Jump to Roy Freeman’s Workout Plans

Jump to Roy Freeman’s Diet Plans

For Roy W. Freeman Jr., workouts and a diligent diet are quite simply a way of life. Accordingly, the Mississippi-born Lindy Callahan scholar athlete nominee turned retired U.S. Army non-commissioned officer turned entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist is striving to cut a truly impressive figure, as anyone who knows Roy can attest.

The bulk of his muscle is a result of next-level dedication in every conceivable department. That said, he still makes room for a cheat day on Saturday. Something he believes he has earned.

It’s no surprise that adopting The Roy Freeman workout and diet plan isn’t a matter of access as much as it is a matter of conviction. Should you take on this training regimen, however, a simple reminder: Roy Freeman is a former football athlete and Army soldier. We mention this because we would never want you to bite off more than you can chew by eating everything he eats and lifting everything he lifts. In other words, apply a lot of common sense when adopting Roy Freeman’s workout routine, so we don’t end up with a lawsuit on our hands. Intensity is good. Overdoing it, bad.

Now that we’ve gotten our little disclaimer out of the way, we present Roy Freeman’s workout plan. Your triceps will be sore, your legs will be sore, and everything will be sore, but it will be worth it in the long run. No pain, no gain. And always remember, it is “you versus you” in the gym, as the man himself likes to say. Without further delay, here is Roy Freeman’s workout plan:

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Workout Plans

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Roy Freeman alternates between three different 12-week workouts in the following sequence:

• Max Adaptation Upper Lower (12 weeks)
• Fat Destroyer (12 weeks)
• Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower (12 weeks)
• Fat Destroyer (12 weeks)

He then repeats the 48-week sequence.

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Roy Freeman’s Max Adaptation Upper Lower Workout (12 weeks, once per year)

Max Adaptation Upper Lower Workout Description

Roy Freeman’s Max Adaptation Upper Lower workout program is based on the time tested, proven principles of strength and muscle growth.

This six day routine is strategically designed to produce adaptions using the two main mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy: mechanical tension and muscle damage.

What is Mechanical Stress?

Mechanically induced tension produced both by force generation and stretch. This stress is typically formed when lifting at a high intensity (i.e. 1-5 repetitions). Mechanical stress has been shown to produce the greatest increases in strength.

What is Muscle Damage?

Localized damage to muscle tissue which generates a hypertrophic response. The tension necessary to produce this result is typically found in the 8-12 rep range – where intensity is still relatively high, but due to the higher volume, the muscle is placed under tension for a prolonged period of time.

What is Undulating Periodization?

Varying your rep range and/or intensity from session to session has been shown to produce greater strength gains than the traditional linear periodization model.

The method by which the program works is quite simple; the stress produced by your mechanical tension training days will increase strength. The adaptions from your heavier lifting days will then allow you to be stronger in your hypertrophy training – allowing for even more muscle damage (which create muscle growth).

More muscle mass equals more strength – and thus it becomes a vicious cycle of gains.

What is Volume?

Volume is represented by the equation (Sets x Reps x Weight Lifted – Total Volume).

The research has made it very clear that the most critical pathway to building new muscle is progressive overload. The simplest and most practical way to achieve progressive overload is through increasing your total volume.

This can be accomplished by performing more reps without sacrificing the intensity, or increasing the intensity (weight used) without sacrificing the volume (sets x reps).

In Roy Freeman’s workout plan the goal for progression with main lifts (e.g. bench press, overhead press, deadlift, and squat) will be the latter. However, when it comes to smaller isolation or auxiliary movements (e.g. bicep curls, pushdowns, etc.), the former may be a more viable method (more on that later).

What is Intensity?

Intensity is the amount of physical power the body uses to perform a lift. A 2002 study conducted on 32 men compared, low, moderate, and high rep training.

The low and moderate groups produced significantly more hypertrophy than the high rep group – proving the important of training at a higher intensity when strength and muscle growth are the goal.

What is Training Induced Muscle Protein Synthesis?

The synthesis of muscle protein is essential to the body’s ongoing growth, repair, and maintenance of its skeletal muscle. Studies suggest that muscle protein synthesis is more than doubled at about 24 hours following an intense training bout.

Muscle protein synthesis then begins to drop back to baseline at about the 36 hour mark,

Take for example an athlete who trains his chest directly, 1 time per week: he’ll elevate muscle protein synthesis just one time.

For an athlete who trains with using a higher frequency program like Roy Freeman’s workout, he will bench press 2 times throughout the week, elevating protein synthesis twice as much as the athlete who trained his chest just once.

What is the Repeated Bout Effect?

Research has demonstrated that when we train a muscle group more frequently (to a degree) it increases our ability to recover and adapt. This is known as the repeated bout effect. More efficient recovery and adaptation makes for: extended progression without a plateau, linear strength increases, and more overall muscle growth.

What Method of Progression do we use?

The method of progression with the heavier compound lifts is simple: increase the weight slightly each week, without sacrificing volume.

With the accessory lifts, you’ll notice there is a repetition range (i.e. 10-12). The goal is to complete each set, for the higher end of the prescribed reps. Once you’ve accomplished that, increase the weight slightly and repeat.

If you fall short, continue next week using the same weight and aim to outperform your last performance.

Repeat that until you’ve managed to hit every set for the high end of the prescribed reps.

Roy Freeman includes abdominal training on Sundays during his Max Adaptation Upper Lower workout.

SUNDAY: Abdominal Training

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Bent Leg Raises	3	10
2. Hanging Leg Raises	3	15
3. Russian Twists	3	10 each side
4. Ab Crunch Machine	4	25
5. Straight Leg Raises	3	10

MONDAY: Upper Body Mechanical Stress

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Bench Press	3	5
2. Incline Dumbbell Press	3	6
3. Rack Pulls	3	5
4. Seated Row	3	8-10
5. Overhead Press	3	6
6. Barbell Shrug	3	6-8
7. Barbell Curl	3	8-10
8. Close Grip Bench Press	3	8-10

TUESDAY: Lower Body Mechanical Stress

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Squat (or Angled Leg Press)	3	5
2. Leg Press	3	6
3. Stiff-Legged Deadlift	3	8-10
4. Hamstring Curl	3	10-12
5. Calf Raise	3	10-12

WEDNESDAY: Upper Body (A) Muscle Damage

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Deadlift	2	5
2. Bench Press	3	10
3. Cable Cross-Over (Low to High)	4	12-15
4. Bent Barbell Rows	4	10-12
5. Lat Pulldown	4	12-15
6. Barbell Shrug	4	10-12

THURSDAY: Upper Body (B) Muscle Damage

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Overhead Press	3	10
2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press	2	12
3. Lateral Raise	4	12-15
4. Face Pull	4	12-15
5. Barbell Curl	4	10-12
6. Incline Curl	4	12-15
7. Rope Pushdown	4	10-12
8. Overhead Triceps Extension	4	12-15

FRIDAY: Lower Body Muscle Damage

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Squat (or Angled Leg Press)	3	10
2. Leg Press	3	12
3. Leg Extension	4	10-12
4. Hamstring Curl	4	10-12
5. Calf Raise	3	10-12

Roy Freeman rests on Saturdays.

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Roy Freeman’s Fat Destroyer Workout (12 weeks, twice per year)

Fat Destroyer Workout Description

Roy Freeman’s Fat Destroyer workout plan is designed to help shred fat and get you in shape in only 12 weeks. This might sound like hype, but it’s not. The following plan is not easy. It starts slowly, but builds rapidly.

Every detail of the diet and training for the next 12 weeks is laid out here for you. You will be told exactly what Roy Freeman eats, how much cardio to do, and how to weight train.

The goal is simple: lose fat, maintain muscle mass, get in shape and transform your physique as much as possible over the next 3 months. Roy Freeman uses this workout twice per year to not only look better, but to also have the fitness level and strength to match.

Over the 12 week program, Roy Freeman’s goals and expectations are:

• Fat Loss – to lose fat
• Muscle Mass – to maintain, and even gain lean muscle mass
• Conditioning – To be in amazing shape

See Roy Freeman’s Fat Destroyer Diet Plan below.

Roy Freeman’s 12 Week Fat Destroyer Cardio Plan

It doesn’t matter which form of cardio you use for these 12 weeks. Pick something that gets your heart moving, be it treadmill, elliptical, swimming or stairclimber.

The first thing you will notice about this cardio plan is that it starts slow. This program is designed to get you in shape over the course of 12 weeks.

Be patient. Trust the plan and stick to the plan. After the end of 12 weeks your level of conditioning may surprise you.

During the first six weeks take at least one day of rest between cardio workouts. After week six it is recommended that you perform cardio using a 2 days on, 1-2 days off pattern.

• Week 1 – 3 cardio sessions. 5, 8 and 5 minutes.
• Week 2 – 3 cardio sessions. 8, 10 and 8 minutes.
• Week 3 – 3 cardio sessions. 10, 12 and 10 minutes.
• Week 4 – 3 cardio sessions. 12, 15 and 12 minutes.
• Week 5 – 3 cardio sessions. 15, 20 and 15 minutes.
• Week 6 – 3 cardio sessions. 20, 20 and 20 minutes.
• Week 7 – 4 cardio sessions. 20, 22, 20 and 22 minutes.
• Week 8 – 4 cardio sessions. 22, 25, 22 and 25 minutes.
• Week 9 – 4 cardio sessions. 25, 27, 25 and 27 minutes.
• Week 10 – 4 cardio sessions. 27, 30, 27 and 30 minutes.
• Week 11 – 4 cardio sessions. 30, 35, 30 and 35 minutes.
• Week 12 – 4 cardio sessions. 35, 40, 30 and 45 minutes.

Roy Freeman’s 12 Week Fat Destroyer Gym Workout Split

Roy Freeman uses an upper/lower workout during the 12 Week Fat Destroyer. Rep schemes are merely guidelines.

When a weight becomes manageable using the given set and rep schemes, add weight to the bar. For sake of convenience, use the same weight for each of the sets for a given exercise.

• Sunday – Off
• Monday – Upper A
• Tuesday – Lower A
• Wednesday – Off
• Thursday – Upper B
• Friday – Lower B
• Saturday – Off

MONDAY: Upper A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Incline Bench Press	3	8-10
2. One Arm Dumbbell Row	3	10-12
3. Seated Barbell Press	3	8-10
4. Pull Ups	3	10
5. Skullcrushers	3	10-12
6. Dumbbell Curl	3	10-12

TUESDAY: Lower A

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Squats (or Angled Leg Press)	3	8-10
2. Leg Curl	3	12-15
3. Leg Extension	3	12-15
4. Leg Press Calf Raise	3	15-20
5. Plank	3	60 sec
6. Twisting Hanging Knee Raise	3	20

THURSDAY: Upper B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Dumbbell Bench Press	3	10
2. Barbell Row	3	8-10
3. Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	12-15
4. Lat Pull Down	3	10-12
5. Cable Tricep Extensions	3	10-12
6. EZ Bar Preacher Curl	3	10-12

FRIDAY: Lower B

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Leg Press	3	15-20
2. Stiff Leg Deadlift	3	8-10
3. Walking Dumbbell Lunge	3	10
4. Seated Calf Raise	3	15-20
5. Cable Crunch	3	20
6. Russian Twist	3	20

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Roy Freeman’s Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower Workout (12 weeks, once per year)

Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower Workout Description

Roy Freeman’s Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower workout is based around the basic principles of strength and size. This four day program allows Freeman to maximize results on both fronts in an easy adaptable routine built off the following principles:

Frequency. Studies have shown muscle protein synthesis to be elevated for up to 48 hours after training. That would make it ideal to hit each muscle more frequently than a typical once per week split. Roy Freeman’s Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower workout program is designed to hit each muscle group twice within a week.

Compounds. Roy Freeman’s Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower program focuses on the big compound movements for optimal progression. While isolation movements are included in this program as well, the main goal is to increase performance on the main lifts, as well as pack on pounds of muscle.

Power. Roy Freeman’s program uses two of its four working days to focus on pure strength training. The key to getting stronger and bigger is to utilize progressive overload and time under tension. These two days will see that you’ll be able to use more weight on your hypertrophy days.

Hypertrophy. In addition to two power days, the other 2 days on Roy Freeman’s Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower program will focus on hypertrophy (bodybuilding) style training. This way, not only will you be seeing strength increases but you’ll be building size as well.

Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower Notes:

1. Sets and Reps – When first beginning this program it is suggested to start with a lower amount of total volume until you become accustomed to the workload.
2. Failure – Failure is a tool that should not be abused. All sets should be completed with at least 1 rep “left in the tank.” Meaning you should struggle to complete your heavier sets, but not to the point where you’re unable to get your goal reps.
3. Exercise Selection – Main compounds should remain unchanged, however substitutions can be made for like exercise (i.e. angled leg press instead of squats) if desired.
4. Abdominals – Ab work can be done at the end of training or on off days.

Roy Freeman’s Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower Workout Schedule:

• Sunday: Off
• Monday: Upper Power
• Tuesday: Lower Power
• Wednesday: Off
• Thursday: Upper Hypertrophy
• Friday: Lower Hypertrophy
• Saturday: Off

MONDAY: Upper Power

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Barbell Bench Press	3-4	3-5
2. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press	3-4	6-10
3. Bent Over Row	3-4	3-5
4. Lat Pull Down	3-4	6-10
5. Overhead Press	2-3	5-8
6. Barbell Curl	2-3	6-10
7. Skullcrusher	2-3	6-10

TUESDAY: Lower Power

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Squat (or Angled Leg Press)	3-4	3-5
2. Deadlift	3-4	3-5
3. Leg Press	3-5	10-15
4. Leg Curl	3-4	6-10
5. Calf Raises	4	6-10

THURSDAY: Upper Hypertrophy

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Incline Barbell Bench Press	3-4	8-12
2. Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly	3-4	8-12
3. Seated Cable Row	3-4	8-12
4. One Arm Dumbbell Row	3-4	8-12
5. Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3-4	8-12
6. Seated Incline Dumbbell Curl	3-4	8-12
7. Cable Tricep Extension	3-4	8-12

FRIDAY: Lower Hypertrophy

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Front Squat	3-4	8-12
2. Barbell Lunge	3-4	8-12
3. Leg Extension	3-4	10-15
4. Leg Curl	3-4	10-15
5. Seated Calf Raise	3-4	8-12
6. Calf Press	3-4	8-12

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Diet Plans

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Freeman is always happy to share the secrets of his success. Spreading the love is a massive part of his game plan.

Roy Freeman takes a go big or go home attitude toward just about everything he does, including his diet.

MORE: See The Ultimate Guide to Supplements (Coming Soon)

As you can probably guess, Freeman loves himself a juicy steak along with other tasty proteins. His Saturday cheats meals are downright epic.

Think steak, fish, whole grains, eggs, green veggies, protein, protein, and more protein, and you’re getting a pretty good idea of Roy Freeman’s diet. It’s all planned out in advance and devoured with relish.

Freeman has two diet plans he uses throughout the year:

• Mass Builder Diet
• Fat Destroyer Diet

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Roy Freeman’s Mass Builder Diet

Meal #1 (Pre-Workout)

• Oatmeal
• Pre-Workout Drink (Pre-Workout, Amino Energy and Creatine)

Meal #2 (Post-Workout)

• Post-Workout Whey Protein Shake (in milk)
• Eggs

Meal #3 (Lunch)

• Steak
• Baked Potato
• Spinach Salad

Meal #4 (Dinner)

• Chicken
• Rice
• Veggies

Meal #5 (Prior to Bedtime)

• Casein Protein Shake
• Egg White Omelet
• Multi-vitamin
• Fish Oil
• HMB
• Testosterone Booster

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Roy Freeman’s Fat Destroyer Diet

Each week will consist of 3 different types of eating days.

• High Carb Days – 1 day per week
• Moderate Carb Days – 3 days per week
• Low Carb Days – 3 days per week

You may structure these days in any preferred manner. Roy Freeman suggests keeping the high carb day for special occasions. That way you can attend family functions, or eat out with friends, and indulge a little more than normal.

It should be noted that calorie intake can be adjusted based on metabolism. The following changes are recommended for men:

• Men 40+ – Reduce daily calories by 300.
• Men 20-25 – Increase daily calories by 300.

Roy Freeman’s 12 Week Fat Destroyer Eating Plan for Men

• Week 1 – 3 low carb days with 2,300 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2400 calories, 1 high carb day of 2700 calories.
• Week 2 – 3 low carb days with 2,200 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,400 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 3 – 3 low carb days with 2,100 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,400 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 4 – 3 low carb days with 2,000 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,400 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 5 – 3 low carb days with 2,300 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,400 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 6 – 3 low carb days with 2,200 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,300 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 7 – 3 low carb days with 2,100 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,300 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 8 – 3 low carb days with 2,000 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,300 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 9 – 3 low carb days with 2,300 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,200 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 10 – 3 low carb days with 2,200 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,200 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 11 – 3 low carb days with 2,100 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,200 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.
• Week 12 – 3 low carb days with 2,000 calories, 3 moderate carb days with 2,200 calories, 1 high carb day of 2,700 calories.

Protein intake should be a minimum of 180 grams per day. if you are a bigger guy, or have a fair amount of muscle mass, then eat 200 to 220 grams of protein per day. If you eat a little more protein then drop your daily fat intake to make up for the calories.

Fat intake should be approximately 20-30% of your daily calories. Once you have determined your daily calories from proteins and fats, fill in your eating plan with carbohydrates.

Also, you are allowed up to 10% of your daily calories from dirty foods/junk foods. You do not have to eat any junk if you prefer. This option exists as a convenience, should you be battling a craving, or attending a social gathering where you would prefer to have a small snack.