For Robert Buckley, fitness isn’t just a lifestyle; it’s also a career move.
“I keep myself in good shape because it opens more doors,” the jovial Southern California native explains. “If I have to go in for a guy who’s an athlete or a soldier, I’m not like, ‘Oh, shit, I’ve got to lose 30 pounds,’ you know?” That approach paid off in 2015, when he was cast as former college football safety Major Lilywhite in the darkly comic hit iZombie, now in its fourth season on the CW. But he couldn’t go shirtless on the regular without the following essentials.
1. Some Good Tunes
“Music is a must when I work out,” Buckley says. “For example, my training session today, start to finish, was fueled by DMX, and it was a joy. I’m also motivated by this great quote I saw on Instagram: ‘Exercise shouldn’t be a punishment for what you ate. It should be a celebration of what your body can do.’ Now when I work out, it’s like, ‘Hey, way to go, body! Thanks for being able to do all this awesome stuff.’”
2. A Fair Amount of HIIT
When I’m in Vancouver with my trainer, we do really intense circuits, like assault bike, then squats, then bench, then pushing a sled, with only, like, a 30-second break between each thing. I like that because there’s no time to be bored. When there’s a two-minute break between sets in a workout, I catch myself being kind of ADD. With this one, you’re actually begging for more downtime because you’re hurting. It’s just constant stimulation.”
“I lift weights five times a week, and then I always love going in the steam room. So one unique item in my gym bag is flip-flops. I got my current pair from an event when I was doing Lipstick Jungle, so that’s probably eight years ago, and they’re still holding up. I don’t want to jinx myself and call them my lucky flip-flops, but that’s eight years without a single case of athlete’s foot.”
4. Compression Pants
“Especially in Vancouver where iZombie shoots, my Nike compression pants are a staple. They’re comfortable, they keep me warm, and they help me break a sweat. I wear basketball shorts over them, and then if I want to go for a jog or run an errand before going to the gym, my pale, cold legs aren’t exposed to the crisp Vancouver air.”
