Classic Physique star Chris Bumstead revealed some surprising details about his 2023 Olympia preparations. In a recent The Raw U. Podcast, Bumstead shared that he decreased his performance-enhancing drug (PED) use, which has allowed him to train harder in the current off-season.
“I just enjoy training hard when I’m in it and getting strong, so luckily that hasn’t changed,” shared Bumstead.
Bumstead first claimed the Classic Physique Olympia title in 2019 and has continued to display improvements to his physique year after year. Last December, it was revealed that Bumstead would no longer be working alongside Open class standout Iain Valliere. With 12 weeks until the 2022 Mr. Olympia competition, the 28-year-old joined forces with Hany Rambod, who is known for his innovative FST-7 training program.
Cbum shared his shredding diet weeks before taking to the stage last year. Ultimately, his efforts paid off as he handily won another Classic Physique Olympia title. After taking a victory lap, Bumstead explained that he overcame adversity after posing on stage with a torn bicep.
In a recent Don’t Be Sour Podcast, the four-time champ took an honest look at his future in the sport. He said his fear of losing is what motivates him to stay on top. While there have been talks of his eventual retirement, Bumstead made it clear that he won’t consider the possibility until after winning another Olympia. To shed some light on his PED use and diet plan for his next title defense, he joined Brett Wilkin for an interview.
Chris Bumstead Says ‘He’s Lowered PED Usage’ And Still ‘Pushes Really Hard’
In a show of transparency, Bumstead said he’s ‘brought his PEDs down’ and it’s enabled him to push harder during training sessions.
“It’s honestly been the exact same to be completely transparent, I brought my PEDs down and it allowed me to have to train harder. When I do, if anything, it now gives me that three months after a show to really just relax and let my body recover because I’m not anxiously being like, ‘I need to be huge.’ So, I need every second I have, I’m like, I can take the time off, relax, get into it.”
“I’ve been able to lower my PED usage from when I was younger even and still push really hard and it just keeps me under my weight cap; I still have a few pounds to play with I’m not dying to make weight like some people.”
Bumstead believes his muscle density has improved and shared that his trainer Hany Rambod doesn’t want him to bulk to 265 pounds in the off-season anymore.
“But when I got my pro card as a heavyweight bodybuilder I weighed 219 pounds or something and now I’m on stage at 240, 239 – so it’s taken me that long to put on like 20 pounds of muscle and it doesn’t really show too much on my frame, because I have a big frame but when you see comparison shots my density has gotten a lot better. But this is the first year, and I am looking forward to this and I was speaking with Hany [Rambod] and he was like, ‘We are not getting you up to 265 anymore this year.’
Bumstead Reveals 2023 Olympia Plan, Says Hany Rambod Wants Him to Compete ‘Much Leaner’
Given Bumstead’s muscle maturity and size, Rambod believes it would be best to exit the off-season at around 255-258 pounds.
“That’s only 25 pounds over my weight cap at what I typically compete at but I still want to be less than that. You have the muscle maturity and the size, we’ll keep you at 255, 258 – like much leaner, but hopefully try and get the same amount of mass on and when you diet down it will be really easy for you to get really lean because you’re not coming from such a high body fat point. My body can put on body fat pretty easily. That’s the goal this year. I’m not happy about that because I don’t like eating,” Chris Bumstead said.
“I’m already just beginning my off-season now barely eating like over 4,000 calories and I’m like, ‘Oh man, fu** I got to eat again?’ You know, it’s already there. So that’s definitely a benefit of Classic Physique this year and it will be interesting to see how it goes, hopefully, it makes me come in the best condition I’ve ever come to because I can get there earlier and slowly lean into it instead of crushing myself at the end of a prep like I’ve had to in the past just to make that weight but it’s not really a big difference. My training has definitely gotten better. Something I’ve at least gotten better with at least YouTube and this is I can just turn it on and off in like seconds.”
With off-season preparations underway, Cbum has opened up about his nutrition in detail. Earlier this month, Bumstead checked in with fans at 253 pounds and showed off a 3,500-calorie meal plan. Additionally, he’s offered glimpses into his training with a recent back-building workout.
Bumstead will aim to make it five Classic Physique titles later this year at 2023 Olympia, where he’ll rematch the newly minted Arnold Classic champion Ramon Queiroz.