Former Mr. Olympia champion Samir Bannout revealed what he believes will determine Derek Lunsford’s success at this year’s Mr. Olympia. In a recent statement, the two-time champion strongly cautioned against gaining any more muscle mass – the key to winning another Sandow statue, according to Bannout, lies in extreme quality, not size.<\/p>\n
The competition is not sleeping and is gaining weight<\/h2>\n
In 2025, Derek Lunsford absolutely dominated the Men’s Open category. He notched up wins at the Arnold Classic, the Pittsburgh Pro and the Olympia itself. To improve his form for 2026, he took an honest break outside of competition.<\/p>\n
But in the meantime, the competition hasn’t slacked off:<\/p>\n
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- Chinedu Andrew “Jacked” Obiekea<\/b> won the Arnold Classic in Ohio and the UK and is a huge threat.<\/li>\n
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- Samson Dauda<\/b> has used his time off the podium to bulk up massively – he’s put on a whopping 158 kg (350 lbs) and is making it clear he wants to take the title for himself.<\/li>\n
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Despite these giants on the scene, however, Bannout explains why the extra muscle mass would do Lunsford rather a disservice.<\/p>\n
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\n“Don’t think size, think quality”<\/h2>\n
Bannout points out that although Lunsford is neither the tallest nor the heaviest racer in the category, visually he looks like the biggest ever.<\/p>\n
“I suspect Derek is still figuring out his size. But I’m telling you, Derek is already the biggest! He may be losing height to the others, but the amount of muscle he has is incredibly massive.<\/i> <\/strong> He doesn’t need an ounce of extra muscle,”<\/i> <\/strong>Bannoutassessed <\/strong>the situation.<\/cite><\/small><\/p>\n
Instead of volume, Lunsford should focus solely on muscle quality and tightness, according to Bannout. If he brings the definition that Bannout himself had in 1983 to the stage, or better yet the legendary readiness of the late Andreas M\u00fcnzer, he will be absolutely unbeatable, according to Bannout.<\/p>\n
Where is the room for improvement?<\/h2>\n
In terms of weaknesses, Samir Bannout mentioned one particular detail – the separation of the muscles in his arms<\/b>. But he recommends leaving the rest of the physique as it is.<\/p>\n
“I didn’t like the separation on his arms, whatever happened there. But he definitely doesn’t need bigger latissimos. Derek, please don’t try to get any more massive. You’re already huge, and you can easily win with what you’ve got.”<\/i><\/cite><\/small><\/strong><\/p>\n
Samir Bannout is not the only legend who advises Lunsford. Four-time champion Jay Cutler<\/b> recently advised him to focus on fuller legs and added some tips on abdominal muscle training. We’ll find out soon enough if Derek Lunsford decides to take that advice. The prestigious Mr. Olympia 2026<\/b> competition will take place September 24-27 in Las Vegas<\/b>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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