Taylor Lautner's martial arts skills came in handy for 'Abduction' action scenes

Taylor Lautner, who famously gained 30 pounds of muscle for the Twilight saga, drew on his extensive martial-arts training for the heart-pounding action scenes in the thriller Abduction.

Lautner, 19, who was a junior world karate champion at age 12, kickboxes, wrestles, runs and jumps off buildings in Abduction.

'Taylor's a Gifted Athlete'

In the action thriller, Taylor plays Nathan Price, a high school student who sets out to uncover the truth about his life after discovering his baby photo on a missing persons website.

"I did martial arts at a young age," Taylor says in a new interview (see video at left). "[So] I got to do some awesome fight scenes, jumping off walls and car chases [in Abduction]."

Lautner's co-star Jason Isaacs gushed over the Breaking Dawn hunk's impressive athleticism.

"Taylor's not only a fabulous actor, but he's a gifted athlete," says Isaacs, 43. "He could take the entire crew with his hands tied behind his back."

Taylor, who lifted weights, swam, took motorcycle stunt lessons and underwent fight-training for Abduction, gets into a fistfight on a moving train, scales scaffolding and slides down glass roofing in the film.

Weight-Lifting & Nonstop Eating

Since transforming from a lanky teen werewolf in 2009's Twilight to the muscle-bound shapeshifter in New Moon and Eclipse, Taylor has emerged as a teen icon and sex symbol.

"Hitting the gym, hiring a personal trainer, eating the right foods, and eating a lot" is how Lautner describes his rigorous workout and diet regimen, which he continues to do to maintain his muscles. 

Not surprisingly, Taylor's dramatic transformation in the Twilight saga amazed his young co-stars. Kristen Stewart, 20, couldn't contain her admiration for the actor's dedication.

"Taylor's an entirely different person physically," she gushed. "It took him so much time."

Lautner has said he would love to be an action hero like fictional superspy Jason Bourne (played by Matt Damon), and when Abduction comes out he'll be on his way.

"I love action, but most important is the story, and the story behind this action/thriller [Abduction] is amazing," said Taylor. We got [director] John Singleton behind us. ... I'm so thankful we're getting a cast like that."

Abduction, which co-stars Lily Collins, Alfred Molina and Sigourney Weaver, opens Sept. 23, 2011.

Lautner will also appear in Breaking Dawn (opposite Robert Pattinson, Kellan Lutz and Kristen Stewart), which hits theaters Nov. 16.