foxx is one of the few Hollywood actors who can stay in shape without spending a dime on his fitness routine.