The cruelty of competitive sports lies in the fact that there is only one champion, which is vividly shown in the Olympiad qualification, because only the champion is eligible to enter the Olympiad, therefore, there is a saying in the bodybuilding world: "In the bodybuilding world, there are only champions and others." In his quest for the title, the 2023 Olympia Open champion, Derek Rensford, is also training hard, once again pushing himself to the limit, and in a recent Instagram live Q&A, he admitted that his weight has reached a new high and unveiled his training blueprint for the 2024 Mr. Olympia throne.
1. Prepare for the 2024 Olympiad and reach a new high in weight
Since Rensford made his mark at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro Invitational, he has been a shining star in the men's Open arena. On the stage of Olympia that year, he was the runner-up, but he showed endless potential. A year later, he made a remarkable step to become the first two-class Mr. Olympia champion in the history of the Olympiad. I believe that this sunny and handsome man never thought that he would become the champion of the Olympia indiscriminate class.
In the face of the intense pressure and anticipation of the Olympiad, Rensford did not back down, instead using the off-season to sculpt his physique to perfection. On the eve of the rematch against the likes of Hardy Chopan, he shared his training secrets. And he said that he has gained another 5 to 10 pounds, which he firmly believes will give him a stronger physique to conquer the Olympia stage.
"In terms of weight, I want to tell you that this is really the pinnacle of my career. I didn't deliberately gain weight, but it naturally reached this level. I don't even need to eat six meals a day right now. Rensford said indifferently. He firmly believes that this added weight will be his winning formula.
He further revealed: "Before Olympia, I would increase it to nine meals a day. And now, I can't even eat six meals. By 5 to 10 pounds, I'm a real increase. His words are full of confidence and determination.
When it comes to competitors, Rensford gives credit for their work ethic. "Hardy Chopan, Nick Walker, Samson Daouda, they're all hard-training fighters," he said. I'm sure they're all working hard to win. And I'm giving it my all to compete with them again. ”
2. Work hard to train to improve weaknesses
As the title defence approached, Rensford's training rhythm adjusted. He revealed: "Right now, I'm training five days a week. But when it comes to preparing for Olympia, I increase it to six days. I love the feeling of working up a sweat in the gym and I don't like setting up days off for competitions, but right now, I want to give myself extra recovery time to stay in top shape. ”
In addition, he plans to join the training of fasting aerobics in the coming weeks. "This was just the beginning of my preparation for Olympia. When the race is approaching, I wake up earlier, do cardio on an empty stomach, and immediately refuel. He said firmly.
Upper limb training has become his top priority this season. "This season, I've focused on my upper body. I worked hard to create a more three-dimensional 3D effect through a lot of chest, arm and shoulder exercises. His words were filled with longing and anticipation of victory.
When it comes to back training, Rensford admits that while his back has always been a challenge for him to overcome, he prefers to focus on the areas where he wants to be perfect. "I've always had problems with my back and everything needs to be improved, but I definitely want to prioritize the parts of my body that don't stand out as much as my back. Everyone has their own body parts that stand out, and I would say that the back should never be neglected, you have to continue to train your strong body parts, but focus more on those parts that you want to work on more, which is important. ”
In Olympia, there are many strong men, but senior bodybuilding experts such as Chris Cormier have predicted that the final battle for the king will be in Rensford and Hardy. Qiao Pan unfolded. According to The Real Deal, if Jornsford wants to beat Chopan at the top of the Olympia, he'll need to push his "chest" to the extreme and make it a weapon for his victory.
Rensford, with his rigorous and precise training program, is on his way to Mr. Olympia's glory. This October 10-13 in Las Vegas, Nevada, we will see if he can be crowned king again and write his own legacy.