2021 Classic Physique champion Chris Bumstead recently gave a health and physique update and also shared back workouts on his YouTube channel. Approximately one year out of Mr. Olympia 2022, Bumstead has resumed training after taking time off to let his body recover. A recent battle with Covid-19 infection has pushed the 26-year-old phenom back a little bit. However, taking small steps towards regaining the lost ground is his priority at the moment.
After defending his Classic Physique title at the 2021 Mr. Olympia, Chris Bumstead had taken time off to let his body rest and recover. Although he trained a few times every week during the time off, Bumstead lost some amount of weight.
Since earning the IFBB pro card in 2016, Chris Bumstead has had strong showings in each one of his Mr. Olympia appearances. The 26-year-old admitted that the relentless efforts in those six years compelled him to take a break from preparation, training, and strict diet for a while. Chris Bumstead further explained that since bodybuilding is immensely taxing for the mind and body, taking a step back is his way to rekindle the love for the craft.
“I think it’s important t make the actual choice to take a step back instead of getting to a point where your body forces you to take a step back. When you’re young, pushing it whatever, you can do it for a few years. But eventually, your body is going to shut down,” Chris Bumstead said.
Recent health struggles
Chris Bumstead’s time off came with its own set of challenges recently. Right around Christmas time, Bumstead contracted a Covid-19 infection that resulted in him losing weight further.
“We all got fine in about 24 hours or so but then I got sick again. I don’t know if it was Covid again or anything else, my immune system was still a little shot.”
The 26-year-old further added that he lost the sense of taste and stayed out of the gym for the last couple of weeks and even lost his appetite for food for a few days. The health issues have resulted in significant weight loss.
Chris Bumstead stated that his current off-season weight (107kg/236lbs) is approximately 28lbs less than what he usually weighs during the off-season. Fortunately, he is in decent shape and has retained most of his muscle mass despite the illness. With his health back to normal, Bumstead plans to regain his health and momentum immediately.
Chris Bumstead shares back workout
Chris Bumstead has resumed training since recovering from illness and shared his back day workout. However, the intensity of his workouts is still very low as taking baby steps towards getting back in full form is the primary goal at the moment.
“I’m really trying to leave the ego out of the door here, not go heavy and control the weight. Right now, I’m still untrained, not used to working out that I feel like if I don’t go heavy I’ll still get a benefit from it. I’m trying to get my form perfect, build the mind-muscle connection.”
In the video, Chris Bumstead stated that it was his fourth day in the gym since resuming workouts and proceeded with back workouts. The entire session consisted of two sets of each of the workouts mentioned below with moderate weights.
- Wide-grip lat Pull-down
- Smith machine overhand grip bent-over row
- Chest supported T Bar Rows
- Close-grip lat pull-down
- Cable standing straight arm push-downs
Chris Bumstead performed each exercise to failure and added that the intensity in the workout is a little better than it was when he started a few days ago. Elaborating further on the plan of action, Bumstead stated that he plans to add supersets and drop sets to his workouts as the intensity increases a few weeks down the line.
Bumstead then ended the video after sharing his post-workout meal that consisted of:
- 1 large and 1 small peanut butter jelly sandwich
- Proteins shake with a one-and-a-half scoop of whey protein isolate and glutamine
Chris Bumstead’s bodybuilding career at a glance
Chris Bumstead is an IFBB Classic Physique professional bodybuilder from Ottawa, Canada. Bumstead started competing at just 19 years of age and earned the IFBB pro card with the first-place finish at the 2016 North American Bodybuilding Championships, aged 21.
In his young bodybuilding career, Chris Bumstead has competed at Mr. Olympia on five occasions and finished in the top two on all of those. Bumstead finished second during his first two appearances at Mr. Olympia in 2017 and 2018. He has won the Mr. Olympia Classic Physique title three consecutive times in 2019, 2020, and 2021. As the reigning and defending Mr. Olympia Classic Physique champion, Chris Bumstead has the momentum heading into Mr. Olympia 2022 that is set to return to its home in Las Vegas for the first time since 2019.
Chris Bumstead’s bodybuilding competition history:
- 2021 Olympia Classic Physique, 1st
- 2020 Olympia Classic Physique, 1st
- 2019 Olympia Classic Physique, 1st
- 2018 Olympia Classic Physique, 2nd
- 2017 Olympia Classic Physique, 2nd
- 2016 IFBB North American Bodybuilding Championships, 1st (Pro Card)
- 2016 CBBF Bodybuilding Championships Open Heavyweight Division, 2nd
- 2015 CBBF Canadian National Bodybuilding Championship Men’s Junior Division, 1st
Courtesy of Chris Bumstead’s YouTube channel, you can watch the full video here:
Published: 5 January, 2022 | 4:14 PM EDT
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