Derek Lunsford got new meals in and celebrated with an intense shoulder workout.
2023 Mr. Olympia champion bodybuilder Derek Lunsford is crushing different workouts ahead of the 2025 Olympia. The biggest show of the year is just five weeks away and Lunsford shared his latest shoulder workout during prep.
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Lunsford entered the 2025 season with big plans and has reached them thus far. He won the first-ever Men’s Open Pittsburgh Pro title, which came after his victory in Columbus during the 2025 Arnold Classic. He now has his sights set on the Olympia to complete the trifecta. If he is able to win the Olympia, Lunsford would be the second bodybuilder to ever lose a title and win it back — joining Jay Cutler.
Derek Lunsford’s Shoulder Workout
Derek Lunsford shared his full shoulder workout after showing off different meals he had delivered that morning.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Reverse Machine Fly | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 8-12 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 3 | 8-12 |
| Smith Machine Shoulder Press | 3 | 10-15 |
| Pec Deck Machine | 3 | 10-12 |
Reverse Machine Fly
Derek Lunsford began his workout by activating his upper back, traps, rhomboids, and rear delts. This movement hits multiple areas while also improving posture. Doing this exercise works your shoulders and upper back muscles. It covers all three heads of your deltoid muscles and strengthens your shoulders. This helps improve your form for more intense shoulder-building exercises and improves your shoulder mobility.
Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly
Lunsford has placed this movement second in his workout before. After machine flyes, he moves onto rear delt flyes with his chest supported on an incline bench.
Dumbbell rear delt flyes work on your rear and lateral delts with support from your rhomboid and traps. The standing variation of this routine also engages leg muscles like your glutes and hamstrings for stability due to the hip hinge position. Doing dumbbell rear delt flyes also increases the strength of your shoulders and is an effective way to improve your posture.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
Dumbbell lateral raises hits many different areas such as lateral, front, and upper traps. The grip on the dumbbells also adds in wrist flexors. This exercise has been a staple in bodybuilding as it helps craft wide and well-rounded shoulders.
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
Lunsford increased weight each set on the smith machine shoulder press. This is another workout that Lunsford has used before to crush shoulders and build strength. Shoulder presses are a great compound exercise for building your shoulders. Doing this exercise on the Smith machine offers more stability than using dumbbells or barbells. This allows you to focus on your contractions and improve your mind-muscle connection, which could lead to more muscle growth.
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