Chris Bumstead is buckling down on his preparations for the 2023 Olympia. After taking a hiatus from social media for a few days, Bumstead reveals on his YouTube channel that he took time away from the sport to deal with some personal matters in his life. He touched on how it has affected his prep and mentality moving forward.
With eight weeks left until the biggest competition in bodybuilding, Chris Bumstead is actively working to get his physique and mind in pristine shape to take home another win. Having earned the title of Classic Physique Olympia champion four times in a row, ‘Cbum’ knows he will have to deliver a complete look once again to keep the crown.
Bumstead is consistently open with fans about the challenges he faces leading up to competing. Whether it be physical injuries like his torn bicep that happened before he took his fourth Classic Physique Olympia win or mental difficulties with stress and anxiety, Bumstead is always honest and makes it a point to show up at his best.
After an emotional revelation he shared on Instagram, Bumstead went more in-depth on his personal YouTube channel about why he has been so quiet in this year’s prep. He also shared what fans can expect for the upcoming weeks leading to the Olympia competition.
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“I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus because I went to Canada. It was a bit of chaos. It was supposed to be a chill week where I just got my head together and I was super at peace and training and enjoying shit and it ended up just turning into hell. A bunch of some personal stuff happened and it was stressful. I was losing sleep. I couldn’t sleep regardless.
My body got kinda sick, my body kinda shut down. My body was not feeling good, my body was not responding and there was some personal shit going on and it just kinda all just fell onto me at the same time and so I was like I’m not filming. I’m not gonna do this. I’m gonna be training by myself for a little bit and keep to myself and I was gone for like 10 days. So we’re back, we’re gonna start filming now” Bumstead said.
Chris Bumstead Is “Super Pumped” Getting Ready For Olympia
Never one to shy away from the truth, ‘Cbum has explained that this year’s prep has been especially difficult though it isn’t enough to stop him from pushing through or giving up on another title defense.
“This has been one of the more challenging beginnings of prep that I’ve really ever had but I’ve always been through some shit every year something happens so if this is it happening at the beginning of prep then lucky me I got it out of the way. And luckily the past four Olympias I’ve done coming out on top I’ve gone through some shit and I’ve understood that I could get through and It’s made me a lot more resilient.”
The 28-year-old continues to use the adversity he faces as an opportunity to grow and become better. Taking a negative situation and turning it into something positive is an admirable attribute Bumstead embodies.
“It’s one of those things where you’re grateful for the hell you go through because instead of a lighter load you wish for stronger shoulders and it makes you more resilient and makes you tougher makes you know when you get into a storm that you’re gonna find your way out.
My favorite analogy in all of this is like if you’re going through a forest and you see your goal at the beginning of your journey and you see your goal through the forest and then you get into the forest and everything kinda closes in and it turns into like this chaos and you have no idea what direction to go, where you are going, and all you can do is take one step forward cause that’s all you can see right now. So all I’m doing is taking it one step at a time, one workout at a time, one day at a time. Im taking one step forward and im working my way through the forest right now.”
“Practicing what I preach because that is the name of the game in bodybuilding. It’s a slow drive and everyone is gonna have shit come up especially when you prep for ten years you do ten years of competing it’s gonna be difficult on your body and life gets messy sometimes.”
Even with the turbulent start to his Olympia training, Bumstead shared that he still has a lot to look forward to in the future in regard to his career and life.
“I’m super grateful. Still there’s a lot of beautiful things going on in life and as a whole right now I’m extremely happy and just excited for what’s to come in my life right now. Just a little bit of hiccuping in regards to Olympia but I’m working through it I’ve got a good team behind me I’ve got great people and I’m super grateful to have such a strong support system because when it feels like hell sometimes and I can lean in on a good team of family and friends around me it really makes you feel a lot more secure and just like confident in your abilities. Super pumped for all that.”
With the competition fast approaching, Chris Bumstead shed light on what fans can expect from the reigning champion in the weeks to come. Admittedly, with each passing year, he says defending the sport’s highest honor has been increasingly difficult.
“I’m back home and my gym, my prep gym, is finally completed and I’m feeling extremely motivated. We’re like ten weeks out from Olympia, I think its less like nine and a half I guess, so it’s game time it’s time to fucking lock it and get loaded. Me and Calvin are going to start firing up the prep series. I was writing up my monologue the other day kinda getting into my head figuring out the mindset I’m gonna be in through this prep because its all going to be a fucking mental game this year.
Every year is becoming a little bit more mentally tough. I know what I physically have to do. It’s just keeping my mind and body in line so that I can do that. So we’re gonna be doing that. We’re gonna be showing you guys the process now. Getting deeper into it. I’m either going to be stealing Calvin’s camera and vlogging or buying my own camera and vlogging a bit more so we can have just more footage. We’re gonna be making them dope videos and a lot of cool shit to come,” Bumstead shared.
Aside from his latest discussions about mental strength and having a strong support system, Bumstead has been making the rounds on YouTube. In a recent appearance with Chris Williamson, Cbum talked about why he doesn’t use Trenbolone during contest preps and off-seasons. In a separate interview, Bumstead laid out the only ten exercises he would perform for a lifetime if he had no other options.
Given his latest admission, it’s safe to say Bumstead is determined to defend his Classic Physique Olympia throne in style in the coming months. With contenders biting at his heels, there’s no telling what’s bound to happen on stage when the curtains close.
Check out Chris Bumstead’s full video from his YouTube channel below:
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