Chris Bumstead Incorporates Isometric Holds for Chest and Back Growth In 2024 Off-Season

Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead is making off-season chest and back gains with a new workout routine.

Bumstead has been the undisputed king of the IFBB Pro League’s Classic Physique division since 2019. Having won five straight Olympia trophies, the Canadian is officially the longest reigning champion in the divison’s history and he is contemplating retirement after a few more Olympia victories.

Bumstead is currently in the bulking phase of his 2024 off-season. He is following an arduous training routine and a 3800-calorie bulking diet to make the off-season gains.

While the Classic Physique division has seen the emergence of top contenders like Ramon Rocha Queiroz, Urs Kalecinski and more recently, the 2024 Arnold Classic Physique winner Wesley Vissers, CBum has tackled them with unwavering determination on the stage and is confident to retain the top spot at the 2024 Mr. Olympia.

Recently, Bumstead shared the off-season chest and back workout that he is following to improve his physique.

Chris Bumstead goes through a chest and back workout

The superset-heavy workout followed a different approach than Chris Bumstead’s usual training methods.

Superset is an effective method of reducing the overall workout time while increasing the aerobic intensity.

Unlike regular sets, supersets include sets of two or more exercises targeting different muslce groups.

Chris Bumstead’s chest and back workout consisted of the following supersets:

• 1st Superset – Incline Dumbbell Chest Press and Chest Supported Rows – 3 sets each, 10-second isometric hold followed by 6 reps in each set
• 2nd Superset – Lat Pulldown and Incline Chest Press Machine – 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps of each exercise
• 3rd Superset – Incline Cable Chest Flyes and Hammer Strength Rows – 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps of chest flyes and 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps of rows

Incline Dumbbell Chest Press and Chest Supported Rows

As a part of his new training program, Bumstead starts the training session with an isometric hold followed by heavy compound movement.

He started the training session with a superset consisting of Incline dumbbell chest press and chest supported rows.

“90-second break in between back and forth. So when my chest is tired, I’m working the back. When my back is tired, I’m working my chest. I’m getting as much work out of both as possible.”

Bumstead started every set with a 10-second isometric hold to keep the muscles active for longer duration and followed it up with six reps of the exercises.

Lat Pulldown and Incline Chest Press Machine

Bumstead next took to this superset consisting of a vertical pulling movement and Machine variation of the Incline chest press.

Vertical pulldowns are essential to build a wide back and should be a part of everyone’s back training routine.

Bumstead, who admittedly, has strength imbalances, clubbed the lat pulldown with incline chest press on an iso-lateral plate-loaded machine. Both arms of an iso-lateral machine are attached to independent weight stacks, which helps avoid the stronger side of the body compensating for the weaker side.

Incline Cable Chest Flyes and Hammer Strength Rows

The workout reached it’s conclusion after the third superset. This time, the Classic Physique Olympia champion combined the chest isolation movement, incline cable chest flyes with Hammer Strength rows.

After pushing through a few good sets of the exercise, CBum put an end to the day’s work in the gym.

Chris Bumstead has fought through severe injuries, health issues and dealt with stress of being a dominant champion to stay on top of the Classic Physique division. It will be interesting to see if he extends his dominance at the 2024 Olympia and beyond.

Watch the full workout video below, courtesy of Chris Bumstead’s personal YouTube channel:

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