Derek Lunsford On Hany Rambod’s Intense Training: “It Was Almost Like I Had To Count The Breaths In A Day”
Derek Lunsford has been on top of the world in 2021 – specifically due to his epic win at the Men’s 212 Olympia. As a true passionate man of bodybuilding, his excitement has been infectious since winning the Olympia. And it seems that excitement and passion is matched by his extremely focused training ethic that earned him the victory. A big part of his training and diet routine came in the form of legendary trainer Hany Rambod. The two linked up just 10 months before the Olympia 2021.
In our latest GI Exclusive, Derek Lunsford goes into great detail his experience working with Hany Rambod. In particular, he reveals the machine-like specificity behind Rambod’s program. In no way meant as an insult, he expresses that nearly every single second of his life was calculated towards the final weeks before the Olympia. It was that level of detail, matched with his passion, that helped him break through to the next level and win the biggest show of the year.
Hany Ramod is well known as a legendary guru and trainer for many decades. His FST-7 program has been much touted in the industry. He’s also best known for coaching seven time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath. That same magic and talent was lended to Derek Lunsford. It was a typically shorter lead up time that Rambod is used to – but the two worked together to pull off an amazing feat by the time Olympia 2021 rolled around.
“He coached my mind just as much as he coached my physique,” Derek Lunsford stated in our interview. He continued, “That was actually the first thing he said was, ‘I’m a trainer first. I’m going to coach you and train you first – not just give you a meal plan.’”
Derek Lunsford then went on to explain just how hands on and detailed Hany Rambod was as they drew closer to the Olympia 2021:
“At the very end, I think that’s the biggest thing, the very last week things were very, very specific. The last two to three weeks I was taking notes, being very diligent, on everything I was doing. It’s almost like I had to count the breaths in a day it felt like. Not literally but it just felt like – every time I went to the bathroom or took a nap or did cardio or ate this meal or whatever… I was writing it down. Everything that went into my body or everything that I did physically was being calculated.”
What’s most inspiring about hearing Derek Lunsford talk about his intense contest prep, is how much he seemed to be loving it. Bodybuilding contest prep can be very grueling and bring out the worst in people’s moods during those final weeks. While this may have happened to Lunsford – in retrospect he speaks so lovingly and passionately about the entire experience.
That mentality is the kind of outlook needed to become a champion. It’s no wonder he was able to become the Men’s 212 Olympia victor. Lunsford speaks later in our interview about how excited he is for 2022. His successes this year was simply after 10 months working with Hany Rambod. As he noted earlier, Rambod typically takes more time with his athletes. So in Lunsford’s mind – there is no where to go but up from here.
You can watch Derek Lunsford go into extreme detail about his Olympia 2021 training regimen by watching our latest GI Exclusive interview above!