Just over one month into 2023, anyone with a set of eyeballs and access to social media can see that Derek Lunsford’s Recent Yr’s resolutions will need to have included never fitting comfortably into a sensible automotive and having to show barely when walking through doorways. On the very least, it was to pack much more muscle onto his frame and he’s off to a hot start.
In 2022, the 212 Olympia winner moved up a weight class and entered the Men’s Open division of the Olympia. Lunsford placed second to Hadi Choopan, solidifying himself as a possible top dog in bodybuilding’s premier division while generating heaps of hype headed into 2023.
On Feb. 7, 2023, Lunsford posted a full leg day session to his YouTube channel. The gym that Lunsford was in wasn’t named, however the video showed fans what a bigger, well-fed Derek can do without the limitation of a 212-pound weight cap looming at the top of the 12 months.
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Lunsford’s Leg Workout
To review the workout’s focus, bodybuilding training is about stimulating the goal muscle(s) to spark muscle growth (aka hypertrophy). What exercises you perform isn’t necessarily as essential as progressively doing more work every time you step foot into the gym — most frequently in the shape of loading more weight, performing more reps, or each.
For that reason, it’s commonplace to see bodybuilders vary their routines barely from workout to workout. On the elite level, details are every thing. For instance, if an athlete is attempting to bring up their hamstrings, they could add more hinging movements in comparison with squatting exercises. This particular workout was a hamstring-dominant leg day, and Lunsford performed multiple hamstring-focused movements to prioritize the muscle group.
Here’s a have a look at the lower body exercises Lunsford and his training partners performed, together with suggestions for a way you’ll be able to get essentially the most out of the identical movement.
Lying Leg Curl
Why Do it: Curling weight from a prone position ensures that the vast majority of the stress is placed in your hamstrings — the muscle you’re attempting to goal. It’s also relatively easy to perform, making a fantastic alternative for trainees of any experience level.
Do it: Lie face down on the machine. Set the pad to take a seat just above your heels and ensure which you could complete the movement with a full range of motion. Grab a handle in each hand, brace your core, and curl the pad as near your butt as comfortable. Lower the burden slowly (try counting to a few) before initiating the subsequent rep.
Lunsford Says: “It’s a really humbling machine,” Lunsford notes within the video “You do not want a variety of weight.”
Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Why Do it: A detailed cousin to the deadlift, the stiff-leg version has the lifter complete a regular deadlift with a shorter range of motion and with less of a bend of their knees. This way tweak places more tension on the hamstrings. The stiff-leg deadlift also engages the lower back as you continually hinge up and down without putting the burden down.
Do it: Load a barbell with less weight than you’d use for a standard deadlift. Arrange together with your normal stance while bending your legs barely, after which lift the barbell off the bottom. Keep your core tight and lower the bar to the center of your shins. Perform slow and controlled repetitions.
Lunsford Says: “Now that we now have blood back there, and it’s sort of tight, I need to do a stretching movement. … That is an exercise that you simply’re far more more likely to tear a muscle in comparison with other ones,” Lunsford notes. “We’re really pumped up within the hamstrings from what we did a minute a go [lying leg curls] … we’re attempting to open up the muscle fibers by stretching the muscle.”
Machine Squat
Why Do it: This machine version of the squat can provide help to develop your quadriceps. The profit that comes with that is that you simply don’t should be concerned with stabilizing the burden as you’ll a barbell, which allows more give attention to your legs and fewer in your supportive core or back muscles.
Do it: Each squat machine could have its own manufacturer’s instructions based on the precise design, which it is best to follow. The last word goal is to feel stable with the burden, lower yourself as far down toward the ground as you safely can, so you are feeling the stretch in the highest of your thighs. Using force through your feet, push yourself back as much as the standing position.
Lunsford Says: Lunsford explained that he normally performs belt squats as an alternative, but he opted to perform this movement as a substitution. He suggested alternating rep speed with this exercise. “Five slow, five fast, five slow, five fast.”
Seated Leg Curl
Why Do it: The advantage to doing a seated version of the leg curl is that your hips are bent, which might reduce activation of your glutes and provide help to isolate the hamstrings. This movement will be done with one leg or each concurrently.
Do it: When you’re secured within the seat and have adjusted the thigh pad and ankle pad (above your knees and just above your ankles, respectively), bend your knees and contract your hamstrings to drive the footpad down. Your legs should not less than break 90-degrees (pointed toward the ground) at the underside — if mobility allows, curl your feet under the seat near your glutes. Slowly return the burden to the prolonged position and repeat.
Lunsford Says: “At this point, all of the hard stuff is completed,” Lunsford explained. “You’re going to push yourself, however the ones which are really going to tax the CNS [central nervous system], where you actually should dig deep and pull out those couple extra reps, these won’t be so taxing on you. This extra stuff is a bonus so that you can just recuperate. Every rep, every set, you’re improving.”
Leg Extension
Why Do it: The leg extension offers an identical profit to the seated leg curl, except that it isolates the quadriceps as an alternative of the hamstrings. It could be used for warming-up the knees in addition to constructing the quad muscles.
Do it: When you’re seated with the leg extension pad at the highest of your ankles, press your legs against the pad to straighten your legs. Proceed lifting until you are feeling a full contraction in the highest of the thighs. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
Lunsford Says: The main focus at this stage was more about achieving high-quality contractions quite than using essentially the most weight and performing maximum reps. “Just standard tempo, standard rep speed, just straight sets.” he said.
Abductor/Adductor Machine
Why Do it: Most versions of this machine work help you perform each exercises in the identical station. The adduction will goal the inner thighs while the kidnapping will help develop the outer portion of the world.
Do it: When you’re seated, pick which movement you want to start out with. Adduction requires you to press the pads in towards the middle while abduction call so that you can press them out.
Keep your legs bent in any respect times and slowly control the burden. There must be no jerking or explosive movements. Hold each contraction and stretched position for a temporary moment before resuming the subsequent rep.
Lunsford Says: He shared no specific thoughts on these particular exercises, but you’ll be able to see his slow and calculated movements throughout the sets. The machine’s stability allowed him to maintain his hands in touch with the working muscles, further improving his mind-muscle connection for a stronger contraction.
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Here’s a general guide to the total workout:
- Lying Leg Curl: 5 x 15, followed by 1 drop set of 15 or more total reps
- Stiff-Legged Deadlift: 3 x 10-15
- Machine Squat: 4 x 15
- Seated Leg Curl: 3 x 15
- Leg Extension: 3 x 15-20
- Abductor/Adductor Machine: 3 x 10
The Next Step for Lunsford
By earning second place within the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Lunsford is one in every of six athletes currently qualified to compete within the 2023 edition. On the time of this text’s publication, other confirmed competitors include 2023 Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan, 2020-2021 champion Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry, Nick Walker who placed third on the 2022 Olympia after winning the 2021 Arnold Classic, and newcomer Brett Wilkins who will make his Olympia stage debut in 2023.
Lunsford shouldn’t be expected to compete again until he returns to the Olympia stage, Nov. 2-5 in Orlando, FL, where he’ll hope to enhance on his 2022 runner-up status. After speculation that he may compete as one in every of the entrants within the 2023 Arnold Classic, March 2-5, Lunsford revealed that he had no intentions of entering that contest.
Lunsford appears to be fully focused on becoming the primary bodybuilder to win each a 212 Olympia and a Mr. Olympia title. If he maintains the intensity and drive demonstrated through this intense leg workout, it would just turn into a reality.
Featured Image: Derek Lunsford / YouTube