Witnessing two Mr. Olympia champions train together is a rarity, especially when they are at the peak of their careers and locked in a fierce rivalry. Yet, the 24-time Olympia-winning coach, Hany Rambod, orchestrated this remarkable feat.
The 2022 Mr. Olympia champion, Hadi Choopan, and the reigning titleholder, Derek Lunsford, under the tutelage of Rambod, converged at his Texas gym for an FST-7-style chest and triceps workout en route to the 2024 Olympia, set for Oct. 10-13, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV.
Choopan & Lunsford’s 2024 Olympia Chest & Triceps Workout
- Incline Machine Chest Press
- Flat Machine Chest Press
- Incline Smith Machine Bench Press
- Standing Machine Chest Flye
- Decline Flye Machine
- Cable Triceps Pushdown
- Overhead Triceps Extension
- Crossbody Cable Triceps Extension
[Related: 2024 Mr. Olympia Preview]
The FST-7 method, a brainchild of Rambod, stands for Fascia Stretch Training-7. This training technique emphasizes stretching and expanding the muscle fascia to promote growth.
Incline & Flat Machine Chest Press
The Olympia champs opened with machine presses to bias their upper chests. Lunsford employed a neutral grip to compensate for a limited range of motion due to tight shoulders. Choopan prioritized a full range of motion (ROM), locking out his elbows at the top and pausing briefly in the fully lengthened position to maximize muscle stimulation. (1)
The duo moved to flat presses to load the mid-chest. The specialized machine, equipped with a safety bar, allowed them to lower their hands below chest level to achieve a deep stretch in the bottom position. They performed seven reps per set, culminating with a forced rep to reach mechanical failure.
Incline Smith Machine Bench Press
Transitioning to the incline Smith machine bench press to load the upper pecs, the duo used a 4-1-2-1 rep tempo, spending four seconds during eccentrics, a one-second pause at the bottom and top, and two seconds during the concentrics.
Standing Chest Flyes & Decline Flyes
Lunsford and Choopan used the Panatta standing multi-flight machine for standing chest flyes, pausing in the fully shortened position to max out their muscle pumps. (2)
To wrap up their chest routine, they transitioned to another piece of specialized training equipment. This decline flye machine’s incline bench setup and unique line of pull isolate the lower chest for more targeted development.
Cable, Overhead, & Crossbody Cable Triceps Extensions
The bodybuilders maintain a 70-degree torso angle throughout cable triceps pushdowns, emphasizing full range of motion to bias the medial triceps head. Lunsford grabbed the cambered bar with a wide grip and kept his elbows flared throughout. This ensures triceps stimulation in the bottom position and loads the long triceps head.
The training partners concluded with triceps extensions to continue taxing the medial tricep heads. They prioritized a slow, controlled rep tempo, ensuring a deep stretch and sharp contraction with each rep.
Road To 2024 Olympia
Choopan and Lunsford will lock horns at the 2024 Olympia as the frontrunners to win the Sandow trophy. They will face fierce competition from 2023 Olympia bronze medalist Samson Dauda, former Arnold Classic champ Nick Walker, Andrew Jacked, and Hunter Labrada, among others.
References
- Pedrosa, G. F., Lima, F. V., Schoenfeld, B. J., Lacerda, L. T., Simões, M. G., Pereira, M. R., Diniz, R. C. R., & Chagas, M. H. (2022). Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European journal of sport science, 22(8), 1250–1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1927199
- Hirono, T., Ikezoe, T., Taniguchi, M., Tanaka, H., Saeki, J., Yagi, M., Umehara, J., & Ichihashi, N. (2022). Relationship Between Muscle Swelling and Hypertrophy Induced by Resistance Training. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 36(2), 359–364. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003478
Featured image: @hanyrambod on Instagram
