Derek Lunsford

New Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford Trains Back at Legendary Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym Derek Lunsford etched his name in bodybuilding record books by becoming the first two-division champion in the 59-year history of the Mr. Olympia contest. Coming off that life-changing victory in Orlando, FL that earned him the most coveted title in the sport and a lucrative $400,000 prize, the 18th member of the exclusive Mr. Olympia club paid homage to some of the all-time greats by visiting one of the most well-known gyms in the country: the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym. Located in Syosset, NY, the 30,000-square-foot facility opened in 1987 and has served as a training ground for household names like four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler and the legendary Ronnie Coleman. In a video posted on his YouTube page on Nov. 16, 2023, Lunsford shared highlights from his intense back workout at the iconic gym better known as the “East Coast Mecca.” More from Breaking Muscle: The Best Back Workouts for More Muscle, for Strength, for Beginners, and More How to Eat More for Muscle and Strength Gains Before he dove into his training session, Lunsford spent time with Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym owner and IFBB Pro League head judge Steve Weinberger. The 2021 212 Olympia winner signed a few autographs and discussed his mindset with Weinberger, who’s witnessed how former champions handle the post-victory phase differently. “Your competition holds you accountable,” Lunsford explained. “These guys are hungry, so literally from the time I stepped off stage this past week, I’ve already been back at the gym training, talking to Hany [Rambod], making sure we’re versing out of this appropriately.” After reminiscing about his first trip to Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym in 2020 and reflecting upon how much his life has changed, Lunsford shifted his attention to training his lats and other back muscles. The workout begins at the 10:40 mark of the video. Close-Grip Cable Lat Pulldown Lunsford’s back session began with close-grip cable lat pulldowns. Leaning back slightly throughout the movement, he allowed the weight to completely stretch his lats on the way up before pulling down and squeezing at the bottom. Rather than performing a high number of sets like he normally would, Lunsford took a different approach during his day at the East Coast Mecca. Between the impact of traveling and having so many machines at his disposal, he opted to do more exercises, capping the number of sets of close-grip lat pulldowns at four. Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown Machine Next, Lunsford attacked his lats from a wider angle on a plate-loaded pulldown machine. Grasping the handles with a pronated (palms-down) grip, he started with a warm-up set using a 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plate per side. After completing 15 slow-and-controlled reps, he doubled the weight for his second set. Inspired by the variety of gym equipment available in training facilities he’s used recently, Lunsford shared some insight about one of his personal goals. “I went to Ronnie’s gym the other day and saw his gym and it just fires me up for me to have my own gym in Clearwater,” the Florida resident said. “Just have it right there 15 to 20 minutes from the house, and get to pick out all the best pieces of equipment that’s going to help me be my best. I just really can’t wait.” Lunsford wrapped up this portion of the workout with a third set of wide-grip lat pulldowns using 115 pounds (52.1 kilograms) worth of plates on each side. Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown Machine Sticking with the same machine, Lunsford simply switched his grip to get a different stimulus. After performing close- and wide-grip versions of lat pulldowns, he utilized a neutral grip to “light up” his lats without placing too much stress on his wrists. Just as he did with the first two variations, Lunsford executed three sets of this exercise. Having achieved a noticeable pump that brought out the striations in his biceps, shoulders, and chest, the recently crowned champion moved on to the row-based portion of his back session. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Derek Lunsford (@dereklunsford_) [Related: Best Bodybuilding Supplements for Muscle Mass, Fat Loss, and More] Chest-Supported Incline Row Machine Lunsford chose a chest-supported incline row machine as his first method of attacking the upper part of his posterior chain. With his chest firmly against the pad, his feet anchored on the platform, and his body leaned slightly forward, Lunsford took hold of the handles and engaged his rhomboids, lats, and rear deltoids to perform the pull-based movement. Before he hit his fourth set, the king of the Men’s Open division detailed how and why he changed his grip during this exercise. “The first one I went a little bit wider and I tried to tuck my hands a little bit underneath,” Lunsford explained. “It wasn’t a complete reverse-grip row, but that was what I was trying to mimic. The last two sets we’re going to do a little bit closer with a neutral grip so they just hit a little bit different angles of the back.” T-Bar Row To get his core more involved, Lunsford left the chest-supported row machine behind for a back-day classic: the T-bar row. Starting with a pair of 45-pound plates, he maintained a slight bend in his knees and a neutral spine as he drove his elbows back and squeezed at the top of the movement. Lunsford completed sets of 15 reps, noting the difference in intensity due to him being roughly two weeks removed from competing. “Now is the time after a show that you don’t go too heavy and you really focus on the squeeze, the stretch, and the contraction,” he explained. “Just getting that good mind-muscle connection in all of your reps, all of your sets, all of your exercises.” Lunsford said he plans to train in this manner in the short term to build up strength and keep his muscles healthy. However, he will ramp up the weight

Derek Lunsford Crushes Chest and Ab Training 6 Weeks Out From 2023 Mr. Olympia Coming off a second-place finish in his Men’s Open debut, Derek Lunsford has his sights set on knocking defending champion Hadi Choopan off his throne at the 2023 Mr. Olympia. The former 212 Olympia winner (2021) boasts one of the best physiques in the sport, particularly when it comes to his upper body. With just six weeks until he takes the Olympia stage in Orlando, FL, the weekend of Nov. 3-5, Lunsford’s focus has to be on another level if he wants to earn the most prestigious award in bodybuilding. Based on his chest and ab training vlog posted on Sept. 21, 2023, there’s little doubt Lunsford is physically and mentally prepared to take on the challenge of trying to go from runner-up to champion in the span of a year. The workout begins around the three-minute mark. More from Breaking Muscle: The 12 Best Chest Exercises for Bigger, Stronger Pecs How to Use the Chest Press Machine: A Detailed Guide to Build Upper Body Muscle Before diving into his weightlifting routine, Lunsford consumed a serving of Evogen Nutrition EVP AQ Liquid Glycerol, a specialized pre-workout supplement designed to enhance blood and muscle volume. A short stint on the treadmill set the stage for a six-part chest workout, followed by a three-exercise ab finisher. Plate-Loaded Incline Chest Press After mixing a serving of Evogen Nutrition Amino K.E.M. (an intra-workout supplement containing BCAAs and other amino acids) into his shaker bottle, Lunsford began his pec-building day with the plate-loaded incline chest press. He completed a warm-up set with a pair of 20.4-kilogram (45-pound) plates on each side before ramping up the intensity by adding an 11.3-kilogram (25-pound) plate to each side. Lunsford continued to increase the load on a set-by-set basis, topping out at 81.6 kilograms (180 pounds) per side for eight repetitions. He put on a pair of elbow sleeves to provide an added layer of protection for his final set. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press Next, Lunsford attacked his upper pecs on the incline dumbbell press. He started with 24-kilogram (52.9-pound) dumbbells and made sure to lower the weight slowly and methodically. Lunsford worked up to a pair of 33-kilogram (72.7-pound) weights for 13 high-intensity reps. “We twisted the elbows and wrists in so that’s really going to get that top contraction, that inner pec, that upper pec. It’s a very humbling exercise for me, to say the least,” Lunsford explained. Low-to-High Cable Flye After blazing through some heavier dumbbells, Lunsford continued his chest workout with a pair of cable-based exercises. First, he went with a low-to-high cable flye — an exercise that recruits the clavicular portion of the pecs. Lunsford used a supinated grip (palms upward), which helped him achieve quite a noticeable pump. Between sets, the 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up practiced a few poses that emphasized the vascularity throughout his upper body. Seated Cable Flye Rather than standing, Lunsford opted for seated cable flyes. He maintained an upright posture throughout the exercise, making sure to squeeze and contract his pecs at the top of the movement. As fatigue set in, Lunsford went from full-range reps to partial reps at the end of the set. Following a second set, he provided some insight into his mindset as the 2023 Olympia inches closer. “Six weeks out … this is the time to get after it and really grind and stay focused. Some people are not so drawn-in the way I am mentally. I think it comes from my sports background, especially wrestling,” Lunsford said. Plate-Loaded Dip Machine Lunsford’s penultimate chest exercise of choice was plate-loaded dips. Although the machine is often used to target triceps, the Indiana native took a different approach to make sure he engaged his lower pecs. Rather than facing inward, Lunsford faced the opposite way so he could lean forward and “hang over” the weight. He compared the movement to a combination of a decline press and a dip, emphasizing the importance of keeping your chest upright and remaining in the seat. Smith Machine Bench Press To wrap up the chest portion of his training, Lunsford completed several sets of the Smith machine bench press. Not only did he end up delivering nine clean, quality reps with 125 kilograms (275 pounds), but he also shared some motivational advice for his followers. “Somebody has to be the best in the world,” Lunsford said. “If you’re gifted, you’re passionate, and you’re willing to do whatever it takes and God opens up doors for you, the sky’s the limit. Anybody can be great at whatever it is that they’re passionate at and they’re willing to put the work in.” Weighted Decline Crunch After pushing his pecs to the limit, Lunsford began his ab training on a bench with a weighted decline crunch. He used a 20.4-kilogram (45-pound) plate for resistance. Lunsford specifically highlighted that keeping the weight at the top of his chest makes the exercise more challenging than resting it on his stomach. He also noted that he’s been performing this ab exercise since his college days. View this post on Instagram A post shared by EVOGEN NUTRITION by HanyRambod (@evogennutrition) More from Breaking Muscle: The Best Ab Workouts at Home, for Functional Strength, and More How to Eat More for Muscle and Strength Gains Cable Crunch Lunsford went with the classic kneeling cable crunch as his second ab exercise. He maintained a neutral spine as he contracted his core on every rep. Although he did not specify the weight or reps, it was evident that Lunsford chose a fairly challenging load. Lying Leg Lift The final exercise Lunsford executed was a lying leg lift. He returned to the Smith machine to work on this taxing movement, holding the barbell as he lowered his legs nearly to parallel to the ground before raising his feet toward the ceiling. Derek Lunsford Olympia-Bound Chest and Ab Workout Plate-Loaded Incline Chest Press  Incline Dumbbell Chest Press