Derek Lunsford etched his name into the bodybuilding record books by becoming the first two-division champion in the 59-year history of the Mr. Olympia contest. Following that life-changing victory in Orlando, FL, which earned him the sport’s most coveted title and a lucrative $400,000 prize, the 18th member of the exclusive Mr. Olympia club paid tribute to some of the greatest of all times by visiting one of the best-known gyms in the country: the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym.
Located in Syosset, New York, the 30,000-square-foot facility opened in 1987 and has served as a training ground for household names such as four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler and the legendary Ronnie Coleman. In a video posted to his YouTube page on November 16, 2023, Lunsford shared highlights from his intense back workout at the iconic gym best known as the “Mecca of the East Coast.”
Before diving into his training session, Lunsford spent time with Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym owner and IFBB Pro League head judge Steve Weinberger. The 2021 Olympia 212 winner signed some autographs and discussed his mindset with Weinberger, who witnessed how former champions handle the post-victory phase differently.
“Your competence holds you accountable,” Lunsford explained. “These guys are hungry, so literally from the moment I walked off stage last week, I was back in the gym training and talking to Hany. [Rambod]making sure we are getting out of this appropriately.”
After remembering her first trip to the Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym in 2020 and reflecting on how much her life has changed, Lunsford turned her attention to training her lats and other back muscles. The training begins at minute 10:40 of the video.
Close Grip Cable Lat Pulldown
Lunsford’s back session began with close-grip cable lat pulldowns. Leaning back slightly during the movement, he allowed the weight to fully stretch his lats on the way up before pulling down and squeezing at the bottom.
Instead of performing a large number of sets as he normally would, Lunsford took a different approach during his day in the East Coast Mecca. Between the impact of traveling and having so many machines at his disposal, he opted to do more exercises, limiting the number of sets of close-grip pull-ups to four.
Wide Grip Pull Up Machine
Next, Lunsford attacked his lats from a wider angle on a plate-loaded pulldown machine. Gripping the handles with an overhand grip (palms facing down), he began a warm-up set using a 45-pound (20.4-kilogram) plate per side. After completing 15 slow, controlled repetitions, he doubled the weight for his second set.
Inspired by the variety of gym equipment available at the training facilities he has recently used, Lunsford shared some insights into one of his personal goals.
“I went to Ronnie’s gym the other day and saw his gym and I’m excited to have my own gym in Clearwater,” the Florida resident said. “Just have it there, 15 or 20 minutes from home, and you can choose the best equipment that will help me be the best I can be. “I really can’t wait.”
Lunsford concluded this portion of the workout with a third set of wide-grip lat pulldowns using 115 pounds (52.1 kilograms) of plates on each side.
Neutral grip pull-up machine
Sticking with the same machine, Lunsford simply changed his grip to get a different stimulus. After performing close-grip and wide-grip versions of lat pulldowns, he used a neutral grip to “light up” his lats without putting too much stress on his wrists.
Just as he did with the first two variations, Lunsford performed three sets of this exercise. Having achieved a notable pump that highlighted the stretch marks on his biceps, shoulders and chest, the newly crowned champion moved on to the rowing portion of his back session.
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Chest Support Incline Rowing Machine
Lunsford chose a chest-supported bent-over row machine as his first method to target the upper part of his posterior chain. With his chest firmly against the pad, his feet anchored in the platform, and his body leaned slightly forward, Lunsford grabbed the handles and engaged his rhomboids, lats, and rear deltoids to perform the pull-based move.
Before reaching his fourth set, the king of the men’s Open division detailed how and why his grip changed during this exercise.
“The first one I went a little bit wider and tried to get my hands a little bit underneath,” Lunsford explained. “It wasn’t a full reverse grip row, but that’s what I was trying to imitate. The last two sets we will do a little closer with a neutral grip so that they reach a little different angles of the back.”
T-bar row
To engage his core more, Lunsford left the chest-support rowing machine behind for an old-time classic: the T-bar row. Starting with a pair of 45-pound plates, he maintained a slight bend in his knees and a neutral spine while pushing the elbows back and squeezing at the top of the movement.
Lunsford completed sets of 15 repetitions, noticing the difference in intensity since he was about two weeks away from competing.
“Now is the time after a show where you don’t weigh too much and really focus on squeezing, stretching and contracting,” he explained. “Just getting that good mind-muscle connection in all your reps, all your sets, all your exercises.”
Lunsford said he plans to train this way in the short term to build strength and keep his muscles healthy. However, he will gain weight and become heavier in about two to three months.
Chest Support Seated Rowing Machine
After previously performing an angled chest-stand row, Lunsford opted for an upright version. Sitting with his chest against the pad, he worked with a 45-pound plate on each side to get a big pump on his lats. This set the stage for another seated row variation.
Cable Seated Row
Lunsford’s penultimate exercise was a traditional seated cable row. He trained unilaterally using independent handles, making sure to squeeze the shoulder blades together for maximum contraction. Lunsford, looking like a Mr. Olympia winner, increased the weight for his final sets before moving on to his final exercise.
low rowing machine
A low row machine allowed Lunsford to work his lats and rhomboids, as well as his middle and lower trapezius. He concluded his workout with several sets of this strength-building move, making sure to maintain full weight control to maximize time under tension.
Mr. Olympia-Level Back Workout
Although the 2023 Mr. Olympia winner didn’t do much in any of his exercises, he certainly put in some serious work at one of the most iconic training camps. Between three lat pulldown variations and five rowing movements, Lunsford’s back workout is sure to have you feeling like you’re ready to walk across the stage.
- Close Grip Cable Lat Pulldown
- Wide Grip Lateral Pulldown Machine
- Neutral grip pull-up machine
- Chest Support Incline Rowing Machine
- T-bar row
- Chest Support Seated Rowing Machine
- Cable Seated Row
- low rowing machine
Derek Lunsford clearly appreciates how far he has come during his journey as a professional bodybuilder. Humble but ultra-competitive, the first two-division champion in Olympia history has the physique and mentality to remain at the top of the men’s Open division for the foreseeable future.
Cover image: Derek Lunsford / YouTube
