Derek Lunsford is the reigning 212 Olympia champion and is ready to produce another Sandow trophy. In a recent video, Lunsford demonstrated a back workout, where he stressed the importance of ‘respecting the weight’.
In 2018, 212 competitor Derek Lunsford gained steam as an IFBB Pro. He placed runner-up at 2018 Olympia to seven-time winner Flex Lewis and produced yet another second place result in 2019 at Olympia, a show that saw him earn silver to Kamal Elgargni. While Lunsford made an appearance at 2020 Olympia the following year, he would fall into fourth place despite bringing improvements to the stage. He finally clinched the biggest victory of his career at 2021 Olympia, becoming the 212 Olympia champion.
Lunsford continues to attract a lot of attention in the league, mostly due to his shocking size and evenly distributed proportions. His physique was on full display at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro, a show that saw him guest pose alongside other top names from the Men’s Open division. One of the biggest takeaways from the event was how much mass Derek carried and the fact that he could hang with freakish Men’s Open talent like Brandon Curry, Nick Walker, and Hunter Labrada.
The physique that blew everyone away in Pittsburgh takes a lot of effort. Lunsford recently shared his off-season diet with fans a few weeks ago. He enjoys six meals a day and counts carbohydrates/protein to ensure that he is adequately fueling his body during such intense preparations. Of course, food and supplementation can only go so far, and Lunsford understands that pushing inside the gym is one of most important ingredients to a successful season.
Derek Lunsford Full Back Day Workout List
- Back Extensions – Warmup
- Hammer Strength Hip Thrust Machine
- Rack Barbell Rows
- Hammer Strength Chest Supported Back Rows
- Seated High Row Machine
- Standing Cable Rope Pushdown
- Standing Cable High Row
*Based on the footage provided, sets and reps were unclear
Back Extensions – Warmup
Derek warms up with back extensions to start the session.
Hammer Strength Hip Thrust Machine
In his next workout, Lunsford opts to use the hammer strength hip thrust machine.
“I want it to be nice, good, solid contractions. I’m not going to failure or nothing like that. Just like I said, elicit some blood flow in the glutes, stimulate them a little bit. Just tear the muscle but just a little bit but more just filling them up with blood.” Derek Lunsford explains.
In between his workout, Lunsford ran into 2021 Arnold Classic champion Nick Walker. The two proceed to discuss what their travel plans are for the upcoming months.
Rack Barbell Rows
After working with the Hammer Strength Hip Thrust Machine, Lunsford moves to rack barbell rows.
“Before I lift this weight, I’m going to tell you something. You always have to respect the weight. I don’t care how tough or how strong you think you are, you must respect the weight.”
Hammer Strength Chest Supported Back Rows
When Lunsford is attacking back training, he doesn’t leave out any body parts. The reigning 212 champion makes sure he’s activating his hamstrings, glutes, lower back, traps, and lats.
“A full back workout day. When I say full back workout, I mean hamstrings, glutes, lower back, traps, lats, we did it all. Made up for a little missed exercises from last workout, so we did them today. Overall it was good, I’m smoked. I’m not even going to lie.”
Before calling it a day, Lunsford opts to practice with the seated high row machine and then a few cable exercises to top off his back gains.
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Seated High Row Machine
Lunsford utilizes the seated high row machine, focusing on his form to get the most out of each contraction.
Standing Cable Rope Pushdown
For his first cable movement, Lunsford practiced standing cable rope pushdowns.
Standing Cable High Row
For his final exercise, the 212 bodybuilding standout hits standing cable high rows.
One familiar foe that Lunsford will need to keep an eye on is former 212 Olympia champion Kamal Elgargni, who has been steadily improving his physique in hopes of capturing another Olympia title this year. In preparation for the show, Elgargni has trained alongside Nick Walker to bring a wow factor to the stage in December. However, Lunsford has also taken the time to train with “The Mutant”, as the two linked up for leg day back in May.
As of late, Derek has been flirting with the idea of a move into the Men’s Open division. In fact, his coach, Hany Rambod indicated that the transition is ‘definitely something we are having to consider’. Rambod also echoed that it’s becoming ‘very difficult’ for Lunsford to make the weight for 212.
Watch the full YouTube video below:
It remains to be seen if/when Lunsford will make the switch but he’s certainly adding muscle mass, which was evident during his recent guest posing appearance. Following a brutal series of back workouts, Lunsford’s off-season efforts appear to be on track as he eyes his second straight 212 title at Olympia later this year.
Find complete coverage of the 2022 Mr. Olympia, including pre-judging, event recaps, analysis, and final results at our Olympia coverage hub: FitnessVolt.com/olympia
