Chris Bumstead Workout and Diet

Bodybuilder
Born: 1994

Canadian-born Chris Bumstead was always active as a child and played numerous sports, including football, basketball, and track and field. He also trained at the gym on his own time. His sister’s then-boyfriend and now husband Iain Valliere turned him on to bodybuilding and Bumstead began competing in 2014. He earned his pro card in 2016 after winning the IFBB Bodybuilding Heavyweight Championship at age 21. Bumstead has since switched to the Classic division as he prefers symmetry to hulking size. Bumstead has his own line of supplements called Jacked Factory. He has millions of followers on social media. Bumstead is 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs 215 lbs.

Known For:

Bodybuilder

Chris Bumstead’s Diet

Summary

Like most bodybuilders, Bumstead takes his diet seriously, but this was not always the case. Once upon a time, he would eat anything he could get his hands on. But being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called IGA Neuropathy forced him to look more closely at his habits and he now eats very clean. He has 5 meals a day and tracks his macros. Food choices are classics like chicken breast, eggs, oatmeal, and sweet potatoes. When he’s in a bulking phase, he’ll up all of macros, and add some items such as bananas and avocados along with a protein shake. Bumstead tends to avoid dairy and use replacements like almond milk.

Estimated Macros

Medium Carb 30% 30%

Medium Fat 30% 30%

High Protein 60% 60%

Diet Details

Solid Start

Bumstead eats every few hours throughout the day. He can easily consume 1,000 calories at breakfast, and might include scrambled eggs, 3 packets of oatmeal, a banana, peanut butter, and a protein shake.

Flapjack Man

One of Bumstead’s breakfast faves is protein pancakes made from whole eggs, whey protein, banana, oats, and almond milk, along with glutamine for extra oomph.

Birds Beware

Bumstead eats grilled chicken or ground turkey at every meal except his first one, and sometimes he’ll even have it for breakfast.

Carbs Aren’t Bad

Bumstead eats oatmeal, rice, bread, bananas, and sweet potatoes. When eating carbs, it’s important to pick ones that contain nutrition and not just empty calories.

Watch the Sauces

Bumstead has non-fat dressing on his salads. Sauces are notorious for hidden sugars, hydrogenated fats, and calories.

Sweet & Salty Treats

When Bumstead is bulking, he’ll go for things like sweet potato fries. As for his peanut butter, he likes it smooth.

What to Eat

Eggs

Egg Whites

Low-Sugar Oatmeal

Chicken Breast

Ground Turkey

Veggies

Rice

Bread

Whey Protein Shakes

Avocados

Peanut Butter

Non-fat Dressing

Low-sugar Ketchup

Water

What to Avoid

Junk Food

Added Sugar

Excess Sodium

Fried Foods

Empty-Calorie Foods

Processed Foods

Chemicals Additives

Artificial Ingredients

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Bumstead on Eggs

‘Scrambled eggs taste way better with a higher percentage of whole eggs.’

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Bumstead on His Chocolate Protein Shake

‘Probably the best part of breakfast.’

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Bumstead on Crunchy vs. Smooth Peanut Butter

‘It’s just not the same.’

Chris Bumstead’s Workout Routine

Weekly Routine

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Do What You Do Best

Although Bumstead played a lot of sports in his youth, what he really enjoyed was working out at the gym.

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Proper Warm Up

Bumstead says it’s essential to warm up your muscles before diving into your workout. He doesn’t do a set number of warm ups; he just works until his body feels loose and limber.

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Work Sequentially

Bumstead does exercises in a specific order to maximize growth and minimize the risk of injury.

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Compound Moves

Bumstead likes compound moves because they work multiple muscle groups and make you stronger and more massive.

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Daily Dose

Bumstead works out 5 days a week and takes 2 days off to recover. He used to follow the ‘bro split’ routine of concentrating on 1 body part per day, but now he hits them twice a week because research shows muscles grow better that way.

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Mix It Up

Bumstead uses a mix of dumbbells, barbells, and machines to help keep his body guessing.

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Max Out

Bumstead says he contracts his pectoral muscles with each move for maximum growth and to build a massive chest.

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Control Is Key

Bumstead says the way you release the weight is just as important as being able to lift it. When you control it all the way through, you get that much stronger.

Exercise Style

A Chris Bumstead Bro Split Routine

Chest
Flat bench press: 6-12 reps x 5 sets
Incline bench press: 10-12 reps x 5 sets
Incline cable fly: 10 reps x 3 sets. Superset w/ bench pushup to failure.
Incline kettlebell fly: 8-10 reps x 5 sets
Low cable fly: 15 reps x 3 sets

Back
Barbell row: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Incline machine row: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Close grip lat pulldown: 10-12 reps x 4 sets
Plate loaded T-bar machine: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Reverse chest press machine: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Close grip seated row: 8-12 reps x 4 sets

Shoulders
Seated dumbbell overhead press: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Front dumbbell raise: 12-15 reps x 4 sets
Barbell overhead press: 8-10 reps x 4 sets
Single-arm dumbbell front raise: 12-15 reps x 4 sets
Cable reverse rear delt fly: 12-15 reps x 4 sets

Legs
Barbell squat: 8612 reps x 5 sets
Barbell walking lunge: 10 reps x 4 sets (each leg)
Hack squat: 12-15 reps x 4 sets
Leg extension: 10-12 reps x 4 sets
Lying hamstring curl: 10-12 reps x 4 sets
Standing calf raise machine: 15 reps x 4 sets

Arms
Triceps rope pulldown: 15 reps x 4 sets
Incline EZ bar skullcrushers: 12 reps x 4 sets
Cable overhead extension: 12 reps x 4 sets
Standing cable curl: 12 reps x 4 sets
EZ bar preacher curl: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Single arm cable curl: 8-12 reps x 4 sets
Single-arm triceps extension 8-12 reps x 3 sets. Superset with reverse grip cable curl: 8-12 reps x 3 sets

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Bumstead on His Workouts

‘I love getting in the gym and just hauling a**, pushing everything to the limit.’

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Bumstead on Setting Limits

‘I love being able to kill myself. Learning to not do that was hard.’

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Bumstead on Training

‘The most optimal way to train a body part is to train it more than once a week.’

Chris Bumstead’s Supplements

Whey Protein

Bumstead’s Jacked Factory line of supplements contains rapidly-absorbing whey protein which promotes muscle growth, increases strength and speeds recovery. It is manufactured in the US in an FDA-registered facility.

Get it here

Glutamine

Bumstead often adds glutamine to his protein pancakes. Glutamine supports digestion, muscle recovery, and immune function. Get it here

Pre Workout

Bumstead’s Nitrosurge pre workout with citrulline, beta-alanine and betaine offers energy and focus to maximize power and pumps. Get it here

Greens Powder

Bumstead’s Green Surge with probiotics, prebiotics, and enzymes contains essential micronutrients from organic plants and has no added sugar to support healthy digestion. Get it here

Estrogen Blocker

Bumstead’s Androsurge estrogen blocker naturally boosts testosterone, supports fat loss and muscle growth, and increases energy and vitality. Get it here

Fat Burner

Bumstead’s line also has a fat burner with capsicum and green tea extract that increases energy, burns more calories and suppresses appetite. Get it here

Chris Bumstead’s Lifestyle

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Autoimmune Issues

Just 4 weeks before competing in the 2018 Mr Olympia contest, Bumstead had severe swelling in his legs. He spent several days in the hospital and waited weeks to get a diagnosis: a rare autoimmune disorder called IGA disease. He has had it his entire life but did not know what it was.

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Big Softie

Bumstead discussed his battle with the autoimmune disease and getting back into competing in an emotional YouTube video. Finishing second also had him choked up (with happiness) following his ordeal.

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Not a Babe Magnet

Bumstead says that most women find a bodybuilder’s physique to be a turn-off, and that people find him more attractive in the off-season.

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Thavage Beast

Bumstead takes a light-hearted approach to his speech impediment.

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All in the Family

Bumstead’s sister Melissa is also a bodybuilder. Her husband Iain Valliere is Chris’s coach, and another IFBB pro in the Open division.

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Bumstead on His Medical Diagnosis

‘I walked into that doctor’s office terrified.’

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Bumstead on His Health Concerns

We define ourselves far too often by our past failures. That’s not you. You are this person right now. You’re the person who has learned from those failures. Build confidence and momentum with each good decision you make from here on out and choose to be inspired.

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Bumstead on Autoimmune Disorders

‘Stress can cause it…My immune system can’t always respond to it and it can attack itself, and attack my internal organs.’

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Bumstead on Facing Facts

‘If, when you look in the mirror, you don’t see the perfect version of yourself, you better see the hardest-working version of yourself.’

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Bumstead on Dating & Bodybuilding

‘Most girls do not like bodybuilders…They find it kind of gross.’