For the previous six years, Chris Bumstead dominated the Classic Physique division, racking up six consecutive Olympia titles from 2019 to 2024. Although he has sufficient championship {hardware} to final a lifetime, it’s too late to strive one thing new.
Regardless of announcing his retirement after successful the 2024 Traditional Physique Olympia in October, Bumstead isn’t utterly calling it quits. Fairly than relaxation on his laurels and take pleasure in his Gymshark glory, “CBum” will quickly expertise one other unfamiliar feeling: competing in the Men’s Open division for the primary time on the 2024 Prague Professional.
Does Bumstead have a reputable shot at successful? Or will his debut emphasize the sizable distinction between the 2 hottest divisions in males’s bodybuilding?
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Distinction Between Traditional Physique and Males’s Open Bodybuilding
Take one have a look at 2024 Mr. Olympia Samson Dauda, and immediately see why Bumstead faces a steep problem going pose-for-pose with the mass monsters of Males’s Open. Nevertheless, it isn’t simply sheer measurement that separates the athletes in a single division from one other.
- Traditional Physique opponents solely need to hit 5 necessary poses for judges: entrance double biceps, facet chest, again double biceps, abdominals and thighs, and their favourite Traditional pose.
- Males’s Open opponents have eight necessary poses: entrance double biceps, entrance lat unfold, facet chest, again double biceps, again lat unfold, facet triceps, abdominals and thighs, and most muscular.
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Maybe essentially the most vital distinction — particularly from Bumstead’s perspective — is the absence of peak and weight guidelines in Traditional Physique. Whereas the aptly named Males’s Open division permits athletes to push their muscle-building potential to the max, Traditional Physique institutes weight limits based mostly on peak.
- For instance, Bumstead measures 6 ft, 1.5 inches tall, so he can’t tip the scales past 242 kilos. Whereas the six-time champ clearly discovered a technique that labored, cutting weight definitely performs an even bigger function in Traditional Physique than Males’s Open.
Alternatively, having no weight restrictions permits somebody like Dauda to hold considerably extra mass and lower weight primarily for aesthetics.
At 5-foot-11, the “Nigerian Lion” weighs over 300 kilos throughout the low season, sometimes competing on stage across the 275 mark. Nevertheless, if Dauda competed in Traditional, he’d face the unenviable (and maybe inconceivable) activity of trimming practically 60 kilos off his body to satisfy the 219-pound weight restrict.
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How Can Chris Bumstead Adapt?
Fortunately for Dauda, he doesn’t have to fret about including measurement to remain on the high of the Olympia mountain. Bumstead’s largest hurdle to reach a brand new division is he has to get larger.
Whereas it’s no secret that one of many largest keys to a profitable bulk is consuming extra, merely pounding further energy isn’t essentially essentially the most optimum route. In spite of everything, dirty bulking — a slang time period that basically means eat all the things you possibly can — can result in extra physique fats, worse efficiency within the health club, and even disrupt your sleep.
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Nonetheless, Bumstead must improve his total caloric consumption and modify his coaching routine considerably over an extended time frame to make the leap from the 240s to someplace between the 255-260 mark. This clearly received’t occur within the time he has to coach for the present.
With out adequate time for a correct Males’s Open contest prep, the longtime Traditional Physique competitor has been open concerning the distinctive course of heading into the Prague Professional:
- Whereas following muscle-building hacks — corresponding to together with drop sets and supersets — might assist hasten features, Bumstead’s gone again to fundamentals. In a Nov. 11 Instagram submit, he shared that he’s been performing some favourite bulk-building strikes that he “hasn’t performed shortly,” together with the Smith machine incline bench press and barbell rows.
- In a recent workout with fellow Males’s Open opponents Martin Fitzwater and Brett Wilkin, Bumstead revealed he hit the 251-pound mark. Nevertheless, he emphasised that he’ll let his physique “do what it does whereas not attempting to bulk,” so he received’t be as meticulous along with his food regimen as he was in Traditional.
- Bumstead’s weight achieve will be attributed to a directive from coach Hany Rambod to extend his carbohydrate and total calorie consumption to assist regain muscle loss from chopping weight for the 2024 Olympia.
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Although he’s permitting himself to see what a Males’s Open prep would seem like for just a few weeks, it’s one thing Bumstead has mentioned prior to now he would by no means do full-time for longevity causes.
In a 2021 interview with BarBend, again when he was “simply” a two-time Traditional Physique Olympia winner, CBum opened up about his issues relating to the extremes of Males’s Open.
“I’d be mendacity if I mentioned I by no means considered [competing in Men’s Open], however I’ve had well being issues prior to now,” Bumstead defined after his 2020 Olympia victory. “I do know at Traditional Physique that I’m not pushing my limits very exhausting. I can keep tremendous wholesome, and I do know my physique can deal with it.”
The well being complication Bumstead was referring to is an autoimmune illness referred to as IgA Nephropathy that impacts the kidneys. He was identified with it in 2018.
Males’s Open opponents are sometimes accustomed to taking issues to the intense —together with energy, coaching, and performance-enhancing medicine. For somebody like Bumstead, who is worried along with his high quality of life after bodybuilding, coaching full-time for the Males’s Open division was one thing he shied away from early on.
“Like we spoke about earlier than, my consideration to element extrapolated when these circumstances have been introduced to me,” he instructed BarBend relating to his autoimmune illness. “I needed to maintain all the things actually near excellent and concentrate on a wholesome way of life. I’ve performed such, and it’s paid off.”
Lifelike Expectations Shifting Ahead
Let’s be actual: including round 20 kilos of lean muscle isn’t one thing Bumstead will be capable to do in time for the 2024 Prague Professional, which is scheduled for Nov. 16-17.
The place does that go away the Traditional Physique legend? He already made it clear that he doesn’t expect to win his Men’s Open debut. His newest endeavor has extra to do with having enjoyable and entertaining bodybuilding followers than really vying for a victory.
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On the very least, followers will lastly see how Bumstead compares on stage in opposition to a few of the largest opponents on the earth, together with Fitzwater, who landed within the high 4 on the 2024 Mr. Olympia.
Are Bumstead’s Golden Age-style form and symmetry sufficient to assist him compete in opposition to Males’s Open opponents who’ve skilled for years and not using a weight cap? Given his penchant for successful reveals and wowing judges, perhaps Bumstead can shock some people.
However even when his Males’s Open debut is extra of a one-off than the beginning of a brand new journey, Bumstead deserves great credit score for conserving his aggressive juices flowing after cementing his case as the best Traditional Physique competitor of all time.
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Featured Picture: @cbum / Instagram