Chris Bumstead, AKA CBUM, AKA Mr. Olympia is an absolute legend in bodybuilding. He has what some describe as the perfect physique, and even professional bodybuilders look up to him in awe.

The Chris Bumstead workout is tough but can yield impressive results. This guide will help you train like the legendary CBUM.

Chris Bumstead's Workout Program (How He Splits Training)

Chris Bumstead's goal is to make each individual muscle as big as possible. To achieve this, he splits his training to maximize the effort on each part of his body.

The key difference between the CBUM split and a regular 'bro split' is how Chris Bumstead's quads routine is separate from his hamstring routine.

For quads, he focuses on leg press and leg extension exercises, whereas Chris Bumstead's hamstring exercises involve seated calf raises and curls.

His routine involves daily workouts during the week, but he also ensures each part of his body gets adequate rest with two rest days on the weekend.

This supports his recovery and allows him to build muscle effectively.

Chris Bumstead Carrying Two Weight Plates Around the Gym

Monday: Back

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Deadlifts

4

8-10

30-35 secs

Bent-Over Rows

4

8-10

30-35 Secs

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns or Wide Grip Assisted Pull-ups

4

12-15

30-35 Secs

Straight Arm Pulldowns

4

12-15

30-35 Secs

Dumbbell Rows

4

12-15

30-35 Secs

Machine Rows

3

20

30-35 Secs

Hyper Extensions

2

up to failure

30-35 Secs

Tuesday: Chest and Biceps

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Incline Dumbell Bench Press

5

15-15-12-12-10

30-35 Secs

Smith Machine Bench Press

4

12-10-8-8

30-35 Secs

Incline Dumbell Fly’s

3

15-12-12

30-35 Secs

Cable Fly’s

3

15-12

30-35 Secs

Push Ups

3

Up To Failure

30-35 Secs

Barbell Curls

3

15

30-35 Secs

Reverse Barbell Curls

3

up to failure

30-35 Secs

Machine Preacher Curls

3

10-12

30-35 Secs

Hammer Curls

2

10-8

30-35 Secs

Wednesday: Hamstrings and Glutes

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Lying Leg Curls

4

15

30-35 Secs

Straight Legged Deadlifts

4

15-20

30-35 Secs

Standing Leg Curls

4

4-5

30-35 Secs

Reverse Hack Squat

4

15-20

30-35 Secs

Single-Legged Glute Pushdowns & Glute Kickbacks

3

12-15

30-35 Secs

Thursday: Shoulders and Triceps

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

3

15

30-35 Secs

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3

15

30-35 Secs

Barbell Front Raise

3

15

30-35 Secs

Single Arm Cable (Rear Delts)

4

20-15-12-12

30-35 Secs

Upright Rows

3

15-12-12

30-35 Secs

Rope Face Pulls

3

15-12-12

30-35 Secs

Machine Lateral Raises

3

15

30-35 Secs

Bench Dips

3

12-15

30-35 Secs

EZ-Bar Skull Crushers

4

12-15

30-35 Secs

Reverse Grip Barbell Skull Crushers

4

8-10

30-35 Secs

Single Arm Cable Kickbacks

3

12-10-8

30-35 Secs

Friday: Quads

Exercises

Sets

Reps

Rest

Leg Extensions

3

15

30-35 Secs

Squats

6

10-12

30-35 Secs

Leg Press

4

40-30-20-10

30-35 Secs

Leg Extensions

4

15

30-35 Secs

Standing Lunges

4

6-8

30-35 Secs

Standing Calf Raises

4

10-12

30-35 Secs

Hip Adductors

4

10-12

30-35 Secs

Weekends: Rest


Who Is Chris Bumstead? (Meet Mr. Olympia)

Early Life

CBUM was born in Ottawa, Canada, in 1995. He was an active teenager and played football, baseball, hockey, and basketball. He was just 14 when he started weightlifting.

Professional Bodybuilder

CBUM spent a few years building an impressive physique as an amateur bodybuilder. During high school, Chris Bumstead's weight ballooned from 170 to 225 pounds, and his legs became massive.

It was at this point he met his sister's boyfriend, Iain Valliere, who was a professional bodybuilder himself.

Valliere quickly became Chris Bumstead's coach and has continued to coach him ever since.

Bumstead made his competitive debut in 2014 at the age of 19. He entered several IFBB events and started to make waves until, eventually, he took to the biggest stage.[1]

Mr. Olympia

CBUM entered the 2017 Olympia Classic Physique division. It's one of the most respected competitions and something many bodybuilders train their whole life for.

Chris Bumstead finished a close 2nd place in 2017 to Breon Ansley, and again in 2018 after discovering he had an autoimmune disease.

However, in 2019 Cbum took the crown and won the Olympia Classic Physique- officially becoming Mr. Olympia.

CBum went on to win the event in 2019, 2020, and 2021 - and he remains the current reigning champion with no signs of slowing down!

Influencer

CBum is one of the leading fitness industry influencers.

He has millions of subscribers on his YouTube channel and almost 10 million followers on Instagram, making him one of the leading voices in bodybuilding.

Chris uses his platform to give insight into what it takes to be a champion.

Other Business Ventures

Chris Bumstead’s workout plan is sought after by many, but training isn’t his only business these days.

He has a range of fitness and protein companies which he has founded, creating elite products for other fitness enthusiasts.

His most notable companies are Raw Nutrition, Revive MD, and YoungLA, but he’s also collaborated with GymShark and other leading fitness brands. This has given him a net worth of over $1 million, this is a prime example of what you can do if you work hard and strive for perfection.

He is passionate about what he does and researches intently, so it's no surprise everyone wants to copy the Chris Bumstead workout routine.


Current Body Stats

Stat

Measurement

Height

6’1”

Weight

235-264 lbs

Age

28

Biceps

20 inches

Waist

30 inches

Chest

51 inches

Legs

30 inches

Chris Bumstead Flexing Biceps in Mirror at Gym

CBum’s Workout Principles - How Did He Get So Big?

Chris Bumstead's workout routine is definitely only for the brave of heart. His ultimate goal in bodybuilding isn't to necessarily build functional strength; it's to increase his mass.

A Chris Bumstead workout doesn't always follow a fixed structure, and he's been known to mix it up to keep his body guessing.

However, there are some key principles to a Chris Bumstead workout routine that never change:

Targeted Workouts

Chris Bumstead trains using a variation on a classic 'bro-split.' This is where you split your muscle groups up and hit each once a week.

This allows you to focus your lifts on one particular area and increases hypertrophy.

Chris doesn't use as many bodyweight exercises, like pull-ups, but instead uses heavy weights to perform incline dumbbell presses, a seated calf raise, deadlifts (as part of the notorious Chris Bumstead back workout), and heavy squats.

The downside of split training is that it limits you to one workout on each area a week, but because Chris Bumstead trains so hard, he actually gets just as many reps in as if he trained them twice.

Plus, his body takes longer to recover, helping to increase the mass in each muscle group.

Progressive Overload

A Chris Bumstead workout routine has a moderate volume and uses a double progressive overload technique.

He aims for 10 reps, and when he reaches 10 he increases the weight. This allows him to keep challenging every muscle group and build larger muscles.

Compound Lifts

The start of a Chris Bumstead workout tends to be devoted to compound lifts. His favorite exercises include:

  • Deadlifts for a back and legs workout
  • An incline dumbbell press for a chest exercise
  • Hammer curls for his biceps workout
  • Leg press for a quads and hamstrings workout
  • Seated calf raises for quads workout
  • Bench dips for shoulders and triceps workout

He does use isolation exercises for his upper chest exercises and shoulder workout, but it’s the compound exercises that help with hypertrophy.

For heavy compound lifts, he only does 1 or 2 sets in his training split. This prevents him from getting fatigued but still supports his growth.

Drop Sets

Drop sets are where you keep lifting until you are close to failure in a set. Instead of quitting, you decrease the weight and keep going with as many reps as you can until you have to reduce it again.

Chris uses drop sets in his training program to help improve his fitness and stimulate greater muscle growth.

Drop sets are often used in chest workouts, and it's one of the reasons Chris Bumstead's chest workout is insanely hard.

Split Legs

Chris Bumstead has some of the best legs in the business, and that's because he splits legs in two. One day he'll train his quads, and on the other, he'll train his hamstrings.

By targeting both sides of his legs separately, he has built huge muscles and developed thick legs.

He's also improved his mind-muscle connection, which is why Chris Bumstead's quads look so impressive when he tenses.


Accomplishments & Accolades

Chris Bumstead has only been lifting professionally for 8 years, but in that time, he's racked up a whole host of accomplishments in the classic physique category:

  • 2016 IFBB North American Championships (Heavyweight Category) -1st
  • 2016 IFCC Dayan Cafeau Classic- 3rd
  • 2017 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro, 1st
  • 2017 IFBB Toronto Pro, 1st
  • 2017 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
  • 2018 Mr. Olympia, 2nd
  • 2019 Mr. Olympia, 1st
  • 2020 Mr. Olympia, 1st
  • 2021 Mr. Olympia, 1st

These accomplishments, along with his charm and signature mustache, make him a popular and influential voice in the bodybuilding world.

Chris Bumstead Posing After Winning Mr. Olympia

The Chris Bumstead Meal Plan

The Chris Bumstead diet is split into two alternating phases: bulking and cutting. Bulking supports the Chris Bumstead off-season workout, while the cutting supports his competition training.

Chris deliberately doesn't share the details of his nutrition plan because it's tailored to his needs.

Every body is different, but he always ensures he never misses a meal and provides his body with the fuel it needs to perform at the highest level.

Bulking Diet

A bulking workout routine and diet are used for when Chris is in the off-season period.

During this phase, Chris Bumstead's diet plan consists of about 4500-5000 calories a day and is designed to give his body energy and protein through his challenging workout routines.

This allows him to train harder and supports the development of lean muscle across his body.

During his bulking phase, he'll also usually have a cheat day every 2 weeks, some of which are legendary.[2]

CBUM’s bulking diet each day consists of:

  • 4500-5000 calories
  • 300-320g of protein
  • 500-550g of carbs
  • 100-125g of fat

A sample diet plan for a day might look like this:

  • Meal 1
    Bagel with almond butter, 2 whole eggs, 1 cup of oats
  • Pre-workout Snack
    Grilled chicken breast, 1 cup of white rice, 1 cup of spinach
  • Post-workout Snack
    A banana, 350g sweet potato, 300g white fish
  • Meal 2
    400g ground turkey or grilled chicken breast, 200g broccoli, 200g asparagus
  • Meal 3
    50g protein shake, ½ cup of nuts, half an avocado meal
  • Meal 4
    400g Steak, white rice, 350g sweet potato
  • Meal 5
    2 cups of egg whites, 3 whole eggs, 500g mixed vegetables

Cutting Diet For Competition

Chris Bumstead's cutting workout routine diet is much more strict and controlled.

He only allows himself 1600-1800 calories a day and very few carbs. He also limits himself to 2 large meals and 3 smaller meals for easier digestion.

A day of cutting meals for Chris might look like this:

  • Large meal 1
    Veggie smoothie, 2 cups of egg whites, 1 cup of mixed berries
  • Small meal 1
    50g protein shake, ½ cup of oats
  • Large meal 2
    350g ground turkey, 300g mixed vegetables or salad with nonfat dressing
  • Small meal 2
    50g protein shake, ½ cup of nuts
  • Small meal 3
    400g of white fish or grilled chicken breast. 4 whole eggs, 200g broccoli, 200g asparagus

What To Go For

  • Lean Proteins
  • Eggs
  • Vegetables and Fruits
  • Fish

What To Avoid

  • Fried Foods
  • Sugary Drinks
  • Refined Carbs

Chris Bumstead’s Supplement Preferences?

Chris has a pretty restricted diet, and even though he eats healthy foods, he relies on supplements to support his training split routine. But this is Chris Bumstead, and he doesn't just take supplements - he makes them through his own company, Raw Nutrition.

Chris has his own range of supplements that support his exercise routine. This includes the CBum Itholate Protein powder, designed to support lean muscle growth. [3]

Chris takes the following supplements to stay fit, healthy, and support his muscle growth:

  • Protein Powder (usually chocolate whey protein)
  • Pre-workout to provide extra energy
  • Creatine to help his muscles work harder for longer
  • Glutamine to help with protein synthesis
  • Daily greens to support his immune system
  • Magnesium to regulate his blood sugar levels and improve protein production
  • GI supplements to improve his intestinal health
Chris Bumstead Scooping Pre-Workout Into Shaker Bottle

Check Out These Chris Bumstead Products!

The CBUM Fitness App

The CBUM app (4) gives you first-hand access to his world. It contains the Chris Bumstead workout plan and workout routines, and tips for training individual body parts.

It also has various recipes that the famous bodybuilder enjoys himself.

Accessing the app costs $75 a year, but it's worth it if you want to become part of the CBUM bodybuilding community. Plus, it gives you the daily CBUM routine!

The CBUM Series Thavage Pre-Workout Supplement

CBUM supports his full workout routine with a range of supplements. This includes the Chris Bumstead Thavage pre-workout, specifically designed for bodybuilders.

Chris Bumstead pre-workout is one of the stronger supplements on the market, with 325mg of caffeine in a serving.

It also includes nootropics and amino acids to give you a greater pump and improve your mind-muscle connection.

If you want to learn more, check out our article for CBum Thavage Pre-Workout Review.

Chris Bumstead's CBum Protein Powderis Bumstead's Products

Chris Bumstead’s Workout Routine FAQs

How long has Chris Bumstead been training for?

Chris Bumstead has been training professionally since 2014 - so 8 years.

What gym does Cbum work out at?

Chris Bumstead goes to the Pure Muscle & Fitness gym near his home in Ottawa.

What does Chris Bumstead do for work?

Chris Bumstead is a professional bodybuilder, business owner, and social media influencer.

What is on Chris Bumstead’s workout playlist?

The Chris Bumstead workout playlist is available on Spotify. It features a lot of loud, powerful, and explicit songs designed to get your headphones blaring and take your workouts to the next level. (5)

Conclusion

The Chris Bumstead workout plan has been specifically created to increase the size and bulk of the human physique.

Chris trains hard, and the research and dedication he's shown to his body development shows in the fact he's been Mr. Olympia for 3 years running.

References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Federation_of_BodyBuilding_and_Fitness
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmDT042Zplc
3. https://getrawnutrition.com/products/cbum-series-iso-protein

4. https://www.cbumfitness.com/

5. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3yL47DMEFC7ScBKgoIJVLP

Paul J

Paul J

Paul J is is an ex-professional footballer who has seen a gym or two and is an expert at knowing what is required for home gym setups. When he isn’t testing out products for his readers, he’s usually going for a run in the park or out for coffee.