Jamie Roy captured the imagination of television audiences worldwide with his breakout performance as the sculpted, enigmatic Brian Fraser in Outlander: Blood of My Blood. While his Season 1 debut established him as a bona fide heartthrob, the actor’s vision for the character’s evolution in the highly anticipated second season required a more formidable, visceral physical presence. To portray a maturing clan warrior capable of handling the grueling demands of 18th-century combat, Roy knew he needed more than just aesthetic definition—he needed functional, raw power.
To achieve this, Roy reunited with his trusted Ultimate Performance coach, Giulio Palau. Their objective was twofold: maintain the lean, camera-ready physique that fans adore while packing on significant muscle mass to withstand the intense, high-octane physical sequences scripted for the upcoming season. Muscle & Fitness sat down with Palau to dissect the methodology behind this transformation, revealing how the actor balanced intensity with precision to become the ultimate Highland warrior.
The Evolution of a Warrior: A Chronological Look at the Transformation
The journey to the screen began long before the cameras rolled for Season 2. Roy’s physical transformation can be mapped through distinct, calculated phases designed to maximize physiological adaptation without compromising his health or the production schedule.
Phase I: The Foundation (2025 – Season 1 Prep)
When Roy first sought the expertise of Giulio Palau, the primary objective was aesthetic refinement. As a lead in a period drama where costumes—or the lack thereof—are central to the storytelling, Roy needed to achieve a specific body fat percentage to reveal sharp, defined abdominal muscles. The protocol was centered on a calorie deficit, carefully monitored to preserve muscle mass while stripping away body fat. The result was a lean, athletic frame that resonated with the audience and established the foundational discipline Roy would carry into the future.
Phase II: The Maintenance and Transition
Following the success of Season 1, the transition into Season 2 preparation required a shift in philosophy. Rather than cutting, Roy needed to grow. However, transitioning from a caloric deficit to a surplus is a delicate process. Palau utilized a maintenance phase—a critical period where Roy’s metabolism was stabilized and his body prepared for the rigors of heavy lifting. This phase allowed Roy to adjust his intake, ensuring that when the surplus began, the body was primed to utilize the extra energy for hypertrophy rather than fat storage.
Phase III: The Hypertrophy Surge (Season 2 Prep)
With the brief for Season 2 focusing on "more buff" and "combat-ready," the duo moved into an intensive hypertrophy phase. This was the most demanding period of Roy’s training. The goal was to increase mass while ensuring the muscle gained was "functional"—meaning it had to support the weight of heavy period weaponry and the repetitive, high-impact movements required in complex sword-fighting choreography.
The Methodology: Science Behind the Sculpting
Building muscle at an elite level requires more than just picking up heavy weights. Palau’s approach with Roy was rooted in evidence-based training principles, prioritizing joint health, progressive overload, and standardized form.
Training Structure: The Fundamentals
Palau structured Roy’s training around the fundamental human movement patterns. By ensuring that every major joint action was trained effectively throughout the week, they avoided the common pitfall of overtraining specific muscle groups while neglecting others.
"Every basic joint action was trained every week," Palau explains. "Training days were broken up into upper-body, lower-body, or full-body days, depending on the current phase of the production schedule." This modularity allowed Roy to maintain high intensity even when his filming schedule fluctuated, ensuring that the volume of work remained consistent regardless of his call times.
The Role of Intensity and "Reps in Reserve" (RIR)
One of the most common misconceptions in bodybuilding is that every set must be taken to absolute muscular failure. Palau disputes this, focusing instead on "Reps in Reserve" (RIR) to modulate intensity.
"For hypertrophy training, the specific rep ranges are secondary to the overall intensity of the working sets," Palau notes. In the early stages of a block, Roy would aim for 2–3 RIR, meaning he stopped the set when he felt he could have completed two or three more reps with perfect form. As the block progressed over 4–8 weeks, the intensity would ramp up to 0–1 RIR. This progressive approach ensures that the central nervous system is not prematurely burnt out, allowing for consistent, week-over-week gains in volume and intensity.
The Feedback Loop: Technical Precision
Technique is the bedrock of Palau’s coaching philosophy. To ensure that Roy’s progress was measurable and safe, he implemented a rigorous video review system. Roy would record his working sets and send them to Palau, who would then provide technical feedback to fine-tune Roy’s execution.
"The only way to accurately measure progress this way is to have a standardized technique and execution for each rep," Palau says. This process minimized the risk of injury—a critical factor for an actor whose job security depends on his physical presence on set—and ensured that the targeted muscles were being recruited efficiently.
Supporting Data: Why "Functional Mass" Matters
The distinction between "bodybuilder muscle" and "athlete muscle" is often blurred, but for a performer like Jamie Roy, the distinction is vital. Roy was tasked with performing his own combat scenes, which involved heavy prop swords, prolonged stunt sequences, and the physical toll of 12-hour shooting days.
By focusing on the fundamentals of joint action and controlled hypertrophy, Roy didn’t just grow in size; he increased his capacity for endurance. The surplus phase provided the necessary fuel for his muscles to recover from the repetitive stress of sword-fighting choreography. His improved muscular density acted as a form of armor, protecting his joints during the explosive movements required for his role as a clan warrior.
Official Responses and Actor Insights
Reflecting on the transformation, Roy has been vocal about how his partnership with Palau fundamentally changed his experience on the Outlander set. In discussions with Muscle & Fitness, Roy highlighted that the extra muscle mass wasn’t just for the cameras; it was a professional asset.
"The additional strength and muscle mass made those long shoots, including violent confrontations and sword-wielding high jinks on the show, so much easier," Roy stated. The actor credited his "detailed preparation" for his ability to maintain high energy levels during the intense filming schedule, noting that the confidence gained from his physical transformation allowed him to focus entirely on his craft rather than his fatigue.
For his part, Coach Giulio Palau credits Roy’s consistency as the primary driver of their success. "Jamie is a great client because he is consistent and disciplined," Palau remarks. "He has a great work ethic and a good intuition for movement, which made the entire process go very smoothly."
Implications: The Standard for Modern Period Drama
The physical transformation of Jamie Roy sets a new bar for actors in the Outlander universe and beyond. In an era where audiences demand authenticity in action sequences, the "Hollywood physique" is no longer enough. Actors are now expected to possess the functional capacity to back up their visual appearance.
Roy’s journey serves as a blueprint for other performers: by combining the aesthetic focus of bodybuilding with the functional requirements of athletic training, actors can achieve a look that is not only visually striking but also capable of the physical demands of modern high-budget television.
As fans prepare for the Season 2 premiere of Outlander: Blood of My Blood on September 18, 2026, via Starz, they will be watching more than just a performance. They will be witnessing the culmination of months of meticulous planning, scientific application, and unwavering discipline—a transformation that ensures Jamie Roy’s Brian Fraser is as formidable in combat as he is compelling on screen.
For those looking to follow Jamie Roy’s ongoing fitness journey and career updates, you can find him on Instagram at jamie.roy_.
