How Mr. Olympia Derek Lunsford Learned to Perfectly ‘Cut Weight’ From an Early Age in His Wrestling Career and Carried It Over to His Bodybuilding Career?

Leaving everyone mesmerized by his ripped physique and unparalleled victory at Olympia, Derek Lunsford wrote himself in the history books of bodybuilding. He is now among the legends who will always nestle in the hearts of their millions of fans and continue to inspire with their mastery over the science of bodybuilding. But bodybuilding is not the only sport through which, Lunsford learned to start building muscles and gaining or losing weight. 

Wrestling during his high school days made him realize his inner potential for fitness and physical activities. Before stepping into bodybuilding, he knew how to take control of his body weight; he knew how to make fantastic fitness. During his wrestling career, Derek Lunsford had to cut down his weight to 112 pounds. But he started putting on it back when entered the bodybuilding arena.

Derek Lunsford cuts down his weight during wrestling 

Becoming the only bodybuilding who registered victory in the two divisions of Olympia, Derek Lunsford has made it to the top of his career. Someone who is parallel to him has not entered the bodybuilding realm yet. In a recent interview with IFBB Pro bodybuilding coach, 2023 Mr. Olympia opens up on how he had to lose weight during his wrestling career. According to the coach, Hany Rambod, Lunsford is a foodie and even he himself admits the fact that he chose bodybuilding as he likes to eat. 

In the video, Rambod asked Lunsford if it was a problem for him to cut down weight during high school. To lose weight one has to compromise on many things especially eating. Asking Mr. Olympia, the coach said, “Was it a problem when you used to have to cut weight for wrestling.” 

While responding to the question, the Olympia winner said, “I cut a lot of weight for wrestling so I wonder about that too I think maybe restricting my body from um you know getting the nutrients that it needed for like wrestling back in high school like so cutting weight for wrestling in high school I wonder if that really you know uh catapulted me to where I started you know after cutting the weight I started eating more.” Lunsford has revealed that when he had lost weight, he became addicted to eating more and this was because his body was not getting the proper nutrition. 

Express his weight-reducing journey during wrestling days, 212 Olympia division winner unveiled that one of his high school wrestling coaches who had trained Lunsford for nearly 30 years had said, “Derek I’ve never seen someone cut weight like you ever.”

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The journey to cut down to 112lbs was not a cakewalk for the Olympia champ as he had to get permission from his parents keeping health dangers in mind.

“ I actually had to have my parents sign a waiver to allow me to get down to 112.0 because if I weighed 11.9 I was under the weight,” confessed the Men’s Open winner.

Lunsford learned the craft of discipline at a very young age

Derek Lunsford was born in Petersburg, Indiana. According to GreatestPhysique, Quite early, he found his passion and love for physical activities. Along with this, he would participate in sports such as wrestling and soccer. However, a wave of change came into his life that took his wrestling career and interest away with it when he left high school. 

 The college he attended did not offer a wrestling program. Nevertheless, he did not let his athletic goals be shattered. As the school did not have a wrestling program, the bodybuilding legend ended up participating in other sports. Consequently, he began to take an interest in weight lifting that paved a path for him right in the bodybuilding arena. 

During the initial days of weightlifting, he failed to make much progress when he came under the guidance of James Brown, a personal trainer for him, Lunsford started seeing some progress. As he started growing in his bodybuilding career, Derek came across bodybuilding icons – Phil Heath and Jay Cutler. He then worked hard and in a few years made his dream come true by clinching the Olympia title in the 212 division and Men’s Open.

The unforgettable victory in Olympia 2023

Lunsford also won the 2023 Mr. Olympia on November 4, 2023, in Orlando, Florida. In the 59th edition of bodybuilding’s most prestigious event, Lunsford made it to the top being victorious. After he had been crowned, he was given a mega cash prize of $400,000.

According to the Sun, Generation Iron took to Instagram to share a post celebrating the win and wrote: “The NEW Mr. Olympia champion Derek Lunsford! He becomes the 18th champion ever and first to win an Olympia title in two divisions”. For someone looking for how many times Lunsford has won Mr Olympia, he has won tile twice throughout his career.

His first win was in 2021, where he won the 212 Mr Olympia defeating Shaun Clarida. In September 2022, it was announced that he received a special invitation to compete in the open division of the 2022 Mr Olympia. But he only managed to achieve a second-place finish. He came back strong for this year’s competition, however, claiming the winning title for both Mr Olympia and the People’s Champion Award.

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