Weight, reps, tempo, and quality: Derek Lunsford shares 4 pillars of muscle stimulation

Derek Lunsford is one of the most promising bodybuilders in the game today. After winning the 212 division in 2021, he moved his talents to the Men's Open at the 2022 Mr. Olympia. In a historic debut, Derek finished the competition in second place behind his teammate Hadi Choopan.

Lunsford is a very influential figure in the sport, often taking to his Instagram profile and his YouTube channel to give advice to aspiring athletes. In a recent video uploaded to YouTube, the former 212 champion explained that weight, reps, tempo, and quality are what determine progress:

"There are four ways to stimulate a muscle right. Weight — pretty much everyone knows if you add more weight you’re going to stimulate the muscle different than lighter weight."

Weight in resistance training is a very important factor as it determines the type of fiber activated within the muscle. Heavier weights cause more muscular tension by engaging fast-twitch type II muscle fibers. This leads to higher strength gains.

Lower weights can be lifted with better form. They utilize type I fibers that are associated with greater blood flow and are beneficial for endurance training.

Lunsford continued:

"Reps — Instead of 10 reps, do 15 reps, pretty much everyone knows that. What’s another way to stimulate the muscle? Tempo. How fast or slow that you’re going in your exercise or in a rep."

Lower reps combined with heavier weights can lead to increased strength and power. The focus in bodybuilding is on muscle development and growth. Usually, muscle growth is optimized with higher reps at relatively low weights.

Rep tempo determines the amount of time a particular muscle is under tension. A variety of benefits are associated with tempo training. Research suggests that varying the tempo can lead to better stability and connective tissue growth.

Lunsford further pointed to the quality of the reps as an important determinant:

"Also, the distance, how far, how much can you contract the muscle, and how much can you stretch it."

Performing a workout with the best possible posture leads to better symmetry and muscle maturity. Anyone chasing a better build will do well to follow the advice given by Lunsford.

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Lunsford joins CBum as they focus on the 2023 Mr. Olympia

Derek Lunsford will not be competing in the upcoming 2023 Arnold Classic. Despite being invited to the show, Lunsford wants to focus on the 2023 Olympia and attempt to grab his first Men's Open title. The young bodybuilder is unlikely to perform at any other show before the Olympia thanks to the automatic qualification he received by finishing in second place in the 2022 edition of the competition.

Lunford is not the only one zoned in on the Olympia. The reigning Classic Physique champion, Chris Bumstead, mentioned earlier this year that he will not be attending any shows leading up to the 2023 Olympia, including the Arnold Classic, stating that it is not a priority for him.

Despite many bodybuilders withdrawing from the Arnold Classic, the show will still see a stacked card. Former Mr. Olympia Big Ramy, 'The Mutant' Nick Walker, and 'The Giant Killer' Shaun Clarida are among the elites heading to the Classic in March.