If you’re a fan of Derek Lunsford and want to try his workout plan, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I’ve shared the best 12-week muscle-building workout program inspired by Derek’s training.
Derek Lunsford was recently crowned by Mr Olympia in 2023 for his unparalleled mass, incredible muscle density, and extraordinary symmetry.
Being a professional bodybuilder, he follows multiple workout plans to work on specific goals and build an outstanding physique.
Sharing his secret programs isn’t possible because they are rarely available on the web.
So, how did I get his program? Well, I found one of Derek’s training splits on Muscleandfitness.com, explored his YouTube channel for various workouts, and made a simple, easy-to-follow, and effective workout program that you can follow to smoke your muscle gain and sculpt your physique.
About Derek Lunsford Training Program
Brief Summary
- Split Type: Upper and Lower Split
- Sessions/Week: Six (4 sessions for the upper body and 2 for the lower body)
- Duration/Session: 75-90 minutes
- Workout Goal: Increase Strength and Mass and Improve Aesthetics
- Training Level: Intermediate
- Target Gender: Male
Derek Lunsford Workout Split and Weekly Schedule
- Monday: Chest and Abs
- Tuesday: Back
- Wednesday: Quads and Calves
- Thursday: Shoulders and Abs
- Friday: Biceps and Triceps
- Saturday: Hamstrings, Glutes, and Calves
- Sunday: OFF
- You can do 15-20 minutes of light cardio post-workout to enhance your endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
Source: MuscleandFitness / Rising IFBB PRO League Star, DEREK LUNSFORD
Workout Instructions
- Warm-up Sets: Derek used to perform a few warm-up sets with light weights to prepare his muscles for intense, high-volume, and heavy working sets. For example, he performs leg extensions to warm up his quads on leg day, chest flies on chest day, and lateral raises before hitting shoulders.
- Rest between sets: 1-2 minutes during isolation exercises and 2-4 minutes during heavy compound lifts
- Stay hydrated: It’s crucial to keep yourself hydrated during the training sessions to enhance performance and avoid muscle cramps.
Derek Lunsford Workout Routine for Getting Huge
In this program, Derek emphasizes training one muscle group at a time. It allows him to train every muscle group from all angles with various exercises. His workouts are also high-volume and involve performing multiple sets in each session.
Monday – Chest and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel Cable Chest Fly | 2 | 10-15 |
| Incline Dumbbell Chest Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Seated Machine Chest Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Flat Cable Chest Fly | 3 | 12, 10, 8 |
| High to Low Cable Chest Fly | 4 | 12, 10, 8 |
| Seated Abdominal Machine Crunch | 4 | 40-50 |
| Hanging Knee Raises | 4 | 10-10 |
Tuesday – Back
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Close Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Medium Grip Lat Pulldown | 3 | 15, 12, 10 |
| Bent-over Barbell Row | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Neutral Grip T-Row | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 6 |
| Seated Machine Row | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 |
| Pulldown w/ D Handles | 2 | 12-15 |
| Partial Deadlifts (Lat Focused) | 3 | 6-10 |
Wednesday – Quads and Calves
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Extensions | 4 | 20, 15, 12, 10 |
| Hack Squat | 4 | 15, 12, 10, 8 |
| Leg Press | 4 | 12, 10, 8, 8 |
| Front Lunges | 3 | 10/leg |
| Seated Hip Abductors | 2 | 15-20 |
| Seated Hip Adductors | 2 | 15-20 |
| Hack Machine Calf Raises | 3 | 15-20 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 15-20 |
Thursday – Shoulders and Abs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Machine Lateral Raise (warm-up) | 2 | 15 |
| Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press | 3 | 8-10 |
| SM Front Overhead Press | 3 | 6-8 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 4 | 8-10 |
| Smith Machine Upright Row | 3 | 10-12 |
| Neutral Grip DB Front Raise | 2 | 10-12 |
| Seated DB Lateral Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| Reverse Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 10-12 |
| Cable Crunches | 4 | 20-25 |
| Lying Leg Raises | 4 | 15-20 |
Friday – Biceps and Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Triceps Pushdown | 5 | 10-12 |
| Close Grip Bench Press | 5 | 8-10 |
| Machine/Bar Dips | 5 | 10-12 |
| Concentration Curl | 3 | 10/arm |
| Alternating DB Curl | 3 | 10/arm |
| Alternating Hammer Curl | 3 | 10/arm |
| Single-arm Preacher Curl | 3 | 10/arm |
| EZ Bar Cable Curl | 3 | 10-12 |
Saturday – Hamstrings, Glutes, and Calves
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Lying Leg Curl | 4 | 10-15 |
| Seated Leg Curl | 4 | 10-15 |
| Romanian Deadlift | 4 | 8-10 |
| Machine Hip Abduction | 3 | 12-15 |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 8/leg |
| Machine/Barbell Hip Thrust | 4 | 10-12 |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 15-20 |
| Hack Squat Machine Calf Raise | 3 | 15-20 |
