Tag: Videos
Samir Bannout Talks Good Vito’s ‘Disgusting’ Hernia, Guest Posing Injury & Michal Krizo’s Cycle
Samir Bannout is back to discuss two of the IFBB Pro League’s hottest Men’s Open contenders. In a recent Old School Labs Podcast, Bannout took a closer look at Michal Krizo’s 2023 Mr. Olympia potential and Vitaliy ‘Good Vito’ Ugolnikov’s recent injury from guest posing at the 2023 Musclecontest International Brazil.
Bannout was an elite Men’s Open competitor throughout his career and reached the top of the sport in 1983 when he claimed his lone Mr. Olympia title. This event was packed with bodybuilding stars like Robby Robinson, Frank Zane, and Lee Haney, but they were unable to match the detail of Bannout, especially from the back.
In retirement, Bannout has proven to be a valuable member of the bodybuilding community. He routinely discusses current events happening in the sport as well as the Men’s Open class he once ruled over. One talent in particular caught Bannout’s attention last year, and that was Slovakia’s Michal Krizo.
Krizo moved quickly in 2022. He switched from the IFBB Elite Pro League to the NPC, and then from there, won an IFBB Pro card and placed 12th at 2022 Olympia in his rookie season. Vitaliy ‘Good Vito’ Ugolnikov used Krizo’s blueprint to make his respective splash as well.
Good Vito switched to the NPC and later earned his Pro card in dominant fashion at the 2022 Musclecontest International Brazil Nationals. Other veterans of the sport took notice of Good Vito too, such as 1990s standout Chris Cormier. In an Olympia TV interview, Cormier praised Vito for his upside and predicted he would be a problem for other competitors in the future.
Samir Bannout Torches ‘Good Vito’ After Injuring Knee Guest Posing: “The Whole Act Was Stupid”
After witnessing Good Vito’s untimely accident while currently in prep, Bannout emphasized that he’s being misled by a coach/trainer.
“Good Vito, Good Vito, what’s wrong – Oh my God. This guy has so much potential Nick. It’s fucking pissing me off to see someone with such great potential acting kind of goofy. Let me just say it this way: this guy is Mr. Olympia material. But whoever is leading him in the wrong direction, it’s truly sad. I look at it from my perspective. You have all the fucking tools to be great and look at what he’s doing now, what the hell is he doing?” asks Samir Bannout.
“What do you think about the [umbilical] hernia?” asks Nick Trigili.
As for his umbilical hernia, Bannout found it disgusting. He added that Vito’s posing was miserable.
“Honestly, it looks disgusting. Disgusting,” said Samir Bannout. “This guy has the potential to go very far. Young kid, what 25 years old, what the hell is he doing. This is wrong, this is wrong, everything he’s doing, that act, it’s like fucking goofy. He has everything necessary to be great.”
“A terrible way to do those four poses, sorry, seriously. I’ve been talking positively about his genetics and potential. No doubt, he’s good but posing is disgusting, miserable. The act – and this crazy act like that is really not — it’s not something that I would promote or I would approve.”
With improved presentation and a proper coach, Bannout believes Good Vito can return better than ever.
“The presentation, showing it the right way. Like what’s his name, the Russian guy, Good Vito, it’s really shameful what he was doing. His act was not acceptable, to me, it looks like a joke. To me, it’s embarrassing. It’s a joke, it’s embarrassing. You [Vito] need to hire a coach that’s well-rounded, that understands how to present that body how to show that great body that you have. And he has the body. But the whole act was stupid, honestly. This is how I say it: stupid, retarded.”
“He’ll recover, he’ll be back. He’s learning the hard way, evidently. He needs to find someone to show him better presentation that will also be concerned about his health and well-being. Because that thing in his belly button looks totally not good. He’s doing something not right, look at the poor guy. 25 years old and he’s so eager to good.”
“He’s a happy camper, he’s got a good personality,” said Bannout. “He’ll be okay. He’ll come back and learn. He’s learning,” shared Bannout. “He’ll recover and he’ll be back, and hopefully he’ll make some adjustments to his presentation,” added Samir Bannout.
Bannout Guesses Michal Krizo’s Cycle: ‘I Guarantee You, It’s Not Excessive’
Given Krizo’s muscle fullness, size, and quality, Bannout is highly curious about what he’s taking to maintain his physique.
“I still want to know what guys like Krizo is doing, I would like to know because he’s got that muscle fullness, muscle size, muscle quality, and he seems to be doing it comfortably. I would like to know and I guarantee you, it wouldn’t be an excessive amount of drugs.”
I don’t think so. But I would like to know, this would be a major – I can tell when someone is doing too much drugs. I can tell right away on the skin but for Krizo to look this sharp while he’s training, he looks almost like contest ready, it’s amazing. I would like to know how much he’s using for let’s say tren and stuff like that.”
Bannout believes Krizo’s potential steroid cycle consists of approximately four compounds with a ‘very small amount’ of androgens.
“I’m thinking about Krizo’s quality when we saw that video tape doing the last podcast we did. I’m still in my head, saying, ‘That guy has the kind of quality away from the contest, huge, and he’s got that onion skin. I would like to know what the hell is he really doing. I would like to know.”
“I’m thinking he’s taking about 75 milligrams of oxandrolone, he’s taking maybe one winstrol 50 milligrams daily, and he’s taking a very small amount of androgen, something like 400 milligrams or maybe 5, not more than that. That’s my guess.”
This isn’t the first time Bannout has offered his take on Michal Krizo’s Mr. Olympia-winning potential. In a previous podcast, Samir suspected that Krizo’s posing abilities were holding him back from bringing his best. To remedy this issue, Bannout advised Krizo to seek out Frank Zane for some posing instructions. During his tenure, Zane was known for blending aesthetics and artistic posing on stage, which led to three Mr. Olympia titles.
Unlike last season, Krizo will have more time to prepare his body for the Mr. Olympia contest in Nov. Last month, Michal took first place at the 2023 Empro Classic Pro. This victory set him up with another invitation to the sport’s biggest event taking place later this year.
Fans look forward to seeing Krizo perform on the Mr. Olympia stage. As for Good Vito, Bannout is confident he’ll be back despite the knee injury.
RELATED: Samir Bannout Urges Big Ramy to Get Healthy & Backs Derek Lunsford as Most Dangerous at 2023 Mr. Olympia
You can watch the full Old School Labs Podcast below:
Published: 13 July, 2023 | 1:57 PM EDT
Jay Cutler Talks Nutrition: ‘My Appetite Is Through the Roof Without Using Heavy Anabolics’
Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler is back with another ‘Fit-for-50’ workout and health check-in. In a recent JayCutler TV YouTube video, Cutler opened up about his nutrition and shared a brutal arms-focused training session five weeks from his physique goal.
Competing mostly in the 2000s, Jay Cutler cemented himself as an all-time great with sheer willpower, tenacity, and some of the best legs in the IFBB Pro League. His attention to detail during training sessions paid dividends as he later became the man to dethrone eight-time Mr. Olympia titleholder, Ronnie Coleman. Cutler took second to Coleman four times before exacting his revenge.
Jay Cutler competed against the world’s best and remains the only bodybuilder from the Open to win back a Mr. Olympia title. He accomplished this historic feat after defeating Branch Warren and Dexter ‘The Blade’ Jackson at the 2009 Mr. Olympia show. Jay’s last Olympia contest came in 2013, where he finished sixth before announcing his retirement.
While he has no intentions of returning to compete, Jay Culter mapped out a physique transformation late last year. He’s been open with fans about the process, having shared workouts, physique updates, and even thoughts on his supplements and nutrition. In his latest ‘Fit-for-50’ update, Cutler showcased an impressive physique just seven weeks from his birthday.
Cutler has taken various measures to sculpt his body over the past few months. He’s made it clear that his goal is to get bigger and leaner at the same time. And he believes this can be accomplished mostly with nutrition. Jay said ‘keeping the metabolism guessing’ has always been key for getting in optimal shape. In his latest video, he walked fans through a brutal arms workout.
Jay Cutler Shows Off Arms Workout 5 Weeks from ‘Fit-for-50’ Goal
Check out Cutler’s workout below:
Seated Dip Machine – 4 sets
Rope /bar Triceps Pushdown – 4 sets
Lying French press w/barbell – 4 sets
One Arm Cable Tricep Extension – 4 sets
Atlantis Biceps Curl Machine – 4 sets
Preacher Curl Machine – 4 sets
Dumbbell Biceps Curl – 4 sets
Fat Grip Barbell Curls (22’s) – 4 sets
Kneeling Rope crunches – 4 sets
Power tower Leg Raises – 4 sets
Abdominals Machine – 4 sets
Cutler Sticking to 1 Hr 30 Min of Cardio Daily, Shares Sleep Schedule
Cutler said he’s aiming for an hour and a half of cardio per day. He also looked back on training in the middle of the night during his Olympia preps.
“So I did cardio last night at 3 was my last session. And that’s not good. So, basically, I’m going to do 30 minutes this morning and I’m going to do 30 minutes after training. I’m going to take you guys through another arm day because that seems to be everyone’s favorite day, arm training. So we’re Jay Walking right now, as you guys know, we love our Jay Walks right? I’m feeling good.
As you can see my mood is good. Only slept about four hours, I sleep mainly about five hours a night, everyone says you got to sleep more than that but honestly, that’s what I’ve been used to even when I was prepping. Many of you guys know from following the old videos, I used to train in the middle of the night. In a way, I did it as kind of a mind f to the other guys. Because they used to see me training in the DVDs and all that stuff. We didn’t have social media,” Jay Cutler shared.
Jay’s Typical Breakfast, Talks Greatest Challenges Before Turning 50
Cutler shared an average breakfast with fans. Then talked about the biggest obstacles he’s facing before turning 50.
“A couple whole eggs. The egg whites are from International Egg Whites Mac. I got a couple slices of Ezekiel raisin bread. I’m going to have a half a cup of low-fat cottage cheese. That much pineapple [few pieces]. And a cup of coffee, and I’m going to have a little I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. And that’s it..”
whole eggs
Ezekiel raisin bread
low-fat cottage cheese 1/2 cup
pineapple
coffee
margarin
According to Cutler, his toughest challenge is transforming his physique without the use of performance-enhancing drugs, other than testosterone replacement therapy.
“I’m doing this transformation – and I think I’m pretty good at what I did for 20 years. We still have people that try to tell me that, ‘This is what you need to do!’ No, just people are always giving opinions, you know. ‘This is what you need to do, this is how you need to look.’ You know what I say… the same thing I said when I was training for every Olympia.
I don’t think any Olympia ended exactly the same, right? It’s all circumstantial, it’s all trial and error. You think that – okay, this weight looks good, this amount of food you eat looks good, this amount of cardio, this is where I train harder, train less. There’s no formula that’s perfection because variables take place right? The body is the most complicated piece of machinery ever. So, it’s going to be reactive differently under different situations.”
“The biggest obstacle I have is training without all the extras, we know what we’re talking about. So, I’m in uncharted territory to carry muscle and get as lean as possible,” said Cutler. “My appetite is through the roof, that’s one thing I can tell you guys without using any heavy anabolics and stuff, my appetite is just crazy.”
Before ending the video, Cutler mentioned that he has avoided fat burners but may consider them at the four-week mark.
“I mentioned in the beginning of this video, I don’t necessarily take fat burners, although maybe the last few weeks. We’re at five weeks, so at four weeks I need to re-evaluate the body and say, okay, do I need to hustle? I felt like at seven weeks out I had a hustle, I’ve now upped the cardio to one hour and thirty minutes a day.”
This isn’t the first time Cutler has brought up anabolics. In a Cutler Cast Podcast, Cutler took issue with new-gen bodybuilders openly discussing steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. He believes talking publicly about the matter could end up hurting athletes down the road with other opportunities.
Whether it’s training for 20-inch arms or fasted cardio, Cutler is a valuable resource for the bodybuilding community. He hopes to display his best physique in 10 years in just over one month in celebration of his 50th birthday.
You can watch the full video from the JayCutlerTV YouTube channel below:
Published: 12 July, 2023 | 4:07 PM EDT
Michal Krizo Blitzes Through Triceps And Shoulders Workout
Bodybuilder Michal Krizo is keeping himself busy in the gym during the off-season. Having earned the qualification to the 2023 Olympia already, his singular focus now remains to get his physique ready for the grandest stage of bodybuilding. He recently went through a short triceps and posterior deltoid workout in the gym.
Michal ‘Krizo’ Krizanek is the foremost flagbearer of the Slovakian bodybuilding scene at the moment. The 33-year-old competed in the IFBB Elite Pro League until recently. However, he made the switch to NPC in late 2021 to kick off the Olympia campaign. This was one of the highly anticipated crossovers in recent times. Krizo’s insanely muscular physique and massive size created a lot of hype around his name.
Krizo earned the IFBB Pro card with a dominant win at the 2022 Amateur Olympia Italy. Admittedly, he did not beat the most elite competition. However, the Slovak made a quick turnaround and competed at the 2022 EVLS Prague Pro.
He registered a win and also got a direct invitation to the 2022 Mr. Olympia. But the chinks in Krizo’s armor showed up at this point. His conditioning was nowhere near what it should be for an elite Olympia challenger. But Krizo brought an improved physique to the Olympia stage. However, it wasn’t enough to break through the higher ranks and he placed 12th at the 2022 Olympia.
Krizo last competed at the 2023 Empro Classic Pro Spain and emerged victorious, earning a direct qualification to the 2023 Olympia. He is now in the off-season before starting the Olympia prep.
Michal Krizo trains triceps and posterior deltoids in the gym
After winning the Empro Classic Pro in June, Krizo is taking a step back to allow his body to rest well. He will continue to put in light work until the end of July. Starting in August, he will be on a strict diet to get ready for the 2023 Olympia. The triceps and shoulder training session aimed at keeping his body active and ready for action until it’s time to switch the gear.
Triceps Dip Press
Krizo kicked off the training session with a few sets of triceps dip presses. It is a machine variation of regular bodyweight dip. It helps adjust the resistance above or below the resistance offered in a bodyweight dip.
The 2023 Empro Classic Pro winner pushed through a few solid sets of the exercise with controlled and slow motion. He then took to another triceps movement.
Cable Triceps Pushdown
One of the most effective and simple ways of working all three heads of the triceps, cable triceps pushdown is a widely used exercise around the world.
Krizo performed a few sets of pushdowns using straight handle attachment and jumped into the only posterior delt exercise of the day.
Reverse Pec Deck Flyes
Posterior deltoid is a relatively small muscle. It gets activated during many back exercises. However, it is essential to directly target it with specific movements. Krizo performed reverse pec deck flyes to stimulate the posterior deltoids and wrapped up the training session.
Overall, the workout included:
Michal Krizo has fixed a glaring flaw in his physique – conditioning. He achieved this through significant changes to the diet and cardio. It remains to be seen if the improvements made over the next few months will be enough to break into the top echelons of the Men’s Open division.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Michal Krizo’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 11 July, 2023 | 11:08 PM EDT
Frank Zane Discusses Competing vs Sergio Oliva & Longevity Tips: “Don’t Stay Peaked”
Bodybuilding legend Frank Zane still inspires fans at 81 years old. In a recent YouTube video on Mike O’Hearn’s channel, Zane looked back on competing against Sergio Oliva in 1967 at the Mr. Universe. In addition, he opened up about his best tips for longevity, where he advocated against peaking for long periods of time.
Zane, one of the most iconic bodybuilders of the golden era during the 1960s and 70s, cultivated a strong mental game en route to becoming a three-time Mr. Olympia champion. His unique ability to utilize meditation, visualization, and positive affirmations no doubt assisted him along his journey as a Pro.
Nicknamed ‘The Chemist,’ Zane is celebrated for his calculated approach to the sport. He left nothing to chance in his quest for a perfect physique. From muscle development, skin tone, posing, and workout routines, Zane developed a remarkable body that combined elements of artistry and hard work. During his storied career, Zane went toe-to-toe against legends such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robby Robinson, and Franco Columbo.
While building a successful legacy, Zane maintained low body fat and exceptional conditioning. In an appearance on The Menace Podcast, Zane told Dennis James that he used a low-carb diet year-round during his prime. Additionally, Zane said that he preferred to use sunbathing as a natural diuretic.
In retirement, Zane still offers the bodybuilding community a helping hand from time to time. He recently guided fans who were looking for useful stretching and recovery strategies. In a previous meeting with Mike O’Hearn, Zane also shared some uncommon exercises he used to fuel his Mr. Olympia title reign. Now, he’s back to discuss his career with O’Hearn.
3x Mr. Olympia Frank Zane Looks Back on Career, Competing vs Sergio Oliva: “He Blew Everybody’s Mind”
According to Frank Zane, at 81 years old, ‘all you have left’ is pictures because ‘the body fades.’
“You know that’s all you have [is pictures] in the end. That’s all you have because the body fades. You can hold on. You’re what Mike, 52?” asks Frank Zane.
“Yeah, 53,” O’Hearn said.
“Well, you’re doing good for that age. I was in decent shape in my early 50s too. But the older you get the harder it gets. The less motivated I was to keep doing it because there’s no good reason to keep up keep doing this.
Zane underlined that he modeled his career after the late Bill Pearl. His last competition came in 1983 at the NABBA Mr. Universe.
“My last show I think I was 41, 1983. I sort of looked at Bill Pearl’s career and the way he did things, his last competition he was 41, the NABBA Universe, I was actually in that against him. And of course, I always had my complaints about him because he was always smooth he was never really cut. He knew how to work that. He did that really well,” said Frank Zane.
In another blast from the past, Frank remembered losing to Sergio Oliva at the 1967 Mr. Universe, a show he said he wasn’t quite ready for. Oliva told him that he would one day win the sport’s top title, which later came true.
“That reminds me of a ’67 Mr. Universe contest in Montreal. I went up there. You know I really wasn’t ready for it to tell you the truth. I was saving for you know for a little bit into the future. And Sergio shows up at the last minute and he just psyched everybody out. And he was in shape too of course. But he just blew everybody’s mind. He looked incredible.”
“Oh, I knew what he had looked like. I had seen him before. I was friends with Sergio. He told me, he says, how do I put it, he says, ‘You’re going to win one of the top titles because you know how to do.’ You know how to do, you know, how to pose and all that stuff. So, I put a great deal of stock into that.
Zane Gives Crucial Tip for Longevity: “Don’t Stay Peaked, Stay Less Than Your Best”
Zane’s best piece of advice for athletes aiming for a long and healthy life is not to stay peaked for an extended period of time. As time passed, Zane realized he could only peak at his best one time a year.
“Yeah, I don’t get sick,” said Zane. “I always had this in mind, basically, don’t stay peaked. Stay less than your best. Always stay under. I always looked at the 94% number.”
“If you’re climbing Mt. Everest, you don’t stay up there do you? You can’t stay up there. You come down to base camp. You can live in base camp but you can’t live at the top. It’s too much sacrifice to keep doing that. You know what you have to do with the dieting and mental framework, you’re not meant to do that.”
“I always put in the work, it wasn’t like things came naturally to me. I always did the work,” said Zane. “It’s what sustains you. The thing is, I realized that I could only peak one time a year. Even doing it twice was too much. One time a year in the Autumn. I looked at it this way.
Frank doesn’t believe it’s healthy to sustain low levels of body fat for months or years at a time. Zane also mentioned that it was natural for him to peak in July, August, and September since those months were close to his birthday.
“I was born late June, so my periods of most growth in my life were July, August, September and that paralleled my competitive career. I was always in shape in the fall. That’s what was natural for me. If I tried to do more than that I wasn’t as good. Some of that is physical, a lot of it is mental,” explained Frank Zane.
“Don’t spend it all,” said Zane. “Don’t stay peaked. To be peaked, you have all this gold: if you want to stay deep, you have to keep spending it spending it spending it, you’re going to run out. You got to save some. Keep some in reserve.”
Before wrapping up the discussion, Zane told O’Hearn that bodybuilders need to achieve a ‘great unveil’ to find succes. He believes athletes hinder their chances on stage by offering fans consistent looks at their physiques before contests.
“Yeah, I never exposed myself in the gym. Well, you know, it’s like the great unveil. You don’t walk around that way. The whole thing about it is you have to shock people. When you go into the show, the unveiling should be exactly that, they should be astonished you look so good. The way you do that, is you don’t give it away ahead of time. You don’t do all this publicity where you’re posing in public where everyone sees you and knows what to expect.”
This isn’t the first time Frank Zane has taken a closer look at bodybuilders competing today. In January, the former three-time Mr. Olympia warned that competitors who rush to gain extra weight will ruin their symmetry and proportions in the long run. He also specified that building mass in extremities like the forearms and calves can help a body look more symmetrical.
There’s no denying that Sergio Oliva was a dominant force on stage. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger has looked back on competing against Sergio Olvia, and he described him as the toughest foe of his entire career.
RELATED: 8x Mr. Olympia Lee Haney Talks Dorian Yates Rivalry and The Longevity of Frank Zane
You can watch the full video on Mike O’Hearn’s YouTube channel below:
Published: 11 July, 2023 | 7:16 PM EDT
Nick Walker on Track for 2023 Mr. Olympia: “My Quads Have Grown Quickly In a Short Amount of Time”
Nick Walker is gearing up for contest prep ahead of this year’s Mr. Olympia competition, taking place Nov. 2-5 in Orlando, Florida. In a recent Mutant and the Mouth Podcast, Walker received advice on his front double biceps pose from Jose Raymond and discussed his quad growth over the last several weeks.
Last December, Walker witnessed a seismic shift first-hand in the Open class as the former champion, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was knocked off his throne by Hadi Choopan. Walker took third and the Olympia People’s Champ Award while his rival, Derek Lunsford, took silver in a nail-biter finale.
Walker used the momentum from Las Vegas at the 2023 Arnold Classic show in March. He battled with finalists Andrew Jacked and Samson Dauda for the second most prestigious title in the sport as well as a $300,000 check. In what many deemed controversial, Dauda was awarded first place and Walker finished runner-up. Dauda’s win sparked debates online and even got the attention of athletes rep Bob Cicherillo.
Cicherillo has gone on record sharing insight on how to judge contests. In addition, he laid out why Samson defeated Walker in Columbus, Ohio. Cicherillo contends that Dauda presented a better combination of factors such as shape, symmetry, proportions, and balance. Walker has been open about his future plans. He intends to show up this year on the Mr. Olympia stage and win the show.
Walker connected with Jose Raymond in his latest undertaking. Raymond led a successful 212 bodybuilding career. During Jose’s tenure, he won several Pro shows and pushed himself against greats of his category like seven-time 212 Olympia Flex Lewis and Hidetada Yamagishi, who is currently in preparations for the upcoming Masters Olympia contest.
Nick Walker Takes Posing Advice from 212 Veteran Jose Raymond, Talks 2023 Mr. Olympia + Quads
Jose Raymond asked Walker how he planned to hit his front double biceps pose moving forward. He believes when Walker opens up more as opposed to crunching and performs a vacuum pose, his waist is slimmer and he has a more impressive v-taper.
“Are you going to implement that front double with more of a vacuum as opposed to crunching down? Do you intend to master that pose? Do you like the ab crunch better, do you think it looked better… I know that it was – it made a big change in your physique when you hit the Arnold and won the Arnold and did that. But I just wonder, because I know when you do open up and do it, you look gigantic. Absolutely. It changes the flow of your physique. There’s more taper,” said Jose Raymond.
“When I did that before, the more [open front double] at North Americans before I turned Pro. You know, I know it makes my waist look smaller and everything a little wider but I was told it makes my legs look shorter. That’s why I went with the crunch,” replied Walker.
Walker seemed receptive to the new changes and Raymond mentioned it would give him comparable shape to Derek Lunsford.
“Yeah, that’s something [vacuum poses] I need to work on to get the feeling down of it,” Walker added.
“I think if you master that pose, you will have a size and shape not unlike Lunsford with how it just opens up, it’s so crazy,” said Raymond.
Before his efforts ramp up for the contest, Walker is taking a break from all stimulants including coffee.
“I haven’t even drank coffee in like three to four weeks, I’ve taken a full break from any type of stim,” said Walker. “Nothing. I haven’t had it. I’ve noticed I sleep better.”
“I would only do one [cup of coffee]. I’d go to Starbucks. Like a normal day, not now – because I have cardio at the house but I’d normally drive to the gym up the street. Do cardio, then right after drive to the Starbucks drive-thru and get a Venti Cold Brew.
Then I’d come home and mix like the pump products with the stim products together as a pre-workout but I haven’t done any of that for like four weeks. Yeah [I’m going to go back to it]. Once I’m deep into prep and tired and need a little pick me up I’ll start adding those back in again. But I do feel like every once in a while, you need a break.”
For his latest Olympia campaign, Walker specified that he developed better mind-muscle connection by using a full range of motion on movements like the incline dumbbell press.
“You have to be very intuned with this type of training like you have to – pay very close attention to it. I also think me training less volume is – I just feel like I’m so intuned with how much I can connect with the muscle that I don’t need to do three or four or five sets for an exercise.
I like to go where I feel I have the most pump within whatever that exercise I’m doing. Get the most out of it and move on. I just, I feel like when you’re able to connect so well with the muscle you can certainly get away without doing so much volume over time,” said Nick Walker. “No, for today, I did incline dumbbell. I’ve been working on full full full range of motion which is something Jared did teach me. I wasn’t doing full range.”
“The more frequently I’m able to hit a body part, I grow faster. I’ve found my quads have grown very quickly in a short amount of time so I kind of want to keep that going,” said Nick Walker. “No I don’t think so [they won’t be flat].”
Prime Shaun Clarida versus Prime Flex Lewis?
While Clarida is one of the freakiest bodybuilders Walker has ever seen, he’s unsure how he’d fare against a prime Flex Lewis. Raymond, on the other hand, believes Lewis would overwhelm Clarida with size and shape.
“Listen, Shaun in person is… it’s freaky as fuck. Because now, every – the week before the Olympia we pretty much stay together. I see how his body changes… by the day. It’s insane. It’s incredible. It really is.”
“Who would win peak Shaun or peak Flex Lewis? asks Jose Raymond.
“That’s a really good question. I plead the fifth,” said Walker.
“I’m going to go with Flex, and I’ll say this, I’m going with Flex because of the simple fact that they both have a lot of factors that go into it and both I can argue, I can argue Flex and I can argue Shaun. However at the end of the day if they’re both 100%, Flex is that much bigger, period,” Guy Cisternino said.
“Yeah. I will say though, Shaun almost beat Big Ramy,” added Walker.
Looking ahead to the next Mr. Olympia, Nick Walker has been open and honest about his competition. In late June, he appeared in an HD Muscle video and doubted the potential of Big Ramy, Andrew Jacked, Regan Grimes, and Samson Dauda.
Walker has publicly stated that Hadi Choopan will not successfully defend his title later this year. He believes the finals will see either himself or Derek Lunsford taking gold. Veterans of the sport have placed their bets as well. Eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman predicts Lunsford will become the next champion in Nov.
With the right balance of freak factor, mass, and conditioning, many believe Walker to be a future Mr. Olympia winner. Time will tell if he’s able to secure the prestigious title this year, but he’s more confident than ever as he inches closer to the show.
RELATED: Nick Walker Gets Pushback on Transformation: ‘Look How Much HGH Has Enlarged His Organs’
You can watch the full video from The Mutant and the Mouth YouTube channel below:
Published: 11 July, 2023 | 2:50 PM EDT
Chris Bumstead’s Arm-Blasting Training Regimen for Massive Gains in the 2023 Off-Season
Chris Bumstead is building ‘joocy’ arms this season. The Classic Physique Olympia champion is gearing up for the 2023 Olympia prep and recently posted an intense arms workout on YouTube.
Bumstead is arguably the most famous active bodybuilder in the world right now. He competes in the IFBB Pro League’s Classic Physique division. The Canadian bodybuilder has become the most successful competitor in the division’s history with four Olympia wins to his record. After becoming the Classic Physique Olympia champion in 2019, CBum has defended the title successfully at the 2020, 2021 and the 2022 Olympia.
A living example of discipline and undeterred focus, Bumstead has achieved this feat in spite of several adversities. He suffered a knee injury heading into the 2022 Olympia prep and also pushed through a quad injury. Last minute coaching changes did not make his path easier either. However, under the tutelage of new head coach Hany Rambod, Bumstead achieved the desired results.
After the event concluded, the 28-year-old revealed that he entered the 2022 Olympia with a torn bicep. After recovering fully from the injury, he is now increasing the intensity in his training.
Recently, Bumstead went through an arms workout and posted the video of this training session on his YouTube channel. So let’s delve into the world of Classic Physique bodybuilding and see how Bumstead builds his massive arms.
Chris Bumstead pushes through an arms workout in the gym
Superset – Banded Cable Triceps Pushdown and Overhead Cable Triceps Extensions
Triceps pushdowns are a great way to train the triceps and also warm up the elbow joint. Therefore they make for an excellent first exercise on arms day. Chris Bumstead superset this movement with overhead triceps extensions, which work the triceps from a stretched position and target the long head of the triceps.
Chris Bumstead used banded attachment for both exercises initially and then switched to the rope attachment. He cranked out solid sets within the superset to start on a high note.
Smith Machine JM Press With Slight Incline
JM Press is an arms exercise that can be best described as part skull crusher and part close-grip bench press. Bumstead slightly modified the form and did the exercise on a slightly inclined bench using Smith Machine. According to him, this is one of the exercises where he can use a decent amount of load without stressing the shoulders. The Canadian bodybuilder got a few sets of the movement under the belt and took to an isolation movement next.
Dumbbell Curls
The Classic Physique Olympia champion worked the biceps next with dumbbell curls. This isolation movement primarily targets the biceps brachii muscles. CBum cranked out a few sets of the movement to build massive biceps and jumped into a superset next.
Superset – Preacher Curls and Spider Curls
Supersets are a great way to increase the aerobic intensity of the workout and get more work done in a shorter amount of time. Chris Bumstead performed preacher curls next. It is arguably the best bicep isolation movement. Since triceps are firmly against the pads and the shoulder is neatly tucked in, biceps lift the weight totally unassisted resulting in strength and muscle gain.
CBum superset this exercise with spider curls. Variety in exercise selection is an important factor for complete growth in terms of muscle mass and strength gain. Spider curls belong to the category of exercises that offer great variety. They target the short head of biceps. After doing all the sets within this superset with short rest periods, Bumstead shifted his focus to working triceps.
Cross Cable Triceps Extensions
Full elbow flexion and stability in the shoulder joint are the two most important criteria for triceps activation. Cross cable triceps extensions are perfect to achieve both and hence they are an excellent way to build triceps strength and size. Bumstead annihilated some solid sets of the exercise and took to a forearm-focused isolation exercise next.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls
Hammer curls primarily target the brachialis and Brachioradialis muscles in the arms. As a result, it is a great option for those looking to build massive and strong forearms and biceps. CBum pushed through a few sets of hammer curls and took to the final exercise of the day.
Reverse Grip EZ Bar Curls
CBum rounded off the training session with reverse grip EZ bar curls. Similar to hammer curls, this isolation exercise also works the brachialis and Brachioradialis muscles in the arms. However, it is best performed with moderate weights to prevent forearm/wrist injuries.
Bumstead put up with a few hard sets of the exercise and called it a day in the gym.
Overall, the workout included:
CBum answers fan questions
In between exercises, Chris Bumstead answered some popular fan questions pitched to him. One of the fans requested to give his take on the Tren Twins. CBum stated that he watched the influencers and shared his opinion on PED use in the bodybuilding industry:
“Regardless of the use of PEDs in the industry that’s blatantly obvious, I don’t like promoting it or using it at the forefront. I truly believe that as I have lowered it and focused more on more important (things) like training and nutrition, I’ve become a much better bodybuilder. So that’s what I try and preach. So I don’t really appreciate people preaching drugs to the community,” Bumstead stated.
Having said that, CBum agrees that the Tren twins are characters played to entertain people. He feels that they’re not necessarily trying to promote PED use in any way.
CBum is fascinated by ‘cocky’ athletes
When asked if he has seen the Conor McGregor and Shaq documentary on a popular OTT platform, Bumstead shared his opinion on some of the outspoken but elite athletes and said:
“There’s always something about those arrogant little dudes that people just love to watch. Like Michael Jordan… Unless people just love to hate him and he was cocky… But he was the GOAT and he backed it up and people just love to watch that. I’m fascinated by it because it’s far polar opposite of my personality trait. But something to admire that they just don’t give a s**t about what people think about them.”
Bumstead is set to go after his fifth consecutive Classic Physique Olympia win in 2023. If we know anything about the reigning champion, he is not the one to be stopped by adversities. It will be interesting to see how the division levels up at 2023 Olympia to present a formidable challenge to the champion.
You can watch the full workout video here, courtesy of Chris Bumstead’s personal YouTube channel:
Published: 11 July, 2023 | 11:37 AM EDT
Derek Lunsford Shares Full Day of Eating + Supplements 4 Months from 2023 Mr. Olympia
Derek Lunsford, a former 212 Olympia champion, is turning up the intensity with 17 weeks until his next competition. In a YouTube video, Lunsford shared a full day of eating and discussed the cardio training strategies he recently implemented from his coach Hany Rambod.
“The cleaner the diet, the better. Mentally, I don’t think it helps mentally, if anything you’re going to be craving more sweet stuff or more food, or you’re just going to want to fall off the plan,” Lunsford explained.
If anyone has learned the importance of capturing a moment on stage, it’s Derek Lunsford. Last May, he single-handedly asserted himself in the Open class discussion with an explosive guest posing appearance. He posed alongside top-tier talent at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro such as Nick Walker, former Olympia Brandon Curry, Hunter Labrada, and Quinton Eriya.
Instead of residing in the 212 to collect titles as Flex Lewis did, Lunsford accepted a special invite to compete in the Open Mr. Olympia last year. Lunsford’s arrival in the category was a big moment for the sport. When he first stepped on stage, the crowd watching gasped as Lunsford hit an iconic front relaxed pose.
In a turn of events, the former champion, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay was removed from his throne. Lunsford fought Nick Walker and Hadi Choopan in the finals. And while the contest was considered very close, his teammate, Choopan, secured the win. With a sterling debut in the Open class, fans, and even Lunsford’s rivals, believe it’s only a matter of time before he claims a Mr. Olympia title.
Lunsford opted to forgo March’s Arnold Classic in favor of making improvements to his physique. His last appearance was at this year’s 2023 Pittsburgh Pro guest posing event, where he stood alongside a crop of title contenders such as Samson Dauda, Walker, Big Ramy, Shaun Clarida, and Labrada. Now, with less than four months until the biggest show of the year, Lunsford is sharing his latest prep diet/supplementation.
Derek Lunsford Sticks to 5 Whole Food Meals and Protein Shakes to Fuel His 2023 Mr. Olympia Prep
Below, you can find the common food plan Lunsford sticks to on a daily basis.
“I don’t just eat like for your body, for your mind. I feel it’s obvious that adding extra condiments and sweeteners is not necessary to result in a better physique. That’s pretty obvious, people can argue it but I just don’t believe it.”
Meal 1
250 grams egg whites
3 oz of chicken
100 grams of oats
EVOGEN Greens
Meal 2
steak
white rice
EVOGEN shake
Meal 3
chicken
white rice (cup and a half)
hot sauce
EVOGEN GDA (for digestion)
Post-workout
Smores post-workout protein shake
EVOGEN Carnigex
Meal 4
chicken
white rice (cup and a half)
hot sauce
EVOGEN GDA (for digestion)
Meal 5
steak or preferably salmon (for Omega 3 fatty acids)
white rice
Cardio Update, Derek says Hany Rambod Wants Him Walking 5x Per Week for 20-25 min
Before wrapping up his meals for the day, Lunsford opened up about his cardio and possible workout collaborations with Samson Dauda and Nick Walker.
“Yeah, the cardio that we’re doing. We talked a couple days ago. The cardio he wants me doing right now is five days a week basically. Just go for a walk, 20-25 minutes. I figure, you know what, if I’m not going to be on a treadmill or machine cardio, my pace probably won’t be quite as fast. I’m not trying to slow down or anything like that.
But when you’re on the machine you can make sure you’re going at a certain speed and keeping a certain heart rate when you’re walking freely like this, unless you have a Fitbit or an Apple Watch tracking your heart rate, it’s a little harder to gauge exactly what your heart rate is. As long as you’re going at a fairly decent pace and you can feel your heart rate coming up,” Derek Lunsford said.
Since Lunsford has shared training sessions with ‘The Mutant’ and Dauda in the past, he figures he may run it back with them soon.
“That’s a good idea [I should reach out and train with Nick Walker]. I haven’t trained with him in a while actually. Then, we just did the Olympia battle with Samson so, I don’t know, maybe if he’s available I’ll hit him up.”
Oftentimes, fans see their favorite bodybuilders on stage but forget about the daily sacrifices they endured along the way to step on stage. Lunsford has been open about some of those obstacles. In a deep interview with his coach Hany Rambod on The Truth Podcast, Lunsford touched on how he’s been dealing with anxiety and depression throughout his latest season. He emphasized that balancing his personal and professional duties has been the biggest challenge.
With eyes shifting to the 2023 Mr. Olympia show taking place in November, bodybuilding veterans are beginning to talk about possible favorites. If you asked eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman who the next champion will be, he’d say Derek Lunsford. Not only that but ‘The King’ has stated that his favorite bodybuilder of this generation is Lunsford.
As for Nick Walker, he’s not sold on Hadi Choopan’s dominance. He recently said that the next title will be decided following a battle between himself and Lunsford. Another former Arnold Classic champion, William Bonac, disagrees with Walker. He says Hadi Choopan will likely retain his title later this year.
With Lunsford’s commitment and discipline to his craft, it’s hard to imagine he won’t bring an improved look to the upcoming show. There is still plenty of time for other athletes to qualify, but many are in agreement that Lunsford is one of the biggest threats heading into Florida in Nov.
READ MORE:
Watch the full video on Derek Lunsford’s YouTube channel below:
Published: 10 July, 2023 | 12:03 PM EDT
Chris Cormier & Olympia Judge List Best Backs & Legs in Bodybuilding History
Bodybuilding veteran Chris Cormier has found a place as a respected analyst since moving on from professional competition. He amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience stemming from his decades of work in the sport. In a recent episode of Prime Time Muscle, Cormier and Olympia judge Terrick El Guindy listed the best backs and legs in bodybuilding history.
Chris Cormier first gained attention for his massive muscle mass, size, and conditioning in the Men’s Open division in the 90s. He placed fourth at the 1994 Arnold Classic and turned in a strong performance to get a sixth-place finish in his Mr. Olympia debut in 1994. While he did not win the contest, Cormier was a consistent top-eight finisher and scored two bronze medals. He hung up his posing trunks after a final outing at the 2007 Montreal Pro Classic.
Earlier this year, Cormier heaped praises on 2022 Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan for his insane consistency in the last five years. He believes Choopan is one of the hardest-working athletes and could defend the title successfully with his refined conditioning and posing abilities.
El Guindy and Cormier made the case against the need to get glute implants and injections in bodybuilding as it could create imbalances, which would result in docked points. The pair broke down the immensely successful careers of the two winningest athletes in bodybuilding, Dexter Jackson and Ashley Kaltwasser three months ago. Cormier ranked Jackson’s resume at the top due to the fierce competition he went up against in fewer shows than available today.
Cormier extended his support for budding Open contender Michal Krizo to become a major force in the near future two months ago. Based on Krizo’s raw look, Cormier is convinced he could be a title contender if he continued to improve at a decent rate.
Last month, Cormier lauded reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead for his immense success and analyzed his chances in the Open class. He argued Bumstead could battle it out in some poses and warranted a special invite to compete in the Open Olympia.
Chris Cormier picked the arms of Robby Robinson as the greatest ever along with his crazy biceps peak while El Guindy favored the arms of seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath last month.
Chris Cormier & Olympia Judge List Best Backs in Bodybuilding History
In a recent YouTube video, Chris Cormier and Terrick El Guindy shared their thoughts on the competitors who had the best back muscle development of all time. The duo agreed on former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout having the best back, ahead of legendary bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates, and Phil Heath.
“If you’re going to go with the best backs, I’d say the ‘Lion of Lebanon.’ When I started competing, he was the Mr. Olympia at the time,” said Cormier. “It was 1983, he won the Olympia and I didn’t think it was real because being a teenager. You’re looking at all the striations, the Christmas tree so deep all across the lats.
“Ali Malla was another one who had an awesome back from back in the day, the back double bicep along with that, every shot from the back looked like it was pasted on, like Plato actually pasted on. I didn’t think those triceps were real because I didn’t know that you can get those little lines.”
“Then you gotta go with Lee Haney. He also had a magnificent back, him and Dorian Yates. Robby Robinson had the back double not so much the last bit but the back double. Flex Wheeler had a crazy back double bicep. Then, there was also Ronnie Coleman. You can not ever speak about this without Ronnie Coleman.”
El Guindy said, “Ronnie Coleman 1999 back double biceps and back lat spread, Dorian Yates 1993 back double biceps and back lat spread, Mohammed Benaziza 1991 Night of Champions, black lat spread and very thick on the back double bicep. Let’s mention guys that didn’t win shows, didn’t become legends, such as Joel Stubbs, he had an incredible back double bicep. In terms of quality, it’s hard to beat Samir Bannout.
“Let’s not forget about one of the guys that people don’t appreciate, stop right now and start appreciating Phil Heath. Phil Heath 2013 back double biceps might be one of the prettiest things you’ve ever seen.”
Cormier & El Guindy on Best Legs Ever
‘The Real Deal’ and El Guindy gave their takes on the competitors who brought the best legs in the history of bodybuilding. They agreed on ‘The Quadfather’ leading the list with Cormier in the mix as well.
El Guindy said, “With back you can go many directions but with legs only one; big, shredded, massive, dense, and it hasn’t gotten better. It’s the only guy in the world with those legs, Tom Platz. Paul De Mayo possibly second, Chris Cormier, and then you got Branch Warren had legs for days.
“2013 Big Ramy’s legs with all that separation, incredible. 2022 Big Ramy without the separation not incredible,” he continued. “Tom Platz is number one for me. Maybe Chris tied with Paul De Mayo and Branch Warren but they were different styles of legs.”
El Guindy added Coleman but Cormier did not agree. They believe there is no clear contender with massive legs in contemporary bodybuilding.
“I’m also going to say Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath. One time I saw Phil Heath guest posing in Los Angeles and his legs looked massive.”
“Renel Janvier had the glutes, quads, fibers all over,” said Cormier. “You didn’t have to say Ronnie Coleman because he started out with some of the smallest legs in the sport and ended with some of the biggest legs in the sport. Dorian had big legs in certain poses, not all around. He had the calves obviously., It wasn’t just the quads, it was overall density of the leg and his whole body, the back, the whole shot was just crazy.”
El Guindy added, “I’d like to see more legs from Nick Walker. That’s one of the things. Nick Walker is known for his muscularity on top. He needs more flaring quads to minimize the waist. At this point in this generation, we don’t have anybody specific that we go has wow huge legs.”
Two weeks ago, Chris Cormier and El Guindy backed rising Open sensation Andrew Jacked’s chances at dominating the sport for the next few years. They identified 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda as the biggest threat standing on Jacked’s way to glory.
You can watch the full video below.
Published: 9 July, 2023 | 12:09 PM EDT
Flex Wheeler on Getting Bigger: ‘If Your Frame Can’t Handle It, It’s A Big Mistake’
Kenneth ‘Flex’ Wheeler is a major inspiration for bodybuilders, having cemented a legendary career during the 1990s and 2000s. In a recent Olympia TV video, Wheeler and Bob Cicherillo discussed a few topics like athletes hanging around too long, and chasing size unnecessarily.
Wheeler is widely regarded as one of the best bodybuilders to ever compete despite a lack of Mr. Olympia titles. He’s a four-time Arnold Classic winner and brought an unparalleled level of detail, proportions, and aesthetics to the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open division. In addition to his round muscle bellies and slim waist, Wheeler bested some great competitors in his prime, such as Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, and Chris Cormier.
Looking back on his career, even Ronnie Coleman admits he wouldn’t be where he is today had it not been for Wheeler. Coleman has appeared in interviews and explained that Wheeler introduced him to his long-time trainer, Chad Nicholls. In the years that would follow, Coleman became a dominant eight-time Mr. Olympia titleholder whose size was chased by the entire division.
Wheeler has been open with fans about his on-stage battles with Coleman. In an interview with Jay Cutler on the Cutler Cast Podcast, Wheeler reflected on his second-place finish to Coleman in 1998. In hindsight, Wheeler said he was ‘green’ back then, and could have done more both in terms of nutrition and training.
In his latest undertaking, Wheeler joined Bob Cicherillo to discuss athletes who delay retirements. In addition, they examined competitors who are obsessed with adding size at the cost of their physiques.
Flex Wheeler, Bob Cicherillo Answer Why Bodybuilders Delay Retirement: “We Are Extreme Athletes”
Flex accepts that he didn’t retire on top and mentioned that he wasn’t looking for an ‘exit strategy’ during the prime years of his career.
“You know, unfortunately, I didn’t get there yet. I felt that I achieved one of my best ever in 1999 at the English Grand Prix. Then, you know, it didn’t go well because I started getting sick. I still was like in a developing stage that I thought I had more in the tank and when I got sick that just changed everything and it changed my ability to compete.
I wasn’t even looking at an exit strategy. Look at Ronnie, Ronnie existed a lot longer after I left. I was looking like I had at least that much time that they did. I wasn’t even thinking about it. I was thinking about I have a third gear to get to and I’m only in second gear,” said Flex Wheeler.
According to Cicherillo, many athletes stick around too long, such as Ronnie Coleman. Seldom do bodybuilders retire on top, like Lee Haney or Lee Priest did.
“I think Ronnie hung out one show too long, you know, Dave I think honestly hung out one show too long, to me, the perfect scenario is you get to write your own story,” added Cicherillo. “We don’t see that a lot. We don’t see a lot of people that write their own ticket off. Yeah, Lee Haney. We haven’t seen that in years.”
“You know, Bob I think it’s because we’re extreme athletes. You look at someone great like Muhammad Ali, you look at that belief, you still have it until someone comes along and proves you don’t. You still believe that. You look at every great. You look at the great Michael Jordan, he came back after going to baseball, he thought he had game going to baseball, it was like nah, this game changed you ain’t no good at baseball. Then, when he came back to basketball, you had Kobe, the younger version of him,” explained Wheeler.
Wheeler & Cicherillo Talk Bodybuilders Being Obsessed with Size & Getting Bigger
Wheeler believes athletes are over-concerned with size and adding tissue instead of focusing on getting better. He said most young competitors nowadays would benefit from losing 15 pounds.
“It’s dysmorphia, especially in our sport, a distorted vision is what I called it and I had it. I never thought I was big enough, I always wanted to put on more size. But it’s not putting on more size, it’s getting better. And bigger doesn’t always mean better, sometimes better is just better.”
“In our sport, it’s probably one of the worst examples that we always feel that we have to get bigger, especially when we turn pro, oh I got to compete with the big boys I better get bigger. That’s always a mistake, especially if your frame can’t handle it.”
“I would almost argue if young men lost 15 pounds of muscle he’d be a more competitive bodybuilder and a more dangerous bodybuilder too,” added Wheeler.
This isn’t the first time that Flex Wheeler has cautioned athletes about adding size. Last year, before the 2022 Mr. Olympia show, Wheeler told Wiliam Bonac to avoid chasing the champion, Mamdouh ‘Big Ramy’ Elssbiay’s muscularity as it could ultimately work against him. In the end, the last Mr. Olympia contest was determined mostly by the conditioning and balance of Hadi Choopan‘s physique.
And it’s not just Wheeler who is calling for less size in the Open. In April, bodybuilding veteran Tony Pearson joined The Menace Podcast to discuss the role of size in Men’s Bodybuilding. He believes it’s not about size and argued the category should focus more on the lines of a given physique.
While size obviously factors into the upper echelons of the Men’s Open, Flex Wheeler is confident most athletes could find success 15 pounds lighter. He continues to stress that bigger isn’t always better in the world of bodybuilding.
RELATED: 57-yo Flex Wheeler Inspires With Leg Press Workout Using Prosthetic Leg
You can watch the full video from the Olympia TV YouTube channel below:
Published: 8 July, 2023 | 2:58 PM EDT
Chris Bumstead Reveals The ‘Most Toxic’ Steroid He Stays Away From
Canadian bodybuilder Chris Bumstead is arguably the most popular competitor of any division in the modern era. The young powerhouse has cemented his place in the history books with four Classic Physique Olympia wins in a row. In a recent interview with Chris Williamson, Bumstead revealed the ‘most toxic’ steroid he stays away from and plans to retire if his PED use begins to adversely affect his health.
Chris Bumstead first made a name for himself with his impressive muscle mass, symmetry, and proportions in the Classic Physique category in 2017. His potential was evident from the start as he took silver in his Mr. Olympia debut. After placing second again to former two-time champion Breon Ansley, Bumstead finally secured the coveted first-place trophy at the 2019 Mr. Olympia. He has fended off rising contenders with his latest victory coming at the 2022 Mr. Olympia.
Bumstead opened up on the challenges that come with being a dominant champion earlier this year. He admitted feeling a lot of pressure from the high expectations he set for himself during his early days of competition. While he intends to add the fifth title under his belt, Bumstead plans to listen to his health and body first and foremost.
Courtney King with Chris Bumstead / Instagram
‘CBum’ revealed his trainer Hany Rambod is focused on bringing a leaner Bumstead to the 2023 Mr. Olympia three months ago. He shared that Chris would usually get up to 265 pounds in the off-season but planned to cap it at 255-258 pounds this year based on his mentor’s advice.
Bumstead detailed his split with former coach and Men’s Open competitor Iain Valliere two months ago. He credited Valliere for helping him stay injury-free and for not having him use copious amounts of gear. He’s turning up the intensity in training and believes he’s in better shape than ever before looking ahead.
Chris Bumstead gave fans a look into the private gym he’s developing at his home last month. He also cut down to four meals a day instead of six. He crushed a heavy legs workout for muscle growth as well. Then, Bumstead offered a back workout regimen for maximizing gains in the off-season.
Chris Bumstead Will Leave the Sport if His Health Faltered
Chris Bumstead With Coach Hany Rambod
In a recent YouTube video, Chris Bumstead opened up on dealing with the health risks associated with PED (performance-enhancing drug) usage.
“If you’re a bodybuilder and you don’t worry about that, you’re either stupid or lying to be completely honest,” said Bumstead. “So this is something that’s definitely on the forefront of my brain but I just manage it as best as I can. You get blood work done consistently to keep your markers on.
There’s a lot of tests. Diagnostics now are absolutely insane if you want to stay healthy long term, if something is going on with you, it’s catching it early. I do a lot of diagnostics and blood work to make sure I stay healthy.”
He plans to retire if his steroid use starts to negatively impact his health.
“I’ve made an agreement with myself that when these things start to falter and they start to go down, no matter where I’m at in my career if I’m peaked, if I’m not peaked, I just need to call it. It’s not worth it to me. There’s a life after bodybuilding. Who I am is not a bodybuilder, there’s more to me than that.”
Bumstead Reveals Trenbolone as ‘Most Toxic’ Steroid He Stays Away From
‘CBum’ revealed he stays away from using Trenbolone because of the adverse side effects.
“The biggest one is tren. There’s guys who literally base their social media off that now. It’s a meme of the gym culture. I don’t even think people realize the impact these jokes and memes have on people coming up who see you constantly joking and talking about you need more of it to be better, stronger, and all this s**t. But that’s probably the most toxic thing you can put in your body. I’ve done it in the past but I don’t anymore. I haven’t touched it in five years due to just the toxicity it causes in your body. It just comes in and harms your kidneys, your liver, everything that takes your body to process it and go through it. It’s not naturally meant to be in your body. It makes you strong as f**k.”
“Another reason why I love Classic Physique is because I had a weight cap and I was close to my weight cap like three years ago, not at it. But I could’ve taken more sh*t and really tapped out to the point where I couldn’t put on any more weight or I could actually take less and force myself to work harder.”
Chris Bumstead laid out the 10 exercises he would pick from if he had no other options earlier this month. He chose a blend of compound and isolation movements to ensure all his muscle groups get taxed. Social media fitness star Jeff Cavaliere weighed in on Bumstead’s choices with his support and agreed with nine out of the 10 exercises on his list as well.
While PEDs in the sport is a sticky subject, hopefully, fans and competitors can take a lesson from Chris Bumstead, who many consider one of the best bodybuilders on the planet.
You can watch the full video below:
RELATED: Chris Bumstead Opens Up on Pressures of Being Dominant: “I’m Afraid That I’m Going to Lose”
Published: 8 July, 2023 | 12:19 PM EDT