Since its introduction to the Olympia in 2016, the Classic Physique division has witnessed a meteoric rise in popularity. Competitors from around the globe aspire to embody the aesthetics of bodybuilding's golden era, captivating fans and experts alike as they redefine what it means to be a classic physique. Among these exceptional athletes, Chris Bumstead stands out as a transcendent figure. With six Classic Olympia titles and a massive following of over 30 million, he has become the most popular fitness influencer of our time. There's no disputing that Bumstead possesses an extraordinary physique, bearing striking resemblances to legendary figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Following his sixth Classic Division title at the 2024 Mr. Olympia, Chris Bumstead shockingly announced his retirement. Few people expected that such an iconic figure in his physical prime would step away from the stage. Since then, he’s shifted his focus to family, business, and educating others in the health and fitness world.
His recent announcement of retirement sent shockwaves throughout the bodybuilding community and beyond. However, Bumstead assured his fans that he would continue to be a prominent figure in the bodybuilding world. In a recent YouTube video, he unveiled his ultimate bulking diet guide, offering invaluable insights and a blueprint for aspiring bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts alike to learn from a true icon.
Key Takeaways from Bumstead's Bulking Guide
Chris Bumstead's legacy as a Classic Physique icon is firmly cemented, and he will undoubtedly be remembered for generations to come. As the most decorated classic athlete in history, with six Olympia titles to his name, Bumstead's knowledge and experience are highly sought after.
In his recent YouTube video, he shared his ultimate bulking guide, providing a detailed blueprint for maintaining a lean physique and optimizing overall health. Bumstead emphasized that the ideal time to bulk varies depending on individual circumstances and fitness goals. He also stressed the significance of macronutrients and prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods. Furthermore, he identified creatine and protein powder as the most essential bulking supplements.
Read also: Hemsworth Diet and Fitness
When to Bulk: A Personalized Approach
Bumstead emphasizes that determining the right time to embark on a bulking phase is highly dependent on individual factors and goals. He asserts that there is no one-size-fits-all answer without a thorough understanding of the individual's specific situation. However, he suggests that bulking is most appropriate for those seeking to gain muscle mass and who already possess a relatively low body fat percentage.
Chris went on to say that if you’re unhappy with your body fat level, you probably shouldn’t bulk just yet. Once you drop down to a level you’re happy with, a bulking diet may be more appropriate. Bumstead said that he likes to be around 12% body fat before bulking. However, this number can be much higher for women (around 18-20%). Furthermore, if your weight or training performance isn’t changing, Bumstead said that you may need a break. The timeframe for this depends on your goals and the situations surrounding them.
Macronutrient Essentials: Precision is Key
When it comes to macronutrient intake, Bumstead underscores the importance of precise measurements and adjustments.
“The more you measure, the more you can manage, and the more you can adapt. And then you know what changes you’re making are causing the changes in your body.”
“The first step to anyone’s fitness journey really is tracking everything you eat consistently and calculate the calories and macros on that. Maybe do it for a week, take the average and see what it is, and weigh yourself during all those days.”
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He advocates for consistent tracking of food intake to effectively calculate calories and macronutrient ratios. By monitoring these metrics, individuals can gain valuable insights into how their bodies respond to different dietary adjustments.
In terms of his protein intake, he uses a minimum intake of 1 gram per pound of body weight. As he’s around 250 pounds, this would put his daily intake at approximately 250 grams. With 4 calories in every gram of protein, Bumstead’s energy intake from protein would be 1000 calories.
This number will change depending on his training phase and energy needs. if he’s in a calorie deficit, he’ll likely increase this number somewhat. However, for a bulking diet, this would seem about right. Expanding on this, Bumstead pointed out that there may be extreme cases where people need to change their protein intake. Skinny people may need to increase it while overweight individuals may need to reduce it.
The Power of Whole Foods
Bumstead firmly believes that prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods is the optimal strategy for achieving a healthy and muscular physique. For the past 4-5 years, he has consciously avoided cheat meals due to their potential negative side effects, including inflammation, digestive issues, and sleep disturbances.
“The more food you can digest and the nutrients you can actually absorb from it, the less you actually need to eat to get the same benefits out of it.”
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
During his off-season, Bumstead maintains flexibility in his meal choices while ensuring that they remain nutritious. He acknowledges that the only potential benefit of a cheat meal is for mental well-being, as he is a strong advocate for promoting positive mental health.
“If I get a burger sometimes, I get a lettuce wrap with no cheese because I know it’s going to mess with my stomach and make sure I stick with that.”
Clean vs. Dirty Bulking: Fueling Your Body the Right Way
When discussing the merits of clean versus dirty bulking, Bumstead emphasizes the importance of nourishing the body with high-quality foods. He argues that those who engage in dirty bulking often fail to recognize the crucial role that food plays in overall health and performance. While he does not entirely discourage occasional cheat meals for mental well-being, he strongly advocates for a clean bulking approach that prioritizes nutrient-dense foods.
“When you build that healthy relationship with food that you’re nourishing your body, you’re fueling your body, you’re putting good food in your body because you care about your body, it also makes it easier to diet because you’re not craving sh*tty foods when you’re dieting.”
Bumstead's Go-To Bulking Supplements
Bumstead favors a minimalist approach when it comes to bulking supplements, with creatine being his primary recommendation. He highlights its benefits for energy production, muscle growth, and muscle repair.
Alongside this, his go-to digestive supplement is glucose. He states that it helps to utilize all the carbohydrates going around your body.
In terms of his post-workout nutrition, Bumstead uses protein shakes and post-workout powders daily. Whatever stage of prep he is in, he sees these as vital parts of his supplement routine.
“I still really believe that a post-workout shake is extremely important.”
The Long Game: Duration and Goal Setting
Bumstead is a proponent of extended bulking phases, asserting that the longer one can maintain muscle mass during a bulk, the more difficult it becomes to lose it.
He favors a gradual approach to bulking, avoiding the need for rapid increases in food intake. Instead, he gradually increases his caloric intake as his body adapts and plateaus.
“The slower the change you make, the more likely you are to put on good weight rather than just fat.”
When it comes to goal setting, Bumstead emphasizes the importance of setting specific and measurable objectives. This clarity enables individuals to tailor their bulking diet and strategies to effectively achieve their desired outcomes.
“Start something, commit to it, and understand what your goals are. If your goal is to put on muscle but you hate losing abs, then do a really long, slow bulk and very slow increase of calories. Make sure your abs stay there, stick to training them, do your cardio, and eat good food.”
Bumstead's Daily Bulking Diet: A Detailed Breakdown
While preparing for his sixth Mr. Olympia competition, Chris Bumstead provided a glimpse into his daily bulking diet, offering valuable insights into his nutritional strategies.
For breakfast he has a bagel with ghee butter-on most days it would be pancakes-and makes a shake with protein, oats and almond butter, which he uses to wash down his vitamins and supplements. This comes to 1,344 calories.
The second meal of the day, coming in at 980 calories, is a bro classic, steak and rice, followed swiftly by meal number three, chicken and rice (760 calories). "I like to have chicken and rice before the gym because it's just the most basic meal ever and it's easy to digest," he explains.
The post-workout meal is ground turkey with sweet potatoes and a banana, coming in at 780 calories. Bumstead adds that he bakes or air fries his sweet potatoes rather than boiling them, as they cook down and become smaller and easier to eat, helping him to reach his calorie goal for the day during a bulk.
Meal number five consists of more sweet potato, avocado, and ground beef (682 calories). Then the final meal of the day is a 600-calorie protein shake with oats and almond butter. "If I have a shake in the morning and at night, and I'm getting all the food I need, then I'm good to go," he says. "I haven't been the biggest eater lately, so these help me get stuff in."
Bumstead's biggest tip for bulking? Ensure you're drinking enough water, which will then help your body digest all of the food you're consuming.
Chris Bumstead's 2024 Offseason Bulking Diet: A Sample Day
Here is a sample day of Chris Bumstead’s 2024 offseason bulking diet:
Meal 1: Bagel with ghee butter, protein shake with oats and almond butter (1,344 calories)Meal 2: Steak and rice (980 calories)Meal 3: Chicken and rice (760 calories)Meal 4: Ground turkey with sweet potatoes and a banana (780 calories)Meal 5: Sweet potato, avocado, and ground beef (682 calories)Meal 6: Protein shake with oats and almond butter (600 calories)
Training and Eating Like a Champion: Practical Tips
While emulating Chris Bumstead's exact routine may not be feasible for everyone, there are several key principles that can be adopted to enhance one's own training and nutrition.
Double Progression Loading Scheme:
Chris goes hard and heavy using a double progression loading scheme. You work in a specified rep range (8-10, for example) and maintain the same weight until you reach the top of that rep range. Once you hit the top of that rep range for the programmed number of sets, you increase the weight and repeat the process.
Incorporate Tri-sets and Supersets:
Incorporating tri-sets and supersets is a great way to get more work done in less time. Plus, it presents the muscles with a novel stimulus compared to straight sets. Start grouping some exercises and see how they feel.
Tempo Work:
Slowing the eccentric down and even throwing in some pauses is a great way to improve your form. A problem many young lifters (and even some experienced lifters) have is that they lower their weights too fast.
German Volume Training:
Ten sets of ten is no joke. Everyone should try this for at least a training block or two. Assistance movements work great. Think rows, pulldowns, curls, pressdowns, side raises, and similar exercises.
Track Your Macros:
Even as a 5x Mr. Olympia, Chris recognizes the benefits of tracking his macros. In a recent full-day eating video on his YouTube channel, Chris notes that he only has a good idea of how much he eats if he tracks his macros.
The Mental Game: Staying Cool Under Pressure
Chris Bumstead emphasizes the importance of mindset and mental resilience in achieving success. He highlights the following strategies for managing pressure and maintaining a positive mental state:
- Reframing Mindset: Compete against yourself rather than other people.
- Building Strong Relationships: Lean on relationships, specifically with your wife, to share stress.
- Defining Winning and Losing: Define your own definitions of winning and losing.
- Focusing on Controllables: Stay on top of your variables and control your diet, your nutrition and everything.
- Therapy: Going to therapy really helped out a lot. One of the big things that helped teach me was the ability to just to feel and accept feelings rather than suppress them and just try to avoid t…
Recovery is Key: Optimizing Sleep, Nutrition, and Self-Care
Bumstead emphasizes the importance of recovery for muscle growth, hormone regulation, and overall health. His recovery plan includes:
- Prioritizing Sleep: Aim for 10 hours of downtime from when you go to bed to when you have to wake up.
- Optimizing Nutrition: Focus on healthy, anti-inflammatory foods.
- Stem Cell Therapy: Two times a year I'll go to Mexico or Dubai and get a shot to help bring my inflammation down and help with my autoimmune a lot.
- Sauna and Cold Plunge: I sauna and cold plunge two to three times a week.
- Deep-Tissue Massage: I get deep-tissue massage work done two or three times a week, which is two hours each time.
- Remedial Work: I started working with a new trainer now where we have like 20 minutes before and after my workouts where I do remedial work on specific postural muscles and tendons that are more likely to get injured and stretching and whatnot.