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Derek Lunsford shocked the world last year in his Mr. Olympia men's open debut as he finished second behind champion Hadi Choopan. Lunsford gained mainstream recognition within the sport after winning the 212 Olympia in 2021 which also saw him win an invitation to the 2022 men's open.
Since then, Lunsford has grown exponentially on social media platforms and YouTube, where he now has 96.2 thousand subscribers. The latest video on his channel showcases him joining hands with eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman in going through a grueling workout focused on building back and biceps.
1. Barbell Deadlift
The barbell deadlift is one of the most beneficial compound exercises, activating a variety of lower-body and upper body muscles in one motion.
Derek Lunsford performed a few sets and asked Ronnie Coleman, who was notorious for his heavyweight training, if he ever worried about injuries.
2. Seated Cable Rows
This exercise activates the muscles of the upper back, lats, traps, and rhomboids. Lifting heavy, the two athletes helped each other push through multiple sets of grueling repetitions.
As Lunsford performed his reps, Coleman had some encouraging words for the young athlete:
"Next up and coming Mr. Olympia is right here… The future is here. You got the man in the house."
3. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
As the name suggests, the lat pulldown works the latismus dorsii. The wide grip enhances the emphasis on the lats as opposed to the triceps which are targeted more with a closer grip. Bodybuilders focus on building the lats to attain the 'cobra' look and make the waist look much narrower.
The two moved on to performing a few sets of the exercise, pulling the bar down behind their necks. They added a little sway to their movements and Lunsford explained why:
"Even if it looks like we’re swaying a little bit, you’ve really gotta make sure that you’re staying engaged with the muscle and keeping that constant tension."
Lunsford, who is known for his slow-paced training technique, added:
"So that’s what I like about cables in general but especially this exercise, when you’re actually moving your upper body like this – a lot of times you’re not moving – but this time you’re actually moving the entire torso. So it’s a little bit more technique exercise."
Ronnie reinforced this idea by giving his expert opinion:
"Muscle contraction... squeezing it. Squeezing that muscle, bringing it out. Forcing it out actually."
Ronnie Coleman x Derek Lunsford - The Bicep workout
After nailing the back workout, the two moved on to the second agenda for the day.
1. Dumbbell Preacher Curls
The bicep curl is possibly the most famous exercise in the realm of fitness. While normal curls are sufficient to build the bicep muscles, the preacher variation allows an athlete to partially isolate the shorter head of the bicep.
First, Ronnie and Derek performed a few warm-up sets and then the core exercise.
2. Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls
The two athletes wrapped up their day with hammer curls, which is a specialized version of the exercise to isolate and work the long head of the bicep.
Having had the opportunity to workout with the legendary Ronnie Coleman, Derek said:
"What a day man! That was a lot of fun. It just felt like we all clicked right away. Just everybody here and especially me and Ronnie hanging out and having a good time, man!"
