2022 Mr. Olympia runner-up Derek Lunsford has his sights set on changing into the 18th man to win the title on the 2023 Olympia Weekend in Orlando, FL on Nov. 2-5, 2023. The previous NPC USA winner (2017) and 212 Olympia champion (2021) should be his all-time finest if he needs to win the world championship of his sport. 

Lunsford has been preserving his followers updated on his progress main as much as that contest on social media, together with coaching movies just like the one he launched documenting a shoulder exercise at MI40 Gymnasium in Tampa, FL simply 11 weeks earlier than the massive present. The video under was shared on his YouTube channel on Aug. 21, 2023.

Machine Lateral Increase

Lunsford started the session with machine lateral raises to concentrate on his facet delts. He’s already lean sufficient you can see the muscle mass working as he lifted the handles of the machine. The burden he was working with wasn’t proven, however he gave the impression to be in full management all through his units.

He would often carry out poses between units to investigate his physique and put together for the a number of rounds of posing he’ll need to do on stage on the contest. He gave the followers additional particulars about his coaching at this stage of his prep.

“I like to coach six days in a row, take the seventh time without work,” he stated. “Often within the offseason, I’ll take two days relaxation however, just about between right here and the Olympia, six days per week. In the present day’s day 5. Shoulders as we speak. Yesterday I did legs.”

The digicam briefly confirmed the pin set on the load stack at 190 kilos (86.2 kilograms), which Lunsford performs for 12 reps on his third set. He in the end pinned the whole stack of 250 kilos (113.4 kilograms) and labored a closing set to failure plus a number of partial reps, which he counted as 15 whole reps. After 5 whole units, he moved on to the subsequent train.

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Increase

The second motion was one other lateral increase, this time utilizing a free weight model with traditional standing dumbbell laterals. 5 whole units have been proven on digicam, with the third set proven in its entirety for 12 reps. His fourth set was for 12 full vary reps plus partials, and he confirmed the digicam that the fitness center’s 33-kilogram dumbbells he used are equal to 72.7 kilos, indicating that he’s feeling robust at this part of his prep.

“Not my finest ever, however it’s nonetheless over 70 kilos.”

Lunsford then completed with a back-off set utilizing 28 kilograms (61.7 kilos), so he might higher management the load, earlier than shifting on.

Seated Smith Machine Press

With two lateral delt-focused actions accomplished, Lunsford centered on the entrance delts with seated overhead presses on a Smith machine. Lunsford used a reasonably extensive grip and lowered the bar to about chin-height earlier than urgent it up. He would additionally cease in need of lockout to maintain rigidity on the working muscle mass. He had elbows sleeves on, as properly.

Lunsford started with one 45-pound plate per facet, then went as much as two. He would ultimately add a 25-pound plate per facet for a 3rd set with a spotter offering help on the finish. He would take away these 25s for 2 further units, preserving together with his coaching philosophy of utilizing back-down units.

“I love to do back-off units periodically in my coaching … you do a few warm-up units, do a high set or two, after which that final set. Do another set however again it down and attempt to get higher management and get as many reps as you may … So as a substitute of, ‘Nicely, I bought 15 reps. Won’t have been managed, however I nonetheless bought 15 reps, let me go heavier,’ Truly, let’s get higher time below rigidity. Let’s get higher management of the load. Let’s get a number of extra reps which can be clear. What’s that gonna do? That’s going to stimulate the muscle extra and forestall harm. Smarter.”

Entrance Raises

Lunsford’s subsequent train was an isolation motion with a twist. He would carry out three units of entrance raises together with his palms dealing with one another, adopted by three extra units together with his palms dealing with down. He informed the digicam that every set can be completed for 10 to 12 reps. Nevertheless, he would maintain the remaining to not more than 40 seconds between every set. He saved much more time by working each shoulders concurrently.

Reverse Pec-Deck

The bodybuilder then shifted focus to his rear delts, starting with a reverse pec-deck. The previous Olympia 212 champion would use the horizontal handles for a palms-down grip, and the digicam panned over to Lunsford’s facet, the place you can see the rear delts working. Not all units have been proven, however he later stated he did three units in whole.

Rear Lateral Increase

Following that train, Lunsford opted for a free weight motion. He sat on the tip of a bench with dumbbells in his arms and carried out bent-over lateral raises to focus on the rear delts once more. He progressed to doing units standing, together with his torso bent at a 45-degree angle. Just like the entrance raises, he intentionally modified his hand place with the 2 rear delt actions — having his palms dealing with down through the reverse pec-deck and dealing with his palms along with the bent-over lateral raises. He defined why these particulars matter.

“Switching up the hand positioning goes that can assist you goal a bit bit totally different portion of the delts.”

Cable Lateral Increase and Cable Upright Row

Lunsford felt the necessity to goal the facet delts one final time. So, he went to a seated cable row station with two cables and carried out a singular cable lateral increase variation. He lied again on the pad and pulled the cable handles out to his sides, as if he was doing a standing lateral increase. He carried out one set on this method, adopted by the ultimate train of the day — three units of a cable upright row in the identical reclined place on the seated row bench.