‘My bo*bs got bigger. And my bu*t…': What Sydney Sweeney's training regimen for her upcoming role as boxer Christy Martin reveals about the effects of strength training

Indian Express

5 days ago

Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney, known for her roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus, is undergoing a striking physical transformation for her upcoming role as legendary boxer Christy Martin.
In a recent interview with W Magazine, the 26-year-old star revealed that she gained more than 14 kilograms during training and described how her body and mindset changed in the process.
'I came onboard to play Christy, and I had about three and a half months of training,' she said. 'I started eating. I weight-trained in the morning for an hour, kickboxed mid-day for about two hours, and then weight-trained again at night for an hour.'
The training led to some big shifts in her physique. 'I didn't fit in any of my clothes. I'm usually a size 23 in jeans, and I was wearing a size 27. My bo*bs got bigger. And my bu*t got huge. It was crazy. I was like, Oh my god.'
Sweeney added, 'But it was amazing: I was so strong, like crazy strong.'
Dr Vajalla Shravani, MPT, fitness and pilates expert at Tone30 Pilates, tells indianexpress.com, 'When someone trains intensely, especially with a mix of weightlifting and high-intensity workouts like boxing, weight gain is not uncommon, particularly when paired with a calorie surplus. The body needs adequate fuel not only for energy but also to rebuild muscle tissue, contributing to overall body mass increases.'
She adds that gaining over 14 kg in a relatively short time is on the higher side, but for someone training three times a day, as Sydney reportedly did, it's plausible. According to Dr Shravani, a good portion of that weight would likely be lean muscle mass, particularly if the nutrition was balanced and protein intake was adequate. However, a certain amount of fat gain is also expected with any aggressive bulking phase, especially when performance and recovery are top priorities.
Dr Shravani notes, 'Strength training, particularly when it includes targeted resistance work like squats, hip thrusts, and upper-body lifting, can significantly enhance muscle growth in areas like the glutes, thighs, chest, and shoulders. When paired with increased caloric intake, these muscle groups respond well to consistent hypertrophy training.'
In women, Dr Shravani explains, fat distribution is often genetically predisposed to appear more visibly in the hips, chest, and glutes. So when weight gain occurs, whether it's muscle or a combination of muscle and fat, these are usually the first places where changes are noticed. The increase in clothing size doesn't always reflect a negative health outcome; rather, it's often a sign of increased strength, mass, and functional fitness.
Strength training is transformative not just for the body but for the mind. Dr Shravani says that as individuals lift heavier, feel more capable, and see physical changes tied to their own effort, there's often a profound boost in self-confidence. It shifts the focus from aesthetic ideals to performance-driven goals, which is empowering.