Bodybuilder Derek Lunsford aims to showcase his all-time best in under five weeks at the 2025 Arnold Classic. On January 28, 2025, he dropped a ripped physique update ahead of the event, showcasing newfound fullness and detail in his lower body.
Despite being only 31, Derek Lunsford has enjoyed a storybook career in the IFBB Pro League. He won the 212 Olympia title in 2021 before eventually joining the Men’s Open class. It didn’t take long for him to find his footing as he claimed second place at the 2022 Mr. Olympia behind his teammate Hadi Choopan.
Lunsford used the experience on the sport’s greatest stage to bring a near-flawless package to the 2023 Mr. Olympia. This performance cemented his status as the sport’s first two-division Mr. Olympia champion. However, his title defense fell apart in 2024 at the hands of Samson Dauda, who finally brought the perfect combination of mass and conditioning.
Fortunately, Lunsford will have the chance to rematch Dauda at the upcoming 2025 Arnold Classic. But he’ll have his hands full as fans expect a historic lineup to swarm Columbus, Ohio. Aside from Dauda, Lunsford must once again defeat Andrew Jacked and former Olympia winner Brandon Curry on stage. There’s also a stable of dark horses eager to land on the podium, such as James Hollingshead, Carlos Thomas Jr., William Bonac, Justin Rodriguez, and many others.
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Derek Lunsford Shares Ripped Physique Update 4.5 Weeks from 2025 Arnold Classic: “Resilience Leads To Triumph”
Check out Lunsford’s latest physique update ahead of the 2025 Arnold Classic, set for February 27 to March 2 in Columbus, Ohio.
“Resilience leads to triumph.
4.5 weeks until I see you all in Columbus, OH” Derek Lunsford shared.
Lunsford Discusses Low-Carb Dieting Approach Before Hitting the Stage
In a recent YouTube video, Lunsford explained how he and Chris Aceto are utilizing a low-carb diet before heading to the Arnold Classic.
“I only get three carb meals today. This is one of them [bison and rice]. This is the biggest one and it feels not that big,” he shared. “I think they are going to be a little over 200 grams of carbs today.”
“I get excited about getting shredded. I was thinking about this today. Some people get excited to bulk up and get huge and that’s exciting too because you’re going to make improvements and put on size and you get to eat a ton of food.
He shared that he prefers dieting down for contests rather than focusing on adding mass in the off-season. Later in the day, he enjoyed a chicken and rice dish.
“Honestly, bro, I get excited to get shredded. I want to be hungry. I want to wake up hungry every day. I want to be hungry all day long. When I get to the gym I want to be aghhh! Think about it, a lion is more ferocious when he’s hungry.”
Two of Lunsford’s Low-Carb Meals
Meal 1
- Bison
- White Rice
Meal 2
- Chicken
- White Rice
In addition, Lunsford touched on the importance of undergoing regular blood work screenings during his morning cardio routine.
“We just started the cardio and it’s time to get shredded. I believe we’re just going to keep growing into the show. Today is a rest day, I’m doing 45 minutes of cardio. Then, on training days, I’ve been doing like 30 minutes of cardio. Just treadmill walk, little slight incline not too fast.”
“First doing cardio, next I’m going to go get my blood work done because it’s very important that you keep health not just in mind, but at the forefront of anything that you’re doing in life but especially if you’re doing a sport or doing bodybuilding.”
In his last appearance on the Olympia stage, fans and judges agreed that he lacked the usual volume in his legs on stage, which could have come from over-dieting. To correct this issue, Lunsford has teamed up with bodybuilding coach Chris Aceto, who boasts ample experience shaping top-tier IFBB Pros, like the late Shawn Rhoden, Jay Cutler, and Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay.
As far as predictions are concerned, most bodybuilding veterans have backed ‘The Nigerian Lion’ to emerge victorious. However, bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler hasn’t turned his back on Lunsford’s chances of success in less than five weeks. In addition, Open Bodybuilding mainstay Shawn Ray indicated that Lunsford has ‘all the capabilities’ to stop Dauda on stage.
Lunsford is in a unique position. This is the first Arnold Classic contest of his career. If he manages to outpoint Dauda on the scorecards, he’ll have considerable momentum heading into the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest in 2025.
RELATED: Nick Walker Joins Derek Lunsford to Debate Who Has the Best Poses at ‘100 Percent’
Check out the video from Derek Lunsford’s YouTube channel below:
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