"I want to make strong improvements" - Derek Lunsford on competing at the Olympia and skipping the Arnold Classic

After winning the 212 Olympia in 2021, Derek Lunsford decided to take his physique to the next level and competed in the open division at the 2022 Olympia. In his debut, he managed a second-place finish behind his teammate Hadi Choopan. This came as a surprise to many, but the improvements he made were visible on stage.

In a recent interview with IFBB AMA, Lunsford opened up about deciding to stay away from the 2023 Arnold Classic in an attempt to focus on Mr. Olympia. Acknowledging how hard it was to let the opportunity to win the $300,000 cheque pass by, Lunsford said:

"I can’t deny, yeah I did [want to do it] ... Even before the Olympia, I had it in the back of my mind that maybe I’ll roll right into the Arnold right after Olympia. But a couple weeks after the Olympia, I continued training as if I was to compete at the Arnold. During that time, I had the opportunity to think, pray, and talk about it. It was collectively talked about whether I should or shouldn’t do it. Then I thought to myself if I could push into Arnold and be a frontrunner to the $300,000 and the prestigious title? Sure, I could on paper. I could do well and possibly win."

Lunsford openly spoke of his intentions and ambitions, saying he wanted to make significant improvements and give Choopan a run for his money.

His focus remains solely on winning the Sandow Trophy.

"But what it is I’m really doing? Why did I get into this? I need to look at the bigger picture. I want to win the Mr. Olympia this year. If I did the Arnold Classic and then the Olympia, there’s a chance maybe I could’ve won both. But at the end of the day, I want to make strong improvements and I’m here to build the best physique I possibly can. I want to make a big statement this year at the Olympia. I want to walk away with the Mr. Olympia title and be a more dominant bodybuilder with my physique."

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Lunsford wants to move up to 260 lbs in the near future

The American bodybuilder has been competing in the 212 division for a long time, maintaining his musculature to fit the cut-off weight. However, his muscle mass has significantly increased since moving up to the open division.

Lunsford plans to build muscle mass to compete at around 260 lbs on stage.

"Let’s say I was somewhere between 255 and 260 at the guest posing ... I would say if I can be around that weight with better conditioning this year that’s optimal, ideal. The thing is I don’t know if I need to be bigger like 275 or 280. I could if I wanted to easily. But I don’t think I need to push my weight that high. We’ll see. We’re just going to assess it as time goes."

He views his shorter stature as an advantage in Mr. Olympia this year.

"Hearing that some of these former Mr. Olympias were 220s, 230, winning the Olympia in the past gives me confidence that me being even a couple inches shorter that I’m going to look even bigger or so I hope."