To be the perfect, you’ve to beat the perfect.
Considering how close he got here to taking home the title in his Men’s Open debut, 2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford actually seems able to toppling Hadi Choopan from his throne in only just a few weeks. Yet though the previous 212 Olympia winner represents a serious threat to Choopan’s probabilities of claiming the crown in consecutive years, that doesn’t mean the 2 titans can’t profit from some friendly collaboration.
With the 2023 Mr. Olympia show set to happen the weekend of Nov. 3-5, Lunsford recently teamed up with the reigning champion for an intense chest workout led by legendary trainer Hany Rambod. In a poignant example of iron sharpening iron, the 2 bodybuilders showcased their incredible physiques and work ethics in a pec-focused training vlog posted on the Evogen Nutrition YouTube channel on Oct. 19, 2023.
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Prior to hitting the weights, Rambod put every little thing in perspective by declaring that each one the athletes within the Men’s Open division have leveled up, which should make this yr’s Olympia “an absolute dogfight.” With two of the highest contenders joining forces for a muscle-building session at Evogen Nutrition HQ in Irvine, Texas, the workout kicked off near the 1:20 mark.
Incline Machine Chest Press
After consuming a serving of Evogen Nutrition EVP AQ Liquid Glycerol, a specialized pre-workout complement that enhances blood and muscle volume, Lunsford started off on the incline chest press machine. Working with three 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plates per side on his first set, he made sure to completely lockout his triceps at the highest of the movement.
Choopan followed with a set of his own before Rambod ramped up the intensity by adding one other 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plate per side. Throughout the initial a part of the workout, Lunsford credited the 22-time Olympia-winning trainer with helping him make improvements in 2023.
“That connection is so significantly better this yr, it’s crazy,” Lunsford told Rambod. “When you told me within the offseason to slow it down, back off the burden a little bit bit, control it, then I actually began connecting with the muscle. Then I began adding more weight, and now I feel really strong and connected with the muscle.”
Incline Machine Power Press
Before diving into the following exercise, Rambod noted the numerous differences in training styles between two of his top athletes.
“Derek’s used to doing much less volume, on the whole,” he said. “Hadi’s used to doing a ton of volume. So he goes in and does 4 or five sets. He’ll do like eight exercises. It’s like we’ve got to force him sometimes to reduce.”
Lunsford and Choopan proceeded to blast their pecs and triceps on the incline machine “power press,” using a neutral-grip to regulate muscle recruitment. The training team started off with three 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plates per side. Because the load increased and fatigue set in, Rambod encouraged Lunsford to complete with partial reps.
Incline Machine Flye
Next, the duo made their method to the incline flye machine for 4 sets of this staple chest exercise. Emphasizing each the stretch and the squeeze portions of the movement, Choopan worked with a rather heavier load than his peer.
Between sets, Lunsford shared some insight into what it’s prefer to train alongside someone who he’ll aim to defeat in Orlando, FL.
“So far as the competition’s concerned we’ll leave it to the day of the show,” Lunsford explained. “But all in all we’re brothers in iron, we’re brothers and teammates here at Evogen, and I’m blissful to be training with him, and also you got to respect the champion.”
Incline Dumbbell Press
Following three machine-based movements, Rambod switched things up by having his athletes work with dumbbells on an incline bench press. Choopan began with 119 kilos (54 kilograms) in each hand, rigorously lowering the dumbbells to his chest before driving them back up.
Meanwhile, Lunsford worked with a weight that seemed to be a little bit lighter than his counterpart. Still, he made sure to squeeze out every rep of an exercise designed to focus on the upper pec and front delts.
Flat Machine Chest Press
Next, Ramod went with one other bench press variation, this time calling upon Panatta’s unique “Super Horizontal Multi Press” machine for a flat version of the push-oriented movement. He helped Lunsford get acquainted with the mechanics of this specially designed chest press machine, which allows the user to get an analogous experience as using a barbell with the additional advantage of having the ability to change the bar position, range of motion, and style of bar grip for a significantly more targeted approach.
“It really works great for not only chest but you may also use it for triceps because you possibly can go ahead and invert the bar, and it’ll take you right into a cambered position so you possibly can do a close-grip bench,” Rambod explained.
Lunsford and Choopan’s trainer also took a while to indicate common mistakes he sees athletes make when training chest, including attempting to push with their shoulders as a substitute of their chest, having weak triceps, and never bringing the bar or dumbbells directly across their chest. Those technical errors can prevent lifters from maximizing their ability to construct larger, stronger pecs.
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Decline Machine Flye
To focus on the lower pec, Rambod had Lunsford and Choopan utilize the decline machine flye. The eccentric portion produced significant tension on the lower portion of their chest muscles, forcing each bodybuilders to dig deep to squeeze their hands as close together as possible on the concentric portion.
Machine Dip
The second-to-last exercise Lunsford and Choopan performed hit their chest from a unique angle. They executed high-volume sets of dips on a plate-loaded machine, specializing in slow and controlled movements.
Rambod emphasized the importance of body positioning and maintaining a robust core throughout the exercise. Although dips are typically viewed as a triceps builder, he noted that leaning forward “will activate far more chest” than staying upright, which recruits more of the triceps.
Cable Flye
Finally, the group made their method to the cable machine for several sets of flye variations. Lunsford and Choopan hit their pecs from multiple angles — something Rambod expounded upon near the top of the workout.
“Change up the position of the pulley,” he explained. “Go high, go mid-point, go low. What you ought to do is you ought to have the option to create variation in order that your chest doesn’t get used to the identical exercises week to week. Once you give variation, you’ll get muscle growth.”
Championship-Caliber Chest Day Workout
- Incline Machine Chest Press — 4 x 8-15
- Incline Machine Power Press — 4 x 8-15
- Incline Machine Flye — 4 x 8-15
- Incline Dumbbell Press — 4 x 8-15
- Flat Chest Press Machine — 4 x 8-15
- Machine Decline Flye — 4 x 8-15
- Machine Dip — 4 x 12-15
- Cable Flye — 4 x 12-15
As two of the favorites to win the 2023 Mr. Olympia, Hadi Choopan and Derek Lunsford bring elite physiques and unparalleled dedication to the combo. Joining forces for a chest workout showed they’re each humble enough to place any egos aside with a view to bring out the perfect in one another. Nevertheless, just one man can leave Orlando with the Mr. Olympia title, and only time will tell whether Choopan, Lunsford, or one other competitor will earn that coveted crown.
Featured Image: Evogen Nutrition / YouTube