Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Ronnie Coleman, Phil Heath, Flex Lewis, Jay Cutler … some names ring bigger than others in the bodybuilding world.
Chris Bumstead is well on his way to joining that list.
Between his competition results (four straight Mr. Olympia titles) and his entrepreneurial and social efforts, the Canadian has quickly risen to be one of the largest names in the modern era of the sport.
What started solely as a teenage hobby quickly turned into a passion when he put on more than 50 pounds of muscle by the time he graduated high school. Then fate intervened when his sister, Melissa, introduced him to her boyfriend (and now husband), professional bodybuilder Iain Valliere. The pro quickly saw potential in Chris and began mentoring and pushing him toward getting on the stage.
A few short years later, Chris won his first major competition, the 2016 Canadian Nationals, in the Men’s Physique category. The taste of success only pushed him harder and toward bigger goals. Namely, the Classic Physique division (often seen as the pinnacle of the sport).
That meant dedicated the next year to solely gaining the size and muscle mass to qualify for the division, which he did in 2017, making his debut in the Classic Physique division at the Toronto Pro Supershow. A third-place showing quickly turned into runner-up at the Mr. Olympia in 2018 and 2019.
By 2020, there would be no stopping Chris. He defeated defending champion Breon Ansley and claimed the Mr. Olympia in the Classic Physique division. Four years later, he’s yet to give up that title.
Yet, what often sets the biggest names in the sport apart from the rest is not just what they do on stage but also off it. Schwarzenegger was a movie star. Ferrigno played the Incredible Hulk on TV. Lewis is an ambassador for the sport who runs The Dragon’s Lair gym in Las Vegas, training celebrities and professional athletes.
Chris is no different.
In the age of social media, Chris is a major force. He has over 17.5 million followers on his Instagram page and another 3 million subscribers on YouTube. He is also co-owner of the nutrition brand, Raw Nutrition, and he even has his clothing line and fitness center, CBUM Fitness, where he focuses on sharing motivational, instructional, and lifestyle videos for members.
And at only 28 years old, Chris’ star is only set to rise higher as he continues to build himself physically and career-wise. Hence, don’t be surprised when “Bumstead” is one of those names that rings louder than most, if it doesn’t already.
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