‘Like AI GI Joe’: Derek Lunsford is Beginning to Reveal his Olympia-ready Physique as he Pushes Through an Intense Shoulder-focused Workout
Derek Lunsford is officially entering the final stretch of his preparation for the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
With five weeks remaining until prejudging, the reigning Mr. Olympia champion put his rapidly changing physique on display during an intense shoulder-focused training session. At one point early in the workout, someone watching Lunsford train compared his increasingly shredded look to an “AI GI Joe.”
Lunsford explained that his physique has begun changing dramatically from one week to the next as his cardio increases, calories drop, and training intensity remains high.
“Daily transformation, man. Every day my body is changing. It’s crazy,” Lunsford said. “I look so much different than I did a week ago. It’s like night and day. I love it.”
With his latest workout, Lunsford continued pushing toward what he hopes will become another historic Olympia victory.
Derek Lunsford Profile and Quick Facts
| Full Name: Derek Lunsford | ||
| Weight | Height | Date Of Birth |
| 225-240 lbs. | 5’6’’ | May 14th, 1993 |
| Profession | Era | Nationality |
| Bodybuilder, Fitness Coach | 2020s | American |
Derek Lunsford’s Shoulder Workout 5 Weeks Out
Lunsford’s session primarily targeted his shoulders before expanding into chest and triceps work. He also finished with abdominal training.
Derek Lunsford’s full workout:
Lunsford began with chest-supported dumbbell front raises, using an inclined bench to make the movement more difficult while preventing momentum from taking over.
He also shared one of the cues he uses to maintain tension on his shoulders.
“The key to these, for me, my cue, first of all, I’m pinching my legs on the bench here,” Lunsford explained. “Kind of stabilize right here, but try to keep my chest up a little bit.”
Rather than simply thinking about lifting the dumbbells upward, Lunsford visualizes pushing them forward toward the mirror while raising his chest.
According to Lunsford, small adjustments like this become especially important as fatigue sets in because they allow him to maintain his mind-muscle connection instead of simply chasing repetitions.
Lunsford Says His Physique Is Changing “Every Day”
Five weeks out is where Lunsford believes an entire year of work finally begins revealing itself.
“This is when it starts to get challenging, but this is the part that gets really fun, too…This is when the physique really gets, like, starting to really see all those improvements from an entire year of training.”
Lunsford acknowledged that the combination of cardio, a severely restricted contest-prep diet, and hard training has become increasingly difficult. However, watching his conditioning improve has made the process worthwhile.
“It’s not easy doing the cardio, sticking to a calorie-restricted diet like this, super low, and then of course training hard too,” he said. “But it’s rewarding when you can see the changes every single day, every single week.”
Lunsford repeatedly pushed beyond apparent failure during the session, with his training partners demanding additional repetitions and emphasizing that every rep counts with the Olympia approaching.
Later, the countdown became even more direct: “35 days. History. Your legacy.”
Derek Lunsford Chasing More Olympia History
Lunsford has already carved out a unique place in bodybuilding history.
In 2023, he became the first athlete to win Olympia titles in two different bodybuilding divisions after adding the Men’s Open Sandow Trophy to the 212 Olympia championship he captured in 2021.
After losing the Open title to Samson Dauda in 2024, Lunsford responded with a massive 2025 season. He defeated Dauda at the Arnold Classic, won the Pittsburgh Pro, and eventually regained the Mr. Olympia crown to complete what he called his “Triple Crown.”
Now, the goal is defending it.
Lunsford made his mentality clear during the latest training video as the countdown reached just 35 days.
“My brain cannot process failure. It will not process failure.”
At five weeks out, Lunsford still has considerable time to sharpen his conditioning before stepping beneath the Olympia lights. If the changes he says he is seeing on a daily basis continue, the defending champion could bring another dramatically improved package to Las Vegas.
The 2026 Mr. Olympia is scheduled for Sept. 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Image embed via YouTube @dereklunsford_
