What Is Julius Randle’s Workout Routine and Diet Plan?

Julius Randle is an American basketball player for the New York Knicks of the NBA.

He previously played for the Los Angeles Lakers (2014-2018) and New Orleans Pelicans (2018-2019). The 27-year-old is a first-time NBA All-Star and was also awarded the NBA’s Most Improved Player in his second season with the Knicks in 2020-21.

The New York Knicks star and former Kentucky Wildcats standout caught the attention of social media with his incredible body transformation, getting shredded in 12 weeks. Here’s every detail about Randle’s workout and diet that helped him achieve his fitness goal.

At the end of the 2016-17 season, when Randle was playing for the Lakers, his management team, in an exit interview told him that he should return like a beast and come back in his best shape. The president of basketball operations for the Lakers, Magic Johnson, made it clear that he wanted players to be in their best physical condition.

In an interview with Spectrum SportsNet, Johnson said:

“We don’t anybody over seven, eight percent body fat anymore, and basically all but one or two players were in double-figures in body fat, we can’t have that. We told them that this is all about excellence now, and so you’ve got to be disciplined, you’ve got to put the work in”.

Even though Randle wasn’t in bad shape at the end of the season, he was bigger than his 250 lb listed weight.

From there, Randle started his offseason training and committed to transforming his physique. With the help of his trainer Amolia Cesar, Randle set a goal of reducing his body fat from 14% to 6%, trimming down his weight by 20 lbs, and boosting his explosiveness and sports performance.

For Randle, the transformation wasn’t just about getting into his best shape, but it was all about survival. On that note, here's a look at his workout routine and diet:

---

Julius Randle’s Workout Routine and Diet

Under his trainer Cesar’s guidance, Julius Randle worked out out five days a week during the offseason.

The workout started with a 15-20 minute stretching routine that included mobility and hip exercises, as Randle suffered a broken hip pointer and leg, making it crucial to pay attention to his mobility and flexibility. As a warm-up and to charge his muscles, Randle ran for a mile before starting his actual weight training.

Julius Randle’s strength training session mostly included exercises such as power cleans, deadlifts, barbell rows, back/front squats, bench presses and snatches, and lasted for 90 minutes.

His weight training was followed by two hours of basketball drills and on-court training followed by foam rolling for 20 minutes at the end of the session. Randle also went for cryotherapy treatments and to a sports chiropractor once a week.

"It was tough, but we worked hard. We did a lot of unconventional movements that I’ve never done before, but they paid off for me. A lot of the focus was gaining more power and strength in my hips, legs, glutes, and core” – Julius Randle

In an interview with Men’s Fitness, Cesar said:

“Our focus was to make Randle’s body more athletic and agile, improve his speed while rebounding and defending, and boost his explosive power to the rim while taking contact. I knew aesthetically he would look amazing as we progressed, but the most important part was making sure the athleticism and strength in his lower body improved every week”.

As the NBA season got closer, Julius Randle cut down on exercises with heavy weights to prevent unnecessary pressure on his joints. He instead focused more on mobility exercises, core strength, and leg workouts.

His diet was was super important for him, which he paid attention to since his training started. Julius Randle focused on organic foods to reduce his exposure to pesticides, hormones, hidden sugars, and artificial flavors.

The player cut out all dairy products from his diet and also reduced his liquor intake. He drank a gallon of water every day but still had room for a few cheat meals during his training. In an interview with GQ, Julius Randle said:

“I’m a Southern boy, so I’ll definitely do some Southern comfort food. But I also love Italian food. I’ll have a chicken alfredo. Love the pastas. I’m from Dallas, so Tex-Mex is huge. I’ll do some Mexican food. I have a couple of different options when it comes to cheat days”.

He continued:

“It’s a journey and a process. I’ve learned more and more about my body and ways that I can help myself recover better to get the best optimal performance out of myself. And that’s what it’s all about. It is the training, recovery aspect, nutrition you put in your body, all of that works into one to get your peak performance to give you an advantage on a game-to-game basis”.

At the moment, Julius Randle feels that all the training and diet he has done to get back in shape has transformed him both physically and mentally. He now feels that his body recovers and responds well after every game.