When Jamie Roy first stepped onto the set of Outlander: Blood of My Blood as the sculpted, enigmatic Brian Fraser, he captured the attention of audiences worldwide. With his sharp physique and magnetic presence, he was the embodiment of the Scottish heartthrob. However, as the production gears up for the highly anticipated second season, Roy has undergone a transformative shift. No longer just a romantic lead, the actor is evolving into a battle-hardened clan warrior.
To meet the physical demands of Season 2—a production defined by brutal hand-to-hand combat, heavy weaponry, and the grueling stamina required for historical epic filming—Roy turned once again to the expertise of Ultimate Performance coach Giulio Palau. Their objective? To move beyond the “screen-lean” aesthetic of Season 1 and forge a body that is as functional as it is formidable.
The Evolution of an Icon: Why Season 2 Demanded More
In the landscape of modern television, physical authenticity is increasingly vital for period dramas. Outlander: Blood of My Blood is not merely a show about romance; it is a visceral exploration of the Scottish Highlands, characterized by high-stakes skirmishes and the constant physical weight of 18th-century life.
For Season 1, the goal was visual precision. Roy needed to appear lean, sharp, and camera-ready, often prioritizing caloric deficits to highlight muscle definition and abdominal clarity. While successful, the script for Season 2 presented a new challenge. The character of Brian Fraser was maturing, moving from the periphery of conflict into the center of the battlefield. This required the actor to carry himself with the gravitas of a warrior who wields heavy claymores and endures long, exhausting days of action choreography.
“We needed to bridge the gap between aesthetics and performance,” says Palau. “When you are swinging heavy props for twelve hours a day, aesthetics aren’t enough. You need the muscle density to support your joints and the functional capacity to sustain that level of intensity without breaking down.”
Chronology of a Transformation
The partnership between Roy and Palau began in 2025, ahead of the show’s initial production. Their collaboration has followed a structured, multi-phase approach designed to maximize the actor’s potential while respecting the tight constraints of a film production schedule.
Phase 1: The Foundation of Lean
Before packing on mass, Palau insisted on reaching a baseline of physiological efficiency. During the initial prep for the franchise, the priority was fat loss. By implementing a carefully calibrated calorie deficit, Roy successfully reached a body fat percentage of 10-12%. This established a “clean slate” from which the later hypertrophy work could grow, ensuring that the muscle mass gained in the subsequent phase would be high-quality and well-defined.
Phase 2: The Maintenance Transition
Once the target body fat was reached, the duo entered a strategic maintenance phase. This period was critical for metabolic stabilization, allowing Roy’s body to acclimate to his new composition before undergoing the physiological stress of a surplus.
Phase 3: The Hypertrophy Surge
With the release of the Season 2 brief, the focus shifted toward building mass. This was the most demanding phase, requiring a pivot from caloric restriction to a controlled caloric surplus. The goal was not simply to gain weight, but to add functional, contractile tissue that would serve Roy in the grueling combat sequences of the show.
The Science of Intensity: Training Principles
Giulio Palau’s philosophy on bodybuilding is rooted in precision rather than sheer brute force. According to the coach, the mistake many actors make when preparing for high-intensity roles is over-training or sacrificing form for volume.
Reps in Reserve (RIR)
Palau emphasizes that intensity is not always synonymous with training to failure. Instead, they utilized the Reps in Reserve (RIR) protocol. During the first two weeks of a new training block, Roy targeted 2-3 RIR, allowing his nervous system to adapt to the load. As the weeks progressed toward the 4-8 week mark, this was tightened to 0-1 RIR.
“Training to failure is not a requirement for building muscle, strictly speaking,” Palau explains. “But you must know where failure is. By keeping a small buffer, we maintain the ability to recover, which is essential when an actor is also working a 14-hour day on set.”
Standardized Technique and Feedback Loops
One of the most innovative aspects of their partnership is the use of remote coaching to ensure form remains impeccable. Roy sent video footage of his working sets to Palau consistently. This created a tight feedback loop, allowing Palau to correct subtle deviations in Roy’s movement patterns—a necessity for preventing injury.
“Jamie has an incredible work ethic and an intuitive sense of movement,” says Palau. “He understands that technique is the foundation of progress. If you aren’t standardizing your execution, you aren’t measuring progress; you’re just moving weight.”
Supporting Data: The Anatomy of the Workout
While the specific programming varied based on the production schedule, the core of Roy’s regimen focused on fundamental joint actions. Training days were categorized into upper/lower splits or full-body sessions to optimize recovery cycles.
Key exercises focused on mechanical tension, including:
- Compound Lifts: Multi-joint movements designed to stimulate systemic growth.
- Supersets and Tri-sets: Used to increase metabolic stress and keep workout duration within an efficient window.
- Volume Control: Balancing the intensity required for hypertrophy with the recovery needed for onset performance.
Implications for the Actor and the Show
The results of this rigorous preparation are not just visible in the mirror; they are evident in the performance. Roy has noted that the additional strength and muscle mass have fundamentally changed his experience on set. Scenes that once required significant physical endurance—such as complex sword-fighting choreography and repeated takes of action sequences—have become more manageable.
By preparing his body to withstand the literal weight of his role, Roy has minimized the risk of injury and maximized his ability to inhabit the character of Brian Fraser with total conviction. For the audience, this translates to a more authentic, gritty, and believable portrayal of a 18th-century Highlander.
Looking Ahead: The Premiere
The dedication shown by Jamie Roy highlights a growing trend in Hollywood: the shift from “skinny-ripped” aesthetics to a more robust, athletic physique that reflects the realities of the character’s life. As audiences prepare for the return of Outlander: Blood of My Blood, they can expect a more powerful, seasoned, and physically imposing version of the hero they fell in love with in Season 1.
The transformation is a testament to the fact that when an actor treats their body as an instrument of their craft, the results transcend the screen.
Season 2 of Outlander: Blood of My Blood is set to premiere on Friday, September 18, 2026, on Starz.
To follow Jamie Roy’s continued journey and behind-the-scenes glimpses into his training, you can find him on Instagram at @jamie.roy_.
Summary of Key Insights
- The Goal: Transition from a lean, aesthetic physique (Season 1) to a robust, functional, and muscular frame (Season 2) to match the character’s evolution.
- The Strategy: A phased approach consisting of initial fat loss (10-12% body fat), followed by a maintenance phase, and culminating in a controlled hypertrophy surplus.
- The Methodology: Utilization of Reps in Reserve (RIR) to manage intensity without overtraining, paired with rigorous video-based technique analysis to prevent injury and ensure form consistency.
- The Outcome: Enhanced functional strength for combat and sword-work, leading to better performance and reduced physical fatigue during long, demanding shooting days.
