Derek Lunsford will have a new coach in his corner for the upcoming 2025 Arnold Classic. On December 18, 2024, Chris Cormier revealed he’s working with Lunsford and plans to bring him in at his all-time best in Columbus, Ohio from February 27 to March 2.
Having previously laid claim to gold at the 212 Olympia in 2021, Derek Lunsford made history two years later, cementing himself as the sport’s first-ever two-division Olympia champion. En route to gold, he defeated his teammate Hadi Choopan as well as Samson Dauda. When it was time to defend his title in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lunsford’s lower body appeared flat. As a result, the judges awarded him third place while Dauda went on to secure his first Sandow trophy.
Chris Cormier Training Derek Lunsford for 2025 Arnold Classic
After the defeat, matters became even more complicated for Lunsford. His former coach, Hany Rambod, decided to stop assisting elite athletes after a more than two-decade-long career helping IFBB Pros. Fortunately, it appears Lunsford will now have the guidance of Chris Cormier, who was a force to be reckoned with in his prime as an Open Bodybuilder.
During the OlympiaTV YouTube video, Chris Cormier revealed that he’ll be helping coach Derek Lunsford for the 2025 Arnold Classic.
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“What he’s willing to do with his legs… what type of heart he has behind the repetitions I’m asking him to do, and I think we both wanted to see, I know he wanted to see what I was really about outside of coaching multiple people, just focusing on him.”
Initially, Cormier planned to meet up with Lunsford in January, but the Open star requested his guidance much sooner than that.
“I was just checking in on him to see if we were going to do something in January.
He said, ‘Hey I know it’s kind of quick, but can you come in two days?’ I was already in Texas dealing with the Nationals and all that weekend there in Dallas, Texas.”
They plan to work together and see how things develop from there.
“I was just like yeah, let’s do it. I’m going to come and we are going to put in some work this week and get a chance to see what I’m about.
And then we’ll take it from there and see if we want to keep going forward. It seems like we’re going to schedule some other times when we meet up soon and very shortly.”
“Even his grandmother knew my first and last name, so hey, I’m all in the family now,” he adds.
As for where he wants Lunsford to improve most, Cormier highlighted that his legs need the most work, as they held him back on the 2024 Olympia stage.
“What I’ve seen today, some parts of his legs are not even fully developed. But it can get there quickly if he just stays on track to what he’s going to do and I’m pretty sure he’s going to do that. I’m going to make multiple times where I’m going to see him before the show [2025 Arnold Classic].”
Cormier and Lunsford are ready to make the commitment to bring the former two-division Mr. Olympia champion in at his best.
“I’m going to make the commitment. He’s going to make the commitment and even when I’m home I’m going to stay in contact and get some stuff on video with him.”
Cormier adds that Lunsford’s quads will be more developed and balanced in the future.
“The quads and everything is going to be much more developed. I don’t think there’s going to be an issue and as you get ready for a show, keeping them staying balanced, keeping the body in balance, keeping the development in balance, nothing is really going to overshadow too much.”
Derek Lunsford will face an absolutely stacked lineup at the 2025 Arnold Classic. In addition to seeking revenge against Dauda on stage, Lunsford will have to get through top-tier contenders like Brandon Curry, Andrew Jacked, former two-time 212 Olympia Shaun Clarida, and many other notable threats.
It will be interesting to see if the coaching change helps Derek Lunsford reach a new level of dominance in the Open class. Don’t miss his performance at the 2025 Arnold Classic in March.
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