Lunsford goals to bring a much bigger package to the 2024 Olympia.
Last updated on May third, 2024
The reigning Mr. Olympia, Derek Lunsford, is training intensely in his off-season. That includes hypertrophy-focused leg training using the FST-7 training methodology designed by Lunsford’s coach, Hany Rambod.
Rambod created FST-7, or Fascia Stretch Training 7, which goals to vary the fascia’s biological structure by lengthening it to maximise muscle growth. (1) The fascia is a web-like connective tissue casing that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber, and muscle in place. Expanding the fascia theoretically allows the muscles more room to grow. (2)
FST-7 involves performing seven working sets of 8–12 reps on the ultimate exercises of a workout. This technique strategically fatigues the goal muscle through multiple sets with moderate weight to maximise blood flow for an intense pump.
This targeted stress stimulates muscle growth to enhance fascial (connective tissue) elasticity, which may lead to higher muscle definition.
Derek Lunsford’s Quad-Dominant Leg Workout
Here is a summary of the training session:
Check out the video below:
Leg Extensions
In line with the FST-7 training principle, Lunsford opened with heavy sets of leg extensions to pre-exhaust the quads before heavier compound movements.
Open-chain exercises like leg extensions can improve range of motion (ROM) and strength to advertise hypertrophy by isolating a particular muscle group. Rambod recommends slow eccentrics to extend time under tension (TUT).
On the ultimate set, Lunsford employed partial reps in the underside half of his ROM to maximise quad fiber stimulation.
Lying Leg Curl & Smith Machine Squats
Though they focused on quads, Rambod had Lunsford warm-up his hamstrings and knees with lying leg curls to assist improve his range of motion on squats and lower injury risk.
Lunsford transitioned to seven sets of Smith machine squats and warmed-up with one 45-pound weight plate per side. He progressively added weight, reaching five plates per side on the ultimate set.
Smith machine training helps stabilize the torso, keeping it upright throughout the ROM. This can result in greater quad engagement than a standard barbell back squat because the requisite to stabilize the load is alleviated. Lunsford assumed a shoulder-wide stance and lowered until his knees were at 90 degrees; Rambod cued:
Keep the heels flat [on the floor]drop the hips, and work the upper thighs.
Lunsford’s impressive lower body gains in the course of the off-season have created positive changes in Lunsford’s right leg, which was previously weaker than his left.
Hack Squat
Lunsford concluded the FST-7 workout with seven cluster sets of hack squats, performing 10 reps per set with three plates on both sides. The 30-year-old added a resistance band to the hack squat machine to tweak its resistance profile. The band eases tension on the descent because it stretches and adds it back in the course of the concentric.
Rambod used a stopwatch to time Lunsford’s rest in the course of the hack squats. “This builds endurance,” Rambod said. “When you do FST-7 sets, you possibly can do less cardio since you get in higher shape.”
Lunsford is about to hit the stage on the 2024 Pittsburgh Pro (May 10-11), where he’ll guest pose alongside Hunter Labrada, Samson Dauda, former two-time Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay, Nick Walker, and Andrew Jacked.
References
- Chris and Frederick (2020) , . Available at: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9780429203350-10/fascia-stretch-chris-frederick (Accessed: 03 May 2024).
- Klingler W, Velders M, Hoppe K, Pedro M, Schleip R. Clinical relevance of fascial tissue and dysfunctions. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2014;18(8):439. doi: 10.1007/s11916-014-0439-y. PMID: 24962403.
