Derek Lunsford’s Favorite Lift For Huge Hamstrings

Derek Lunsford has been on a mission since losing his Mr Olympia crown to Samson Dauda last year, and if current progress is anything to go by, his appearance at the upcoming Arnold Classic could see a return to form. In recent Instagram posts, Lunsford has been providing insight into his mental and physical preparation, revealing his humungous hamstrings and apparently, he’s a huge proponent of a tried and tested move that has several variations.

“HAMSTRINGS!” wrote Lunsford in an emphatic post on Jan 30, 2025. “Straight Leg Deadlift, Stiff Leg Deadlift, RDLs… whatever you want to call this exercise, I’m a fan!” explained the big man, along with an accompanying video showing just how heavy he can go. In truth there are actually some subtle differences between the moves he referenced, but the benefits of each type of humble deadlift are similar, no matter the variation. But which one was he performing?

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Derek Lunsford Reveals His Huge Hamstrings

For those who want to dig into the detail, the RDL (Romanian Deadlift) appears to be the move that Lunsford is performing in this video demonstration. The RDL stance allows for a slight bend of the knee, but the knees should not continue to bend too much once you begin to lower the bar, meaning that there’s less knee flexion than in a traditional deadlift. To that end, Lunsford begins the exercise by placing the barbell on the rack so that he does not have to lower it all the way to the floor.

On the flip side, the straight or stiff-leg deadlift (SDL) still allows for the knee to be bent in the stance to avoid injury through lockout, but the knees should not flex further on the descent. Whichever variation you choose, you will be working your hamstrings and posterior chain hard, although some studies have shown that RDL’s are more taxing on the outer hamstrings while other studies have shown SDL’s are better for middle hamstring activation (source context from the study was gleaned from.

Of course, to his fans, Lunsford was simply standing on business. “Shows are won from the back,” wrote one of Lunsford’s 1.4 million followers on Instagram. “Cuts getting deeper, and skin getting thinner by THE DAY!” wrote another excited fan, ready for the Arnold Classic in Columbus, OH.

As for his mental state, Lunsford recently reflected on what he still gets out of bodybuilding after an appearance at the East Coast MECCA event, “We do this because we love it,” he wrote. “We show up because we share the same passion and love for bodybuilding. No matter the titles or accolades… We all have this one thing in common. Being part of the bodybuilding community is really something special! Unlike other sports, this is what makes bodybuilding so great.”

The 2025 Arnold Classic will take place between February 27 and March 2, 2025.

To follow Derek Lunsford’s quest to dominate the bodybuilding stage once again, follow him Instagram!