Derek Lunsford is determined to remain the number one bodybuilder in the world. Taking to YouTube on July 23, the reigning champion showed off his leg day workout ahead of the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
Lunsford’s bodybuilding season couldn’t have gone any better in 2025. He defeated Samson Dauda at the Arnold Classic, then narrowly claimed gold at the Pittsburgh Pro against Nick Walker. To complete his coveted ‘Triple Crown’ goal, Lunsford went on to recapture the Mr. Olympia title.
He joined Jay Cutler as one of only two Open bodybuilders to win back the Sandow trophy after losing it onstage. Eager to become a three-time champ, Lunsford walked fans through his brutal leg training approach less than three months before competing.
How Derek Lunsford Is Growing His Legs for the 2026 Mr. Olympia
Find the exercises from his video below:
- Abductor/Adductor Machine
- Lying Hamstring Curl
- Leg Extension Machine
- Belt Squats
- Linear Hack Squat Machine
Abductor/Adductor Machine
During the workout, Lunsford explained why warming up your hips is just as important as warming up your knees:
“If it were to be a quad-focused day, most people know, okay, you need to come in here, leg day, warm up your knees, then you can go into lifting heavy weight. Don’t forget about your hips. Guys, this is probably more important than even your knees to warm up.”
“When I do this, I always perform better than when I don’t do it,” he adds.
Lying Hamstring Curl
His second exercise was the lying hamstring curl. Between sets, Lunsford expressed his confidence about defending the title.
“I’ll tell you this, ain’t nobody train like me at all. Look at this right here. It’s mine, bro.”
Leg Extension Machine
He moved over to the leg extension machine before tackling tougher compound exercises.
Belt Squats
The belt squat has become his favorite variation because it keeps pressure off the spine and neck.
“The belt squat has probably been the best variation of any squat that I’ve used, just because it doesn’t put all that tension on my spine, on my neck, lower back, any of that. The pressure and the weight does not come from resting a bar on my shoulders, so to speak. It’s all at the hips,” Derek Lunsford shared.
Linear Hack Squat Machine
Lunsford finished off with the linear hack squat machine, emphasizing a tight squeeze throughout every rep.
“Sometimes, the worst part of leg day is just racking and re-racking all the plates.”
“From the top to the bottom, the whole repetition we are squeezing extremely hard.”
Lunsford hasn’t been quiet throughout the bodybuilding season. During an Olympia Battle workout, he told Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea that he’d never win the title. Their rivalry has become a huge storyline heading into the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
Lunsford isn’t playing it safe before stepping back onstage. The 2026 Mr. Olympia takes place from September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
