IFBB Pro bodybuilders are often known for pushing their boundaries. In this pursuit, they often get injured, and with just months left for the Mr. Olympia, this might hamper their chances at the marquee event. It is at this time that current Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford is making headlines with his insane 900-pound squats.

Bodybuilding-focused Instagram page, “generationiron” recently posted a video snippet of Lunsford’s insane lift. However, instead of praising the Olympia champion, fans criticized the bodybuilder for not being careful with his lifts, even shedding light on an incident that happened with English bodybuilder, Brandon Harding.  

In the video uploaded by Generation Iron, the former 212 Mr. Olympia did hack squats and set his all-time best PR. Lunsford did twelve reps of the 900-pound with exceptional form. The American bodybuilder took all the safety measures while setting his new PR; he wore kneecaps and belts. There was even a spotter if things went south.

The current Olympia champion is doing everything in his power to hold on to his crown. But to make that happen, he also needs to focus on not getting injured. As the Olympia Championship 2024 is just twenty weeks out, Lunsford needs to take extra care at such a crucial time.

Getting injured can affect a major part of your bodybuilding career. Most recently, English bodybuilder Brandon Harding had to drop out of the Toronto Pro show. He has a rear delt tear and might require surgery. Fans fear the same for the former 212 Mr. Olympia. They filled the comments section with comments along the same lines, in an attempt to talk some sense into Lunsford.

Lunsford faced backlash over his 900-pound lift

A bodybuilding critic passed his judgment on the current Olympia’s lift, writing, “Soon he will tear something.” Another enthusiast of the sport talked about the functionality of the lift that Lunsford did and said, “Strong but non-functional.” A fan highlighted that even a single injury can be fatal for the former 212 Mr. Olympia and commented, “One injury and he’s out.“

Lunsford not only faced criticism for lifting such immense weight but also for doing it on hack squats. One fan called it a “waste of time.” Another bodybuilding enthusiast mentioned that hack squats are “so easy to load up stupid weight on.” A fan got furious over Lunsford doing PRs on hack squats, writing, “We doing PR’s on hack now?“

As fans say, the current Olympia champion needs to be much more careful about his exercise choices at this point. He needs to stay away from injuries to showcase his dominance on stage again. As a fan, what are your views on this? Let us know in the comments.