Derek Lunsford etched his name in bodybuilding record books by becoming the primary two-division champion within the 59-year history of the Mr. Olympia contest. Coming off that life-changing victory in Orlando, FL that earned him essentially the most coveted title in the game and a lucrative $400,000 prize, the 18th member of the exclusive Mr. Olympia club paid homage to a number of the all-time greats by visiting one of the crucial well-known gyms within the country: the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym.
Positioned in Syosset, NY, the 30,000-square-foot facility opened in 1987 and has served as a training ground for household names like four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler and the legendary Ronnie Coleman. In a video posted on his YouTube page on Nov. 16, 2023, Lunsford shared highlights from his intense back workout at the enduring gym higher referred to as the “East Coast Mecca.”
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Before he dove into his training session, Lunsford hung out with Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym owner and IFBB Pro League head judge Steve Weinberger. The 2021 212 Olympia winner signed a couple of autographs and discussed his mindset with Weinberger, who’s witnessed how former champions handle the post-victory phase in a different way.
“Your competition holds you accountable,” Lunsford explained. “These guys are hungry, so literally from the time I stepped off stage this past week, I’ve already been back on the gym training, talking to Hany [Rambod], ensuring we’re versing out of this appropriately.”
After reminiscing about his first trip to Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym in 2020 and reflecting upon how much his life has modified, Lunsford shifted his attention to training his lats and other back muscles. The workout begins at the ten:40 mark of the video.
Close-Grip Cable Lat Pulldown
Lunsford’s back session began with close-grip cable lat pulldowns. Leaning back barely throughout the movement, he allowed the burden to completely stretch his lats on the way in which up before flattening and squeezing at the underside.
Quite than performing a high variety of sets like he normally would, Lunsford took a unique approach during his day on the East Coast Mecca. Between the impact of traveling and having so many machines at his disposal, he opted to do more exercises, capping the variety of sets of close-grip lat pulldowns at 4.
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown Machine
Next, Lunsford attacked his lats from a wider angle on a plate-loaded pulldown machine. Grasping the handles with a pronated (palms-down) grip, he began with a warm-up set using a 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plate per side. After completing 15 slow-and-controlled reps, he doubled the burden for his second set.
Inspired by the range of gym equipment available in training facilities he’s used recently, Lunsford shared some insight about considered one of his personal goals.
“I went to Ronnie’s gym the opposite day and saw his gym and it just fires me up for me to have my very own gym in Clearwater,” the Florida resident said. “Just have it right there 15 to twenty minutes from the home, and get to pick all the most effective pieces of kit that’s going to assist me be my best. I just really can’t wait.”
Lunsford wrapped up this portion of the workout with a 3rd set of wide-grip lat pulldowns using 115 kilos (52.1 kilograms) price of plates on both sides.
Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown Machine
Sticking with the identical machine, Lunsford simply switched his grip to get a unique stimulus. After performing close- and wide-grip versions of lat pulldowns, he utilized a neutral grip to “light up” his lats without placing an excessive amount of stress on his wrists.
Just as he did with the primary two variations, Lunsford executed three sets of this exercise. Having achieved a noticeable pump that brought out the striations in his biceps, shoulders, and chest, the recently crowned champion moved on to the row-based portion of his back session.
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Chest-Supported Incline Row Machine
Lunsford selected a chest-supported incline row machine as his first approach to attacking the upper a part of his posterior chain. Along with his chest firmly against the pad, his feet anchored on the platform, and his body leaned barely forward, Lunsford took hold of the handles and engaged his rhomboids, lats, and rear deltoids to perform the pull-based movement.
Before he hit his fourth set, the king of the Men’s Open division detailed how and why he modified his grip during this exercise.
“The primary one I went somewhat bit wider and I attempted to tuck my hands somewhat bit underneath,” Lunsford explained. “It wasn’t an entire reverse-grip row, but that was what I used to be attempting to mimic. The last two sets we’re going to do somewhat bit closer with a neutral grip in order that they just hit somewhat bit different angles of the back.”
T-Bar Row
To get his core more involved, Lunsford left the chest-supported row machine behind for a back-day classic: the T-bar row. Starting with a pair of 45-pound plates, he maintained a slight bend in his knees and a neutral spine as he drove his elbows back and squeezed at the highest of the movement.
Lunsford accomplished sets of 15 reps, noting the difference in intensity as a consequence of him being roughly two weeks faraway from competing.
“Now could be the time after a show that you just don’t go too heavy and you actually deal with the squeeze, the stretch, and the contraction,” he explained. “Just getting that good mind-muscle connection in your entire reps, your entire sets, your entire exercises.”
Lunsford said he plans to coach in this way within the short term to accumulate strength and keep his muscles healthy. Nonetheless, he’ll ramp up the burden and go heavier in about two to a few months.
Chest-Supported Seated Row Machine
After performing an angled chest-supported row earlier, Lunsford went with a vertical version. Seated along with his chest against the pad, he worked with a 45-pound plate on both sides to get an enormous pump in his lats. This set the stage for one more seated row variation.
Cable Seated Row
Lunsford’s penultimate exercise was a standard cable seated row. He trained unilaterally by utilizing independent handles, ensuring to squeeze his shoulder blades together for the last word contraction. Looking every bit the a part of a Mr. Olympia winner, Lunsford ramped up the burden for his final sets before he moved on to his final exercise.
Low Row Machine
A low-row machine allowed Lunsford to focus on his lats and rhomboids, in addition to his middle and lower trapezius. He wrapped up his workout with several sets of this strength- and muscle-building movement, ensuring to keep up complete control of the burden to maximise time under tension.
Mr. Olympia-Level Back Workout
Although the 2023 Mr. Olympia winner didn’t go heavy on any of his exercises, he actually put in some serious work at one of the crucial iconic training grounds. Between three lat pulldown variations and five rowing movements, Lunsford’s back workout will certainly leave you feeling such as you’re able to walk across the stage.
- Close-Grip Cable Lat Pulldown
- Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown Machine
- Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldown Machine
- Chest-Supported Incline Row Machine
- T-Bar Row
- Chest-Supported Seated Row Machine
- Cable Seated Row
- Low Row Machine
Derek Lunsford clearly has an appreciation for the way far he’s come during his journey as a professional bodybuilder. Humble yet still ultra-competitive, the primary two-division champion in Olympia history has the physique and mindset needed to stay at the highest of the Men’s Open division for the foreseeable future.
Featured Image: Derek Lunsford / YouTube