Ulisses Williams Jr is by far one of the most attractive and famous athletes in natural bodybuilding.
I get so many questions on how to build muscles and achieve that pumped-up look that I've decided to do some serious research.
I've been following Williams and his coach Lazar Angelov on social media, and I bring you Williams' workout routine and diet plan. Read on!
Quick Summary
- The best Ulisses Wiliams Jr workouts are barbell squats, calf raises, cable rows, dumbbell pullovers, bench presses, dumbbell shrugs, barbell curls, and military shoulder presses.
- Ulisses exercises are structured for the legs, shoulders, back, chest, and arms muscles when properly combined.
- Start low on reps if you are a beginner when trying out Williams' workouts then progressively increase with time.
- A healthy diet influences how long results will take to manifest from working out.
Who is Ulisses Williams?
Born in 1976 in New York City, Ulisses Williams Jr. has been interested in fitness since a young age.
While he was in high school, the bodybuilder also competed in football and other sports.
However, since he was physically small, Williams couldn’t make the impact he wanted.
So, he started going to the gym and working hard and started to notice some results soon.
His friends were so amazed by his achievement they convinced him to enter bodybuilding competitions.
And, after only five years since he started training, Williams won his first competition. Ulisses Jr. earned his pro card in 2003 and has won over 100 bodybuilding shows since.
At the same time, he pursued a professional fitness model career.
Williams appeared in many magazines, such as FLEX Magazine, Men’s Health, and Muscle & Fitness.
His bodybuilding career may have ended, but he dedicated himself to personal training.
Additionally, Williams also has a line of supplements in partnership with BioTechUSA. This 5 feet 10 inches tall and 210-pound heavy champion is unstoppable.
Competition History
- 2000 Platinum Classic NYC - Novice Middleweight 1st, Open Middleweight 1st, Overall Open Champion
- 2001 MET Championships NYC- Novice Middleweight 1st, Open Middleweight 1st
- 2002 Musclemania Fitness Atlantic Championships Connecticut - Welterweight 1st
- 2003 Musclemania Fitness Atlantic Championships Connecticut - Middleweight 1st
- 2003 Musclemania Superbody Championships Miami - Middleweight 1st, Overall Champion (Pro Card)
- 2004 Musclemania Superbody Championships Miami (Pro division)
- 2005 Musclemania World Championships Las Vegas - Pro division 3rd
- 2010 Musclemania World Championships Las Vegas - Pro division 1st
- 2011 Musclemania World Championship Las Vegas - Pro division 2nd
Ulisses Williams Jr Workout Routine
Williams likes to keep his muscles confused and on edge. He loves mixing up his workout routines which helps his muscles keep growing instead of hitting a plateau [1].
Ulisses Jr. doesn't Do Cardio
The champion has never done much cardio. Intense weightlifting and a clean diet are all he ever did to achieve his lean physique. However, he did have a period when he was mixing in some HIIT with his regular workout routine.
One Muscle Group at a Time
Ulisses Jr. typically focuses on one muscle group and works on it until he feels he can’t take it anymore. That way, he gives his other muscles a chance to rest and recover and avoids overworking them [2].
His sets usually include 12–15 reps, although he's been known for throwing in an occasional superset and drop set to raise his heart rate and improve endurance.
Ulisses Jr. Workout Plan
If you don’t believe how intense his workout is, here’s his typical weekly routine.
Williams does five sets of 12–15 reps for each exercise:
Day 1 – Legs
- Barbell squats
- Leg Press
- Calf raises
- Leg extensions
- Lying leg curls
- Stiff-leg deadlifts
- Seated calf raises
- Barbell lunges — 100 reps
Day 2 – Back
- Barbell deadlift
- Weighted pull-ups
- One-arm dumbbell row
- Cable rows
- Lat pulldowns
- Back hyperextension
- Dumbbell pullover
Day 3 – Chest
- Incline barbell bench press
- Bench press
- Dumbbell flys
- Dumbbell decline press
- Cable crossover — 100 reps
Day 4 – Shoulders
- Military shoulder press
- Dumbbell lateral raise
- Arnold dumbbell press
- Dumbbell front raise
- Dumbbell shrugs
- Upright rows — 100 reps
Day 5 – Arms
- Barbell curls
- Reverse barbell curls
- Close-grip barbell press
- Dumbbell hammer curls
- Cable triceps extensions
- Preacher EZ-bar curls
- Bodyweight dips — five sets
- Lying supinated dumbbell curls
Day 6 – Wild Card
As the name suggests, day six is always a surprise, both for Williams and his muscles.
Day 7 – Rest
Overworking your body won't lead to a bigger muscle mass, and Williams is aware of this. That's why he gives his body one day a week to rest and recover. Taking a rest isn't the same as quitting. As he says:
“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute or an hour or a day or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
Ulisses Williams Diet Plan
Williams has been training since he was a teenager. His hard work gave great results, but he also hit plateau. That’s when he realized he needed to work on his nutrition. So, he removed empty calories from his diet and started seeing good results again.
Only Organic
Today, he eats eight organic meals a day, and even his cheat days are clean. Williams pays special attention to his macro and micronutrient intake and drinks lots of water.
Here’s what his daily menu looks like:
- Meal 1: 1 cup of plain oatmeal and eight egg whites
- Meal 2: Shake (45g of protein, 30g of carbs)
- Meal 3: Quarter chicken and rice
- Meal 4: Post-workout shake (45g of protein, 60g of carbs)
- Meal 5: Shake (45g of protein, 30g of carbs)
- Meal 6: Grilled salmon with rice and vegetables
Ulisses Jr. Regularly Eats Foods Like:
- Organic foods
- Organic chicken
- Organic egg whites
- Organic eggs
- Organic fish
- Organic vegetables
- Organic fruit
- Whey protein
- Casein protein
Ulisses Jr. Avoids Consuming:
- Junk food
- Fried food
- Processed foods
- Refined sugar
- GMO foods
- Chemicals
- Artificial anything
- Hydrogenated oils
Powering Up with Shakes
Half of Williams' meals are shakes. He drinks three whey isolate shakes to recover from his workouts and fuel his muscles, and he also drinks casein protein before bed to allow his muscles to recover overnight.
Ulisses Jr. doesn’t Stray
Williams stays within the 10-pound range of his ideal weight so he can always be ready for photoshoots and appearances.
Healthy Cheat Days
As I mentioned, Williams has a cheat day once a week, but even then, he eats healthy. Instead of binging on burgers, Ulisses Jr. just has extra of his usual food.
What Supplements Does He Take?
Williams uses supplements such as whey and casein protein daily. Here’s a rundown of everything he uses throughout the day:
Ulisses Jr. starts every day with a cup of green tea, which is considered a superfood. The tea is rich in antioxidants, supports brain health, protects against cancer, and burns fat.
Ulisses Jr. also drinks a whey protein isolate three times a day. Whey isolate contains essential amino acids and rich in leucine — a dietary amino acid that promotes muscle growth.
Casein protein is another part of Ulisses Jr.'s supplementation. He typically drinks one serving of slow-digesting casein protein before bed to prevent muscle breakdown and allow them to restore.
Ulisses Jr. also takes a serving of AAKG (arginine alpha-ketoglutarate) to boost his athletic performance and metabolism.
Next on the menu is creatine, which is an essential part of protein synthesis. Ulisses Jr. uses it to increase his lean muscle mass, recovery, and power output. Creatine also helps him maximize his strength during high-intensity training.
He also takes a clean carb supplement, such as Vitargo, that promotes recovery and delivers fast energy. Williams mixes it with his daily post-exercise shake.
Ulisses Jr. uses BCAAs for men both pre and post-exercise. Branched-chain amino acids increase protein synthesis and decrease muscle breakdown.
Williams takes glutamine daily to build, preserve, recover, and boost his metabolism.
Alongside his post-exercise supplements, Ulisses Jr. takes a dose of vitamin C to lower the risk of heart disease, cancer and boost his metabolism.
Ulisses Jr. takes a dose of fish oil with his pre-bed casein, a powerful antioxidant rich in omega-3 and fatty acids.
Williams also takes flaxseed oil, which is also packed with omega-3s, regulates blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels.
Finally, Williams takes a multivitamin for men to ensure all his vitamin and mineral needs are taken care of.
Are You Going to Try Ulisses' Workout & Diet?
Sure, it’s easy to write about this workout routine and strict lifestyle, but would you survive training like Williams?
To be honest, I don’t think I could endure this routine for very long, but I’m curious to see what you think.
Share your thoughts in the comments!
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/whats-a-good-full-body-workout-for-mass
- https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/workout-split-training-benefits
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