The reigning 212 Olympia champion Derek Lunsford is leaving no stones unturned to successfully defend his throne at the 2022 Olympia, scheduled for Dec. 16-18 in Las Vegas, NV, and his off-season leg workout is a testament to it.
On Apr. 10, 2022, Lunsford took to his YouTube channel to share his leg training video titled “100 Reps Squat Challenge — Few Will Finish,” where he cranked out 100 total reps on the barbell back squat with 315 pounds. He performed five sets of 20 reps to achieve his 100-rep goal. Check it out below:
[Related: Bodybuilder Shaun Clarida Performs a Sleeve-Ripping Arm Workout In His Off-Season]
Derek Lunsford’s Off-Season Leg Workout
“Squatting is going to be our main movement, and to be honest I’m getting some anxiety,” said Lunsford while on his way to the gym.
Leg Extension
To pre-exhaust his legs, Lunsford performed unilateral extensions (one leg at a time) with five plates. The 212 Olympia champ began his first working set with eight plates and built up to 14 plates for his final set.
Lying Leg Curl
After completing the first exercise, the 28-year-old bodybuilder headed over to the lying leg curl machine. While performing the first set, he kept reps slow and deliberate to ensure optimal muscle-fiber recruitment.
Barbell Squat
For the main exercise of the day, Lunsford made his way to a squat rack. He performed two warm-up sets — first with 135 pounds and the other with 225 pounds before starting his working sets.
“I don’t normally doubt myself going into a workout, but I haven’t done this for a long time,” disclosed Lunsford before performing his second warm-up set.
The 100 Rep Mayhem
After aptly warming up for 100 reps, the Petersburg native put on a lifting belt and stacked the third 45-pound weight plate on either side of the barbell. He performed the five sets of 20 reps with relative ease and didn’t stop for a breather between reps. Notably, the 212 bodybuilder performed shallow squats as his legs were a little above parallel to the floor at the bottom.
I think I need a bucket. I don’t ever throw up during a workout.
The high-intensity squat session took its toll on the five-foot, six-inch tall Lunsford, who had to lie face-down on a weight bench after completing his fifth set of 20.
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[Related: Pro Bodybuilder Regan Grimes Shares Low-Volume, High-Intensity Leg Workout]
Leg Press & Standing Leg Curl
Although running on fumes after 100 reps on the squat, Lunsford carried on with his leg workout and hit the leg press, exhibiting a champion mindset. The 212 bodybuilder wrapped up his training session with a couple of sets on the standing leg curl machine.
Lunsford’s Full Leg Workout
Here is a summary of the 2021 212 Olympia champ’s leg training routine:
- Unilateral Leg Extension — 3 x 12-15
- Lying Leg Curl — 3 x 15-20
- Barbell Squat — 2 x 10 (warm-up), 5 x 20
- Leg Press — 2 x 15
- Standing Leg Curl — 2 x 15
Lunsford’s Bodybuilding Career
Below is an overview of Lunsford’s pro career, according to NPC News Online:
- 2017 NPC USA Championships — Second place (earned pro card)
- 2017 IFBB Tampa Pro — First place
- 2017 IFBB Mr. Olympia — Fifth place
- 2018 IFBB Mr. Olympia — Second place
- 2019 IFBB Mr. Olympia — Second place
- 2020 IFBB Mr. Olympia — Fourth place
- 2021 IFBB Mr. Olympia — First place
Road to 2022 Olympia
The 2022 212 Olympia roster will likely be stacked. Bodybuilding fans expect another a tough battle between Lunsford and 2020 212 Olympia champ Shaun Clarida. However, “The Giant Killer” might opt to compete in the Open division as he won the 2021 Legion Fest Pro show, beating the likes of Regan Grimes and Sergio Oliva Jr., to qualify for the 2022 Mr. Olympia Open division. Clarida has not revealed which division he will compete in at the time of this article’s publication.
If Lunsford repeats his 2021 Olympia performance on the 2022 Olympia stage, he’ll be the third 212 bodybuilder to win the title twice in a row, joining the likes of Kevin English and Flex Lewis.
Featured image: Derek Lunsford on YouTube
