The reigning Olympia champion shared his plans for the 2026 season.
Derek Lunsford put together one of the best bodybuilding seasons that you could imagine in 2025. After his victory at the 2025 Olympia, Lunsford took some time to make decisions about the upcoming year. After early reports that Lunsford would return to the Arnold Classic in March, he shared his plans to skip the show and focus on his family leading up to the Olympia.
[RELATED: Derek Lunsford’s Olympia-Prep Shoulder Workout]
“It looks like I’ll probably just do the Olympia in 2026.”
Lunsford joined Ron Harris to discuss many topics around bodybuilding and the 2025 campaign that he was able to put together. At the end of the conversation, Lunsford shared that he wants to focus on his family more in 2026. His daughter is due to be born in February, just one month before the Arnold.
This is one major reason why he plans to miss the Arnold. He will also not defend his title in Pittsburgh. Lunsford plans to attend the Arnold and shows in Pittsburgh, New York, and Tampa.
“I thought that this was God telling me I needed to take a step away from the stage this year and just focus on family business and coming back to defend the Olympia title next year. That being said, I do plan on attending these shows next year. I think we will most likely just focus on the Olympia this year.”
Derek Lunsford Plans to Miss 2026 Arnold Classic
Derek Lunsford competed at the biggest shows of the year in 2025. He wanted to complete what he called the “trifecta” in bodybuilding. While he will not be competing at the shows next year, he knows the importance of each of them and believes that they are the biggest in the world.
“The Arnold Classic, Pittsburgh Pro, there’s a reason those are the two best shows of the year. The best competitors come there because they’re the best ranked shows of the year and the most prestigious titles. Doing those shows is something I’m very proud of doing and I wouldn’t put it past doing the Arnold in the future.”
Lunsford set a goal to complete bodybuilding’s trifecta after his victories at the Arnold Classic and Pittsburgh Pro. He accomplished this goal by winning his second Olympia title. Hadi Choopan finished as the runner-up once again. It was a big-time performance by Andrew Jacked, who was one of the most improved bodybuilders over the course of the year, finishing in third place.
Derek Lunsford peaked twice during the 2025 season and it led to victories. He knows what he needs to do to successfully defend his title next year and it is combining looks.
“If I can bring the conditioning and sharpness of the Arnold with the fullness I brought to the Olympia, it’s game over.”
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
