IFBB pro-Derek Lunsford took to his Youtube channel with an interesting chest and calves combination workout. Read on to learn a new chest movement that you've probably never done before.
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Derek Lunsford Chest & Calves Workout Breakdown
Derek Lunsford is an American IFBB Pro bodybuilder who has quickly become one of the sport's biggest stars. After winning the 2017 NPC USA Championships Overall title and earning his IFBB Pro card, he immediately won the Tampa Pro 212 and never looked back.
Since then, he's competed at the Olympia every year and has never finished lower than fifth place. In 2021, he captured the Olympia title in the 212 division and later went on to become a 2-time Mr. Olympia.
With a résumé like that, it's safe to say he knows how to train for muscle growth. Let's break down the chest and calves workout he recently shared on YouTube.
What Makes Derek Lunsford's Chest Training Effective?
One thing stands out throughout this workout: Derek isn't chasing numbers.
While he uses heavy weights, his primary focus is tension, control, and maximizing muscle activation. Instead of simply moving weight from point A to point B, he concentrates on creating the strongest possible contraction with every rep.
Several bodybuilding principles show up repeatedly throughout the session:
- Controlled eccentrics: Slowing the lowering phase increases time under tension.
- Constant tension: Many sets avoid complete lockout to keep stress on the chest.
- Mechanical drop sets: Flys immediately followed by presses extend sets beyond normal failure.
- Band resistance: Resistance bands increase tension where dumbbells normally become easier.
- Training close to failure: Most working sets finish with very little left in reserve.
This style of training is ideal for hypertrophy-focused lifters whose primary goal is building muscle rather than maximizing one-rep strength.
Cable Chest Flys
Derek starts the workout with cable chest flys while talking with someone off camera. He mentions that he typically performs warm-up sets in the 15-20 rep range, but on this day, he keeps things a bit heavier and stays under 12 reps.
The first variation is performed standing upright with controlled tempo. He then transitions to a bent-over fly variation, bringing his hands together lower in front of his body to change the angle and emphasize a different portion of the chest.
Incline Dumbbell Press
After a brief posing segment, Lunsford moves to incline dumbbell presses performed on a relatively low incline.
He works through multiple progressively heavier sets in the 8-12 rep range. The workout starts with 40 kg (88 lb) dumbbells and climbs all the way to 72.5 kg (160 lb) dumbbells.
Interestingly, Derek mentions that while he could have gone heavier, he chose not to. As a bodybuilder, his goal is maximizing muscle growth rather than showing off maximal strength numbers.
Incline Dumbbell Flys X Dumbbell Hammer Press
Next comes a brutal chest-building superset.
Derek performs incline dumbbell flys using slow eccentric and concentric phases while focusing on squeezing the pecs throughout each repetition. Once the flys are complete, he immediately transitions into a dumbbell hammer press to extend the set and further fatigue the chest.
This combination creates tremendous tension and metabolic stress, two important factors for muscle hypertrophy.
Decline Dumbbell Flys With Resistance Band
This may be the most unique exercise in the entire workout.
Derek wraps a resistance band around his back while simultaneously holding dumbbells. The setup creates additional resistance at the top of the movement where traditional dumbbell flys normally become easier.
He explains that the band continuously pulls the shoulders backward, forcing the chest to work harder to complete each rep. The result is a stronger contraction and more tension throughout the full range of motion.
Decline Dumbbell Press With Resistance Band
Lunsford follows the same concept with decline dumbbell presses.
Again, the resistance band increases tension as the dumbbells move upward, creating a resistance profile that better matches the strength curve of the exercise.
By the end of the set, Derek is clearly pushing close to failure.
Smith Machine Bench Press
Next up is the Smith machine bench press.
His technique here is worth noting. Derek slightly flares his elbows to emphasize the upper chest and uses higher-rep sets with shorter range partials toward the end to maximize blood flow and create a significant pump.
Rather than focusing on powerlifting-style performance, he's focused entirely on chest stimulation.
Seated Calf Raise
After finishing chest training, Derek shifts his attention to calves.
He performs 3 working sets of seated calf raises in the 8-12 rep range. Most reps are performed with a slow, deliberate tempo before finishing with partial reps and a drop set taken to failure.
This combination allows him to train both through a full range of motion and accumulate additional fatigue at the end of the set.
Seated Toe Raise
The final exercise targets the tibialis anterior, the muscle on the front of the lower leg.
Most gym-goers neglect this area entirely, but strengthening the tibialis can improve lower-leg development, ankle function, and overall lower-body balance.
At the end of the video, Derek explains why he paired chest and calves together. He also shares an important reminder: some days you won't feel motivated to train, but showing up and putting in the work consistently is what ultimately leads to results.
Always focus on form.
Sample Derek Lunsford Chest & Calves Workout
We don't know the exact set and rep scheme used during the session, but based on Derek's comments and what appears in the video, the following workout closely reflects the structure.
Remember: the goal is not simply moving weight. Focus on controlling every rep, creating tension, and maximizing the contraction.
- Cable Chest Flys: 3 sets x 8-12 reps (change upper body position each set; begin upright and finish with a hinged-over variation)
- Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 8-10 reps
- Superset: Incline Dumbbell Flys x Dumbbell Hammer Press: 2 sets x 10 reps each
- Decline Dumbbell Flys With Resistance Band: 2 sets x 12 reps
- Decline Dumbbell Press With Resistance Band: 1 set x 8-12 reps
- Smith Machine Bench Press: 2 sets x 12-15 reps
- Seated Calf Raise: 4 sets x 12-15 reps (final set performed as an AMRAP drop set by reducing weight approximately 30%)
- Standing Toe Raise: 2 sets x AMRAP
Rest Periods: Keep rest periods between 60-120 seconds.
Who Should Try This Workout?
This workout is best suited for intermediate and advanced lifters looking to build chest size and improve their mind-muscle connection.
Beginners can still use the routine, but they may want to remove the resistance-band variations and focus on mastering the foundational pressing and fly movements first.
If your primary goal is hypertrophy rather than improving your bench press one-rep max, Derek's approach offers several valuable lessons on creating tension and maximizing muscle recruitment.
Final Thoughts On Derek Lunsford's Chest Workout
Derek Lunsford's chest workout is a reminder that elite bodybuilding isn't always about lifting the heaviest weight possible.
It's about applying the right stimulus to the target muscle.
The most interesting aspect of this workout is the emphasis on controlled execution, continuous tension, and creative overload techniques like resistance-band dumbbell flys and presses.
While you don't need to copy every exercise exactly, most lifters can benefit from adopting the same training mindset: focus on quality contractions, train hard, and leave your ego at the door.
If these methods helped build one of the best physiques in bodybuilding, they're worth paying attention to.
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