Running back for the Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson isn’t just know for his skills on the field. His body has gained much attention! At a lean 217 pounds Peterson has built a pretty amazing physique and in this article you see exactly how he did it, from workout strategy to diet and supplementation.
Let’s just take a look at his in-season stats:
Weight: 217 lbs
Height: 6ft 1″
Body Fat Percentage 6%
There is no doubt that Petersons body has come from his tremendous work ethic and this started back in his earlier years in college at Oklahoma. Strength was so important especially for football, so Peterson would improvise and carry sleds up hills, box jump with 80 pound weights, worked with sand bags and would sprint hilly terrain! Not the most conventional of ways to train, but it worked for Peterson and it built a great foundation for his training.
While eating a protein/carb mix every 2 hours all day, I’d wind up having about 8 – 10 “tiny” meals instead of 3 big meals over the course of a day. This is by the far the most important thing to do in order to add lean, solid mass.
When Peterson made it to the NFL he had an abundance of new training equipment to hand and it was here that he took his body to a whole new level. Peterson focuses on
building strength (weights) and super power (sprints). So let’s take a look at his workout:
Peterson certainly brings a lot of intensity to his training sessions, in a recent interview he said: “I try to create a different environment. I don’t really say much, but guys are watching you, especially when you’re in the position I’m in.
That’s not why I’m doing it; it’s how I’ve always worked, and I’ve always had my mind set to be the best. And I know what it takes: hard work.”
Off-Season Training
During the off-season Peterson will use a five day a week approach, hitting the upper body on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then lower body on Tuesdays and Fridays.
For cardio he will run outside to work up more of a sweat. With his upper body workouts he primarily sticks to the bigger compound movements like pull-ups, rows and presses.
Reps are kept between 6-10.
Legs are vitally important to Peterson, both in terms of size and strength. The entire leg will get a roasting in Peterson’s lower body workout, including the quads, hams and calves. Focusing on high reps to create that pump, he will often go to 315 pounds and rep out on three sets.
Adrian Peterson Workout
Here is an example of Peterson’s In-Season workout routine taken from his interview in Muscle & Fitness:
MONDAY & WEDNESDAY (UPPER BODY)
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Neck (four directions) 1 6-10
Standing Shoulder Shrug 1 6-10
Incline (M)/Flat-Bench (W) Press (1) 3 10, 8, 6
Close-Grip Pull-Up 1 to failure
Machine Pullover 1 6-10
Flat (M)/Incline (W) Dumbbell Press 2 6-10
Dumbbell Lateral (M)/Front (W) Raise 1 6-10
Seated Cable Row 1 6-10
Seated Cable Scapular Retraction (2) 1 6-10
Flat (M)/Incline (W) Machine Chest Press 1 6-10
Lat Pulldown 1 6-10
Machine Overhead Press 1 6-10
Machine Row 1 6-10
Machine Flye (M)/Lateral Raise (W) 1 6-10
Machine Reverse Flye 1 6-10
External (M)/Internal (W) Rotation 1 6-10
Triceps Pressdown 1 6-10
Cable Curl 1 6-10
Hand Gripper 1 6-10
Wrist Flexion (M)/Extension (W) 1 6-10
(1) using a thick-grip barbell, dumbbell or machine
(2) On a seated row machine, the shoulders are retracted without bending the elbows. Note: (M) = Monday, (W) Wednesday
TUESDAY & THURSDAY (LOWER BODY)
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Hang Clean 3 6
or Deadlift (T)/Suqat (1) (R) 3 12,10,8
Romanian Deadlift (T)/Glute-Ham Raise (R) 2 6-10
Leg Press 2 6-10
Leg Curl 1 6-10
One-Leg Press (T)/ 1 6-10
Dumbbell Step-Up or Lunge (R)
One-Leg Curl (T)/ 1 6-10
Leg Curl on exercise ball (R)
One-Leg Hip Flexion (T)/ 1 6-10
Bridge on exercise ball (R)
Hip Abduction 1 6-10
Hip Abduction 1 6-10
Leg Extension 1 6-10
Standing Calf Raise 1 6-10
Ball (T)/Machine (R) Back Extension 1 15
Ball (T)/Machine (R) Abs Crunch 1 25
Medicine-Ball (T)/Machine (R) Torso Twist 1 40
Reverse Crunch (T)/Cable Side Bend (R) 1 15
(1) using a barbell (with or without chains), safety squat bar or machine
Note: (T) = Tuesday, (R) = Thursday
Adrian Peterson Diet
Since getting into the NFL Peterson has certainly stepped up his diet, which is the key factor in keeping him lean. Without this consistency with his diet he simply would not be in the condition he is. Whilst he lets loose a little in the off-season, in season his diet is very stringent. Much of what you will see in his daily diet is made up of high quality proteins, such as fish, poultry and meat. His carbs come from cleaner sources like vegetables, wholegrains and potatoes. He also uses protein
supplements of a way to booster his overall protein intake for the day (vitally important for building and maintaining lean muscle).
Breakfast: 5 egg whites, bacon with fat trimmed, Wholegrain pancakes
Preworkout: Cytomax Ready-to-Drink
Postworkout: 2 scoops Muscle Milk powder
Lunch: Baked chicken, Vegetables (carrots or green beans), & Brown Rice
Dinner: Grilled chicken breast & Pasta
Night time snack: Muscle Milk Ready-to-Drink
I hope this article had provided a valuable insight in Adrian Peterson’s training plan and diet. Obviously this works for Adrian and it has taken him years to create the body
he has today.