Derek Lunsford – Complete Profile: Height, Weight, Biography

Derek Lunsford, a thriving bodybuilder, has quickly found himself as one of the most talked-about IFBB Pros on the planet. This article explores his life story, diet, training habits, and more. In 2021, Lunsford established himself as a 212 Olympia with a massive back and balanced symmetry.

After a stunning guest posing appearance, Lunford was offered a special invite to compete in the Men’s Open at Mr. Olympia. Accepting the honor, Lunsford shocked the world in second place. Hailed a favorite throughout the season, Lunsford took to the stage at 2023 Mr. Olympia and became the first-ever two-division Mr. Olympia champion. In addition, he won the People’s Champ Award.  

However, in 2024, things went much differently for Lunsford. In his lone IFBB appearance on the Mr. Olympia stage, he dropped to third place, surrendering his title to mass monster Samson Dauda. In 2025, he got some revenge after defeating Dauda at the 2025 Arnold Classic. Then, in a stunning string of career accomplishments, Lunsford achieved the ‘Triple Crown,’ winning the AC, Pittsburgh Pro, and 2025 Mr. Olympia in the same bodybuilding season. 

Derek Lunsford

(Bodybuilder)

Athlete Statistics

Early Life

Derek Lunsford was a very active child, from the moment he was born in Petersburg, Indiana. At an early age, he developed a love for exercise, taking part in sports. Notably, he chose to play soccer, as well as having a fairly successful high school wrestling run.

However, all of that was forced to change when Lunsford went to college. Unfortunately, the school that he attended did not have a wrestling program. Nonetheless, he did not want to stop athletic endeavors, so he was forced to look into other sports. Instead, he began to take an interest in lifting weights, opening the door to a career in bodybuilding.

Initially, Derek Lunsford had a hard time getting the results he was looking for. Therefore, he found a personal trainer, in the form of James Brown. Once these two were paired up, Derek was able to get the guidance needed to begin seeing some serious gains.

Lunsford began working extremely hard to develop an unbelievable physique. It was at this point, that he watched a documentary on bodybuilding. Inspired by the likes of Jay Cutler and Phil Heath, he began to resonate with the sport on a deep level. Thus igniting his passion for building a world-class physique. 

Derek Lunsford – Early Bodybuilding Career

At the age of 22, Derek Lunsford would make his amateur bodybuilding debut. He would take the stage at the 2015 NPC Indianapolis Championships, in the Men’s Open Welterweight division. He was able to win this competition, starting his bodybuilding endeavors off with a bang.

Following this win, Lunsford went on to win the 2015 NPC Junior Nationals. The next year, he repeated this feat, by winning the 2016 NPC Junior Nationals. However, he would end the year with a second-place showing at the NPC USA Nationals.

Lunsford would take about 12 months off from competing, before testing his resolve for the last time as an amateur. He would take the stage at the 2017 NPC USA Championships, again earning second place. However, despite the fact he did not win, he was able to earn his Pro Card and begin his run as a professional.

Derek Lunsford – Pro Bodybuilding Career

Derek Lunsford wasted no time making his professional bodybuilding debut. Just a month after earning his Pro Card, he competed at the 2017 IFBB Tampa Pro. He managed to completely demolish the competition, winning in the 212 division.

As a result of his win at the Tampa Pro, Lunsford was granted an invitation to the 2017 Mr. Olympia. Subsequently, just one month after his pro debut, he made his debut on the big stage. Furthermore, he managed to capture the 5th place position. Therefore, he had established himself as a massive prospect in the division.

At the 2018 Mr. Olympia, he took second place as a promising 212 competitor, trailing behind the great Flex Lewis. In 2019, he earned the same fate, once again sticking only to the Mr. Olympia contest. In 2020, he took fourth at Mr. Olympia before finally claiming 212 gold in 2021 after dethroning Shaun Clarida. 

Lunsford received a special invitation to compete at the 2022 Olympia in the open division, and he blew away fans and bodybuilding veterans alike with a commanding second-place finish, defeating names like Nick Walker and Brandon Curry. 

Then, Lunsford won the People’s Champ Award and became the 2023 Mr. Olympia champion, achieving a historic double victory as the first man to hold both the 212 and Open Olympia titles.

In 2024, he dropped to third at Mr. Olympia, ceding the Open title to Samson Dauda. Stepping onto the 2025 Arnold Classic stage for the first time, Lunsford delivered a statement performance, taking the win and a $500,000 prize. He carried that momentum straight into the 2025 Mr. Olympia, where he reclaimed the Sandow trophy from Dauda and completed the ‘Triple Crown’ by also winning the Pittsburgh Pro in the same season.

Derek Lunsford – Championships and Accomplishments

Derek Lunsford – Training Regimen

Derek Lunsford keeps a regular training schedule, working six days a week. More specifically, he puts a focus on his abs and legs, in particular, working them twice weekly. Additionally, he does cardio at least once, sometimes twice per day. This keeps his weight low, and his conditioning up for competition.

This is Lunsford’s weekly training split:

• Monday – Chest, Abs
• Tuesday – Back
• Wednesday – Quads, Calves
• Thursday – Shoulders, Abs
• Friday – Biceps, Triceps
• Saturday – Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
• Sunday – Off

When it comes time to do his workouts, Lunsford makes sure to warm up. He regularly does high reps of light weights, to help prevent injury. Furthermore, he utilizes drop sets to ensure total muscular fatigue during a workout. 

This is the shoulder workout Lunsford uses:

• Dumbbell Lateral Raise – (4 sets/20-30, 15-20, 10-15, 10-15 reps)
• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press – (4 sets/15, 15, 10-12, 10-12 reps) 
• Cable Upright Row – (3 sets/15, 10–12, 10–12 reps) 
• Dumbbell Front Raise (3 sets/15 reps)
• Face-Pull – (3 sets/15 reps)

Diet and Nutrition

It took a while for Derek Lunsford to find a diet plan that worked best for him. However he eventually settled on eating every 2-3 hours. Moreover, he does his best to include 50-60g of protein in each meal. Additionally, he pays close attention to his macronutrients, in order to ensure quick recovery from training. This also aides in muscle growth, helping achieve better gains.

Some of Lunsford’s favorite foods include:

• Chicken
• Egg Whites
• Fish
• Egg Yolks
• Almonds
• Avocado
• Coconut Oil
• Rice
• Mixed Vegetables

When it comes to supplements, Lunsford is a big believer in getting your money’s worth. He has been known to make videos for people, explaining how they can get all the supplements needed at a reasonable price. Specifically, he puts an emphasis on multi-vitamins, and amino acids, as well as whey protein.

Additional Information

Lunsford now holds three Mr. Olympia titles across two divisions, and 2025 was the best season of his career: he won the Arnold Classic, the Pittsburgh Pro, and the Mr. Olympia in the same year, a feat the sport calls the ‘Triple Crown.’

His 2023 Olympia win, taken from teammate Hadi Choopan, made him the first man to hold the 212 and Open Olympia titles. With his star power and a case for the most complete resume in the Open division, fans will remember the night Lunsford first etched his name into the coveted Sandow trophy, and the season he cemented it for good.