Ever since 1965, the man who held the coveted Mr. Olympia title was seen as the face of bodybuilding. But tastes change, and since 2016, the Classic Physique division has become one of the most popular classes in the entire sport. Showcasing bodybuilders with sleeker, more aesthetic physiques, this division is a throwback to the golden-age look of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Frank Zane. And the unquestioned king of Classic Physique — and arguably the entire bodybuilding world — is Chris Bumstead.
Not only has Bumstead amassed the most Classic Physique Olympia wins in the division’s seven-year history, but he has no plans to stop competing anytime soon. When the dust settles on Bumstead’s career, he could be one of the most decorated Olympia champs in history. Read more about the life and career of “CBum” below.
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Chris Bumstead’s Bodybuilding Stats and Contest History
Here’s a quick breakdown of Bumstead’s height, weight, and major bodybuilding accomplishments:
- Date of birth: February 2, 1995
- Location: Ontario, Canada
- Age: 28 years old *
- Height: 6’1”
- Weight: ~235 pounds
- Pro debut: Pittsburgh Pro (2017)
- Classic Physique Olympia wins: Four (2019-2022)
*As of August 2023
Despite racking up all of that Olympia hardware, Bumstead has only competed in eight pro contests as of August 2023, never finishing worse than second in any of them. And now that he’s an Olympia champion, he’s qualified for the Classic Physique Olympia for life. Here are the results for his eight career contests.
2017
- Pittsburgh Pro — 1st Place
- Toronto Pro Supershow — 1st Place
- Classic Physique Olympia — 2nd Place
2018
- Classic Physique Olympia — 2nd Place
2019
- Classic Physique Olympia — 1st Place
2020
- Classic Physique Olympia — 1st Place
2021
- Classic Physique Olympia — 1st Place
2022
- Classic Physique Olympia — 1st Place
Chris Bumstead’s Training Style and Workouts
Bumstead built his physique with foundational free-weight movements, such as the squat, deadlift, bent-over row, and shoulder presses. He’s traditionally followed a high-volume approach, with an emphasis on going to failure on his final set.
He performs cardio as needed based on his progress during prep, and he’s dedicated to posing practice as prep heats up. While he focuses on getting stronger during the offseason, he rarely utilizes low reps or singles in his training.
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In 2022, Bumstead joined forces with longtime trainer and nutritionist Hany Rambod, who had worked with several Olympia champions, including Phil Heath, Jay Cutler, and Hadi Choopan.
Rambod is credited with developing Fascia Stretch Training-7 (FST-7), which calls for the lifter to perform seven high-rep, high-intensity sets of an exercise with minimal rest at the end of a workout. According to Rambod, the idea is that these sets will lengthen the fascia around your muscle tissue, allowing for more growth. In addition, Rambod also utilizes occasional intensity-boosting techniques such as partial reps, forced reps, and static holds.
The two worked together for Bumstead’s fourth Olympia title in 2022, and they’re working together again in 2023. In July 2023, Bumstead took to his YouTube channel to show off a chest workout he performed with Rambod. Here’s what it included:
- Cable Crossover
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
- Seated Chest Press Machine
- Prime Incline Chest Press Machine
- Decline Chest Press Machine
- Pec Deck Flye
[Related: Classic Physique Champ Chris Bumstead on Whether He’ll Compete in the Open Division]
Life Outside of Bodybuilding
In addition to his success on the stage, Bumstead is also considered the most popular current physique athlete based on his social media following. As of August 2023, he has 18.2 million Instagram followers, 4.5 million followers on TikTok, and 3.3 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. Going viral is commonplace for him.
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He also has his hands in multiple business endeavors. After a few years representing other companies as an athlete, he became a part owner of Raw Nutrition, a supplement company based in Florida. Within those brands, he has his own line of products, including a protein powder and a pre-workout. He also promotes his own clothing line (bum.) and training app subscription service (CBum Fitness) and is sponsored by a second clothing brand, YoungLA.
It’s a Family Affair
Bumstead isn’t the only member of his family to get into physique competitions. His sister, Melissa Valliere, is also an IFBB Pro in the Figure division. And her husband, Iain Valliere, was one of Bumstead’s coaches early on and currently competes in the Men’s Open division.
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In October 2022, Bumstead announced that he got engaged to his girlfriend, Courtney King, who won the 2016 Bikini Olympia. Once they get married, they will be the second married couple to each win Olympia titles. The first was 2021 Bikini Olympia winner Jennifer Dorie and 2013 Men’s Physique Olympia winner Mark Anthony.
What’s Next for Chris Bumstead?
There has been a lot of speculation and hope for Bumstead to eventually transition from Classic Physique to the Men’s Open division. Still, he had repeatedly said on record that Classic Physique is his home, and he wants to leave as large of a legacy there as possible.
He’s also doing pretty well in the business of bodybuilding, so his potential and options are wide open. Only time will tell what we see him do in the future. If he’s achieved the success he has before the age of 30, there’s no telling how far he can take his career by the time he decides to move on to the next chapter of his life.
Featured image: T.J. Darr
