Here’s IFBB Pro Who’s Genuine Source of Motivation, Derek Lunsford’s Workout Routine
Derek Lunsford is an American IFBB bodybuilder who competes in the open division of men’s bodybuilding. He’s the winner of the 2023 Mr. Olympia and 2021’s 212 division Mr. Olympia. However, he’s also known as a genuine source of motivation for many professional bodybuilders and his fans. His transformation from an unknown athlete to a renowned bodybuilder on a global level has inspired many. Hence, it’s an obvious search on the internet: Derek Lunsford’s workout routine is quite high, especially after his Mr. Olympia wins.
Though setbacks have been present in his life, he has used them as fuel and is determined to become better. For instance, before winning the prestigious Mr. Olympia 2023 title, he had experienced disappointment, like getting fourth in 2020 or securing second place in 2018. But his persistent attitude helped him and didn’t let him quit.
Derek Lunsford’s Workout Routine
Derek follows a challenging workout that isn’t recommended for beginners. For instance, he chooses 7 exercises and performs 2 to 3 sets of 12 – 15 reps for each muscle group. Similarly, his workout schedule is 6 days per week with one rest day.
Below is one such workout plan that will give you an overall idea of his workout philosophy.
Monday – Chest & Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Incline DB Press | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Incline Chest Flys | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Cable Chest Fly | 2 | 12 – 15 |
| Chest Press W/ Machine | 2 | 12 – 15 |
| Calf Raises (Seated) | 4 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Raises | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Propel Ab Slider | 2 | 12 – 15 |
Tuesday – Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Lat Pulldowns Superset W/ Straight Arm Cable Pulldowns | 5 | 8 – 10 |
| Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Seated Cable Rowing | 3 | 10 – 12 |
| Seated Cable Rowing | 3 | 10 – 12 |
| T – Bar Rowing | 2 | 10 – 12 |
| T – Bar Rowing (Drop Set) | 1 | – |
| Incline DB Rowing | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Straight Arm Pulldowns | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
Wednesday – Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Press | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Pendulum Squats | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Extensions | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Calf Raises (Seated) – Keep Last Set as Drop Set | 4 | 12 – 15 |
Thursday – Shoulders & Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| DB Side Lateral Raises | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Shoulder Press (Seated) | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Shoulder Press Using Machine | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| BB Front Raises Superset W/ BB Upright Rowing | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Seated DB Rear Deltoid Flys | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Cable Face Pulls | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Shrugs | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Raises | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Propel Ab Slider | 2 | 12 – 15 |
Friday – Arms
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Arm Preacher Curls | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Curls | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| DB Concentration Curls | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Cable Triceps Pushdowns | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Cross Cable Triceps Extensions | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| 1 – Arm Cable Triceps Pushdown | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Overhead Triceps Extensions (Cable) | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
Saturday – Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Curls (Standing) | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Curls (Lying) | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Leg Curls (Seated) | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Belt Squats | 2 – 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Hyperextensions (Weighted) | 3 | 12 – 15 |
| Calf Raises (Seated) – Last Set: Drop Seta | 4 | 12 – 15 |
Sunday – Rest Day
Derek Lunsford’s Diet Plan
Similar to the workout routine, Derek’s diet is also essential for his achievement. However, the twist is that he’s more focused on pre-cooked meals and judicious dietary supplementation, which helped him achieve the physique that got him to win the Sandow trophy. Below is one such diet plan that will help you understand how he follows a diet in a day.
Meal 1:
- Sirloin Steak – 7 Ounces
- White Rice (Cooked) – 8 Ounces
- Lipocide – ½ Scoop
- L Carnitine W/ Water – 2 Scoops
- Probiotics, Vitamin D3, Fish Oil, Multi Vitamins
Meal 2:
- COD – 8 Ounces
- White Rice – 7 Ounces
- Avocado – 1 Cup
Meal 3:
- Cooked Chicken – 7 Ounces
- Cooked White Rice – 6 Ounces
- Pre – Workout
Meal 4:
- Cooked Chicken – 7 Ounces
- Cooked White Rice – 6 Ounces
- Whey Protein Isolate
Meal 5:
- Cooked Chicken – 7 Ounces
- Cooked White Rice – 6 Ounces
- Mixed Vegetables – 1 Cup
- Green Food Powder
Meal 6:
- Cooked White Rice – 6 Ounces
- Cooked Chicken – 7 Ounces
- Natural Peanut Butter – 1 Tbsp
Supplements
- L – Carnitine
- Appetite Controller
- Green Supplements
- Multivitamin
- Fish Oil
- Digestion-booster
- Liver Detox
- Pre – Workout
- Creatine
- Probiotics
- Vitamin D3
- BCAAs
- Whey Protein Isolate
About Derek Lunsford
Born on 14th May 1993 in Petersburg, Indiana, Derek is an American IFBB Pro who competes in the open division and has also won the 2023 Mr. Olympia title. Similarly, his love and interest for bodybuilding has started in his college years when he shifted from his earlier sport to weightlifting.
In 2015, he has competed for the first time as an amateur bodybuilder in the NPC Indianapolis Championships and also in the Men’s Open division. He continued to work on himself as a competitive bodybuilder, and later, in 2017, he even managed to get into IFBB Tampa Pro. Also, in that competition itself, he got invited to the 2017 Mr. Olympia and got 5th rank.
Over the years, he continued competing in the 212 division of the Mr. Olympia and got placed 5th. However, in 2021, he started training with the legendary bodybuilding coach Hany Rambod. In October 2021, he won 212 Mr. Olympia. Later, in September 2022, he competed in the open division, and in 2023, he even managed to become the Mr. Olympia winner as well.
Closing Thoughts
Derek has gone through a lot of obstacles but never backed down. He ultimately managed to defeat Hadi Choopan in the finals and win the Mr. Olympia in 2023. His success story is more than an accomplishment list. He has demonstrated that dedication to a careful diet and workout plan can give you great results. And, if you’re his fan and have questioned like what’s Derek Lunsford’s workout routine, then here we’ve covered one that will give you an idea about it. Happy lifting!
