So, David Dobrik just casually dropped the most insane "before and after" the internet has seen in a while. Honestly, if you grew up watching the Vlog Squad, you probably remember David as the guy who lived on Chipotle, five to seven sodas a day, and basically survived on 4:00 AM energy. He didn't exactly scream "fitness influencer." But then, after a nearly three-year hiatus from YouTube, he popped back up with a six-pack that looked so perfect people literally thought it was AI.
It wasn’t. It was 365 days of some pretty grueling work.
The story starts around late 2023. David was feeling, in his own words, like "pudding." He wasn't happy with how he looked, sure, but he also felt physically drained. It’s that relatable point where you’re tired of avoiding the mirror and realize the "I’ll start next month" excuse has been running on a loop for three years.
The Numbers Behind the David Dobrik Abs
We should probably look at the actual stats because they’re kinda wild. When David started this journey with his best friend and trainer, Ilya Fedorovich (the founder of Xeela Fitness), he went for a DEXA scan. If you aren't familiar, a DEXA scan is basically the gold standard for measuring body composition—it doesn't lie.
- Starting Body Fat: 27.8% (Technically in the "obese" category for his height/build, which David was visibly shocked by).
- Ending Body Fat: 13.1%.
- Muscle Gain: He packed on roughly 10.5 pounds of lean muscle.
Dropping nearly 15% body fat in a year while gaining ten pounds of muscle is what fitness nerds call "body recomposition." It’s hard to do. Usually, you’re either cutting fat or building muscle, but David managed to do both simultaneously by being incredibly disciplined about his macros.
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Why Everyone Thought it Was Fake
When David posted the shirtless photo on Instagram to announce his return, the comments were a mess. People were calling "photoshop" or "CGI." Even friends like Josh Peck and Noah Beck seemed stunned. The reason David Dobrik abs looked so jarring is that they appeared almost overnight for the public. We went from seeing a soft, "vlogger-style" physique to a shredded cover-model look with zero transition.
The reality was less "magic" and more "misery." Ilya is known for being a bit of a drill sergeant. The transformation involved a "75-day challenge" (similar to 75 Hard but through the Xeela lens) after David hit a plateau two months in.
The Workout Routine That Actually Worked
David didn't just do a few sit-ups. His routine was built on three main pillars: resistance training, high-intensity cardio, and a specific type of walking.
- The Weights: He focused on a classic split—chest, back, and shoulders. He did a five-minute ab circuit every other day. It wasn't about spending four hours in the gym; it was about the intensity of the lift.
- Incline Walking: This is the "cheap diet hack" he swears by. He would set the treadmill to a 13% incline and walk at 3.3 miles per hour for 30 minutes. It sounds easy until you’re ten minutes in and your calves are on fire.
- Padel and Sports: David is obsessed with padel (it’s like tennis and pickleball had a baby). He used a Whoop tracker and found he was burning over 1,000 calories in a single session. This made the "cardio" part feel like a game rather than a chore.
The "Cheap Diet Hack" and 7 Sodas
You can’t out-run a bad diet. David was a notorious sugar addict. He famously drank five to seven sodas a day. To get those abs, he had to cut the liquid sugar entirely. He replaced the sodas with Celsius (zero sugar) and started eating high-protein alternatives to his favorite snacks.
He didn't starve himself, though. He actually realized that eating too little was stalling his progress. He switched to a local meal-prep service so he could track his calories exactly. He focused on "volume eating"—filling up on high-protein, lower-calorie foods like Quest protein chips and protein brownies so he wouldn't feel like he was constantly on a diet.
The MrBeast Bet
There was also a lot of money (and a car) on the line. MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) actually made a bet with David at the start of 2024. The deal was: if David didn't get "jacked," he’d have to buy 20,000 Feastables bars. If he did get jacked, Jimmy would buy Ilya a car.
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Ilya ended up with a brand-new Ferrari. That’s some pretty serious motivation to make sure your client doesn't skip leg day.
How to Apply This to Your Own Journey
If you’re looking at David's transformation and wondering if you can do something similar, you don't need a Ferrari or a celebrity trainer. But you do need a system.
- Track your data: David used a DEXA scan and a Whoop strap. You don't need both, but you need to know your numbers. If you aren't tracking your calories, you’re just guessing.
- Find your "Padel": If you hate the treadmill, don't do it. Find a sport that burns calories while you're having fun.
- The Incline Secret: If you do use a treadmill, the "13-3-30" rule (13% incline, 3 mph, 30 mins) is one of the fastest ways to burn fat without the joint impact of running.
- Swap, Don't Stop: David didn't stop eating snacks; he just swapped them for high-protein versions.
The biggest takeaway from the David Dobrik abs saga isn't just about the muscle. It’s about the fact that even someone with a famously "unhealthy" lifestyle can completely flip the script in 12 months. It takes a year. Not a week, not a month. A full year of showing up.
Your Next Steps:
- Audit your liquids: Count how many sugary drinks you have per day and swap them for water or zero-sugar alternatives.
- Find your baseline: Use a simple TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator online to find out how many calories you actually need.
- Start the incline: Next time you're at the gym, try 10 minutes at a 10% incline. Build up to David's 13% for 30 minutes.