Chris Bumstead continues to improve for the Olympia and recently attacked a leg day.
Chris Bumstead is preparing to potentially win his fourth consecutive Classic Physique Olympia title. He has been sharing different workouts and diet plans over the course of his preparation. This time, Bumstead shared a killer leg workout focusing on his quad and hamstrings to build more size.
Bumstead struggled with COVID-19 earlier in the year and recently hurt his lower back. He has been taking care of the injury with a chiropractor so he can get back to full strength in the gym. In order to have the muscles recover quickly, Bumstead has also been receiving Mesenchymal Stem Cell injections.
Chris Bumstead took to his YouTube page for viewers to see. In the video, he went into detail about his different movements.
Chris Bumstead: Full Quads and Hamstrings Workout
- Walking backward on elliptical machine – Warmup
- Lying leg curls and Hip Abduction machine
- Leg Press on Cyber Squat Press Machine
- Back Extensions
- Leg Extensions and Sissy Squat
- Standing and seated calf raises
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Warmup on Elliptical
The reigning two-time Olympia champion knows just how to hit workouts in order to succeed on stage. This warmup came about because Chris Bumstead put stress on his knees while playing basketball. There were other options that Bumstead could have hit, like sled pulls, but he did not want to put more stress on his knees.
Lying leg curls and Hip Abduction machine
Once Bumstead got his legs warmed up, he began hitting different exercises to target the hamstrings and quads. It began with lying leg curls. This is an exercise to hit the hamstrings and calves. Bumstead stayed on this machine for two sets and hit the hip abduction machine for one.
“We used to always start with quads but I’m starting with some hamstrings now. It’s easier to warm up my knees that way. It’s harder than it is to curl.”
Leg Press on Cyber Squat Press Machine
Chris Bumstead moved onto leg presses but decided to do it in a different way. He used the cyber squat press machine, which will help target the quads while avoiding stress elsewhere. He explained why he opts for this machine at times when performing the exercise.
“I’m using the Squat press because it recreates the motion of the squat a little bit naturally. But obviously, it’s a leg press so a little less stress on the joints, lower back and everything.”
Back Extensions
Back extensions were next on the list once Bumstead worked his legs hard. This is a movement that works the lower back but also gives a great stretch in the hamstrings. Bumstead explained how he makes sure to activate the gluts and hamstrings during this exercise so he does not injure his lower back on the way up.
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Leg Extension and Sissy Squat Machine
The final workout for quads and hamstrings is a superset. Chris Bumstead laid out the goal of this superset was “to make these that aren’t that hard, as hard as possible, and try not to die.”
Bumstead began with leg extensions before hitting 60 sissy squats with his body positioned on the machine where his feet were locked under the pads of the machine. Bumstead makes sure to pull his body down from his quads and use the glutes to push himself all the way up.
“This is one of those things too where when you get to the end of the prep, and you’re trying to build like detail to your legs and not just size – this will help make you crispy and detailed because you have to focus too much on the mind-muscle connection.”
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