Derek Lunsford secured a historic victory at Mr. Olympia 2023 and became the first person in the history of the event to win titles in two different categories. The buzz around his win centered on the incredible growth he achieved in just one year. After dethroning Hadi Choopan, Lunsford emerged not only as a champion but also as a motivating persona.
Post-Olympia, Lunsford has already begun his off-season training, leaving his fans curious whether he’s going to participate in the 2024 Arnold Classic. However, the soon-to-be father revealed that, for now, he is focusing on his family. Recently, during a chat with Hany Rambod, Lunsford also talked about what helped him build the Olympia-winning physique.
Derek Lunsford talks about refining himself
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In the interaction uploaded to the Evogen Nutrition channel, the coach and his trainee discussed various aspects related to bodybuilding, providing insights into Lunsford’s winning journey. They also engaged in conversation about his exceptional back growth.
In response to the post-Olympia discussion regarding his physique, Lunsford candidly shared with confidence that with every passing year, he will improve his physique with sheer determination. He further mentioned that he was looking to “keep refining his physique” and just wanted to improve on what he had currently. “So really it’s not that you need to blow up your back more, it’s more like you’re doing a great job, you are Mr. Olympia keep doing what you’re doing,” he said, highlighting the misconceptions of people who believe that his success hinged solely on building a colossal back.
This is not the only thing that kept him moving forward. There was major motivation from a bodybuilding legend that drove him to his Mr. Olympia title.
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Lunsford got motivated by Coleman
After winning the show, Lunsford collaborated with bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman for a training session. During their session, the current Mr. Olympia said that Coleman played a huge role in him winning the coveted title. Lunsford opened up about how Coleman promised him that after the event, he would work with him, and this statement motivated him the most.
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He thought he couldn’t work out with the legend if he finished second. Lunsford humorously confessed that he felt a little pressure because of Coleman. Even as the champion is solely focused on his family and not worrying about any further competition currently, do you think he will grace the Arnold Classic stage? Let us know in the comments below.
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