
Derek Lunsford is an IFBB Professional League 212 division veteran. The 2017 Tampa Professional winner has remained within the high 5 of the Olympia 212 division for half a decade. After back-to-back runner-up finishes on the 2018 and 2019 Olympia, Lunsford dropped to fourth place on the 2020 Olympia. Nonetheless, he rotated his physique and dethroned the divisional king Shaun Clarida to win the 212 title on the 2021 Olympia.
Lunsford was anticipated to defend his Olympia 212 title on the 2022 Olympia. Nevertheless, Olympia president Dan Solomon and Lunsford’s coach Hany Rambod raised issues over his capacity to make weight for the 212 division a number of months again. The Olympia administration just lately accepted his request to obtain a particular invitation to compete within the Males’s Open division.
This improvement has set Lunsford’s transition to the Open division in concrete. Lunsford began his competitors prep for the 2022 Olympia in August. He just lately went via a crushing arms and calves exercise as a part of his prep. So with out additional delay, let’s take a better take a look at the detailed account of this session.
Derek Lunsford crushes an arms and calves exercise
Lunsford now has readability in regards to the division he shall be competing in. To arrange his physique for the Open division, he’ll attempt to carry heavier within the subsequent few weeks and produce the quantity down. Based on him, this may assist him acquire dimension and keep away from burnout.
“For the final a number of weeks I’ve been actually making an attempt to hit quite a lot of quantity in my coaching, and I nonetheless must hit quite a lot of quantity, however I would like to begin going slightly heavier. So I’m truly going to knock the reps all the way down to extra like 10 to 12 and never burn myself fairly a lot at first of my coaching.”
Calf Exercise
Lunsford began the exercise with a seated machine calf elevate to work the soleus, which lies beneath the gastrocnemius muscle. The 212 Olympia champ carried out 4 units of this train. He used 5 plates within the first set of 12 reps and dropped one plate in every consecutive set whereas proscribing the reps to 5.
Lunsford admitted that he may have executed extra reps if he went quicker. Nevertheless, he carried out sluggish reps to maintain the muscular tissues beneath pressure for longer to get extra advantages.
“I felt that far more by going sluggish. Simply squeezing and urgent as arduous as I may. I wasn’t too frightened about how far I used to be arising. I used to be simply making an attempt to get an excellent stretch,” Lunsford stated.
He added:
“I personally assume that offers you a greater pump. Attempt to management going sluggish at first and as I get increasingly more drained, extra fatigued, I need to maintain throwing blood into the muscle. For me, that swells up the muscular tissues essentially the most.”
The 29-year-old subsequent took to the donkey calf raises and standing barbell calf raises to work the gastrocnemius muscle.
Arms Exercise
Single-Arm Cable Triceps Extension
Lunsford began the arms exercise with this triceps train to heat up the arms and elbow joints. Full elbow flexion and stability within the shoulder joint are two of crucial components for triceps isolation. The one-arm cable triceps extension permits each and subsequently it is likely one of the greatest workouts to work this muscle.
Lunsford carried out a number of units of this train unilaterally to get the blood flowing into the triceps and moved on to the subsequent train.
Rope Pushdown
Lunsford subsequent took to the usual rope pushdown to heat up the triceps slightly extra. He carried out this train utilizing a sluggish and managed movement and took to a different isolation motion.
Horizontal Cable Triceps Extension
The Indiana native subsequent carried out this train to focus on the triceps brachii. The horizontal cable triceps extension makes it arduous to droop ahead and includes the pectoral muscular tissues, maintaining the stress on the triceps. The one different muscle that might probably be stimulated is the posterior deltoid. Nevertheless, that muscle shouldn’t be practically as sturdy because the triceps, and subsequently it can’t take over the motion. The previous 212 division competitor carried out a number of units of this train and continued the triceps work with the subsequent train.
Standing Cable Triceps Kickback
Triceps muscle includes the lengthy, medial, and lateral heads. Whereas the triceps kickback works all three triceps heads, it particularly targets the lateral head. Lunsford carried out this train on a cable machine to maintain the muscular tissues beneath pressure all through the vary of movement. He accomplished a number of good units of this motion and took to the primary compound train of the day.
Smith Machine Shut-Grip Incline Bench Press
Whereas the Smith machine incline bench press is a well-liked chest train, it really works all of the higher physique pushing muscular tissues just like the pecs, shoulders, and triceps. The close-grip variation of this train places extra emphasis on the triceps.
After sufficiently warming up the triceps with isolation workouts, Lunsford continued to work the triceps with this compound motion and cranked out a number of units.
Whereas talking in regards to the train sequence, Lunsford stated:
“I really feel like I’ve one of the best progress with my triceps so far as progress and gaining power, even in my chest too at any time when I heat up with cables, get that good fixed pressure, mind-muscle connection, and an excellent pump. Then I transfer on to some heavier compound urgent motion. Sure, it’s going to hit the chest too… However actually, that is bodybuilding. We are attempting to carry up each physique half.”
Standing Dumbbell Curl
After working the triceps with the primary few workouts, Lunsford shifted his focus to the biceps. The 29-year-old first took to the commonest train to work the biceps and carried out a number of units of standing dumbbell curls.
EZ Bar Curl
This was the second train in Lunsford’s arms exercise routine. EZ bar curls primarily goal the biceps brachii and the brachioradialis. The form of the EZ bar makes the motion much less irritating on the wrists and elbows. Lunsford cranked out a number of good units of this train and moved on to the arguably ‘one of the best’ isolation motion for the biceps.
Single-Arm Machine Preacher Curl
The 29-year-old subsequent labored the biceps with machine preacher curls. The triceps firmly relaxation in opposition to the pad throughout this motion and subsequently they can not compensate for the biceps and take over. Lunsford did a number of units on the machine unilaterally and moved on to the subsequent train.
Superset: Overhead Cable Triceps Extension And Hammer Curl
Lunsford completed the exercise with this superset. Whereas the overhead cable triceps extension works the triceps holistically, the hammer curl targets the biceps brachii, brachioradialis, and brachialis. The elite bodybuilder carried out all units of those workouts in speedy succession with minimal relaxation intervals in between and wrapped up the coaching session.
Lunsford 2022 Olympia Arms and Calves Exercise
Total, the exercise included:
Calves Exercise
Arms Exercise
Though Lunsford is specializing in gaining dimension and power, he seemed comparable in dimension with different open division bodybuilders like Nick Walker, Brandon Curry, and Hunter Labrada whereas visitor posing on the 2022 Pittsburgh Professional. If he provides extra dimension to his already large physique, there isn’t a denying that he can emerge as a severe risk to the opposite Open division contenders.
You possibly can watch the total exercise video beneath, courtesy of Derek Lunsford’s YouTube channel: