Build a powerful upper and lower body like five-time Classic Physique Olympia champ Chris Bumstead.
When sculpting the upper body, many immediately think of targeting the chest, biceps, and back. However, achieving a balanced and aesthetically pleasing upper body silhouette necessitates developing the shoulders. Conversely, the legs serve as the foundational powerhouse of the lower body. Focusing on leg strength can enhance one’s overall physique and calorie-burning capacity and significantly boost explosive power. Therefore, it can be beneficial to combine a leg and shoulder workout.
In our exploration of leg and shoulder enhancement, we turn to the routines of Chris Bumstead, a five-time Olympia Classic Physique champion. Delving into his workout strategies is necessary for those aiming to emulate Bumstead’s formidable tree trunk legs and commanding shoulders. Explore our leg and shoulder workout article for a deep dive into replicating Chris Bumstead’s method for building these pivotal muscle groups.
More About Chris Bumstead
| Full Name: Chris Bumstead | ||
| Weight | Height | Date of Birth |
| 215-220 lbs | 6’1″ | 2/2/1995 |
| Profession | Era | Nationality |
| Bodybuilder | 2010s, 2020s | Canadian |
Canadian bodybuilder Chris Bumstead is famous for his golden era physique and Olympia Classic Physique domination. He earned his pro card in 2016 and won his first Olympia title three years later. Bumstead has become a role model for his work ethic and often shares effective routines you can follow to see results.
Chris Bumstead’s Shoulder Workout
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Shoulder joints are one of the most delicate joints you can train. Strengthening your shoulders improves shoulder health, allows you to lift heavy objects, and improves mobility. If you’re looking for exercises to train and strengthen your shoulders, check out these effective options from Chris Bumstead.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Warmups — Cable Reverse Fly | 3 | 10-12 |
| Machine Seated Shoulder Press | 7 | 9 |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raise | 4 | 10-20 |
| Machine Hammer Shoulder Press | 3 | 8-15 |
| Single-Arm Standing Reverse Cable Fly | 4 | 10-12 |
Warmups — Cable Reverse Flys
Chris Bumstead is a fan of performing warmups using a cable machine. The cable reverse fly works your posterior delts, giving your shoulders that well-rounded 3D look. It also works your traps and rotator cuffs. You can use this exercise to increase your shoulder’s range of motion and strengthen the shoulder joints.
Seated Machine Shoulder Press
The seated machine shoulder press is an excellent weightlifting exercise for primarily building the deltoid and triceps muscles. Secondary muscles include your upper pecs. This exercise helps build your shoulder as the machine isolates your deltoids by removing your core and stabilizers.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
The dumbbell lateral raises is a weightlifting exercise that primarily targets the lateral delts in the shoulders (1). They also help improve shoulder stability and mobility. You can do dumbbell lateral raises bilaterally, but you can also do this exercise unilaterally to strengthen each side of your body and address muscle imbalances.
Machine Hammer Shoulder Press
The hammer shoulder press machine effectively hits your deltoid muscles. It focuses on the anterior and lateral delts and builds shoulder strength and muscle mass. It also improves your posture, giving you that aesthetically pleasing look.
Single-Arm Standing Reverse Cable Fly
Suppose you target the back of your shoulder, traps, and rhomboids. This exercise uses a cable machine that puts constant tension on those muscles, which is good for muscle hypertrophy. It also helps build and reinforce your shoulder joints, improves upper body form, and strengthens posture.
Chris Bumstead’s Leg Workout
Developing your lower body can build your explosive power and improve your mobility. This is why bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts consider leg workouts as prime exercises. Below are some routines Chris Bumstead uses to develop his lower body muscles.
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Leg Extension | 3 | 10-12 |
| Leg Press | 3 | 10-12 |
| Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 | 10 (each leg) |
| Leg Curl | 2 | 10-12 |
| Hack Squat | 3 | 10-15 |
| Dumbbell Walking Lunge | 2 | 12-15 |
| Calf Raise | 3 | 10-15 |
| Hip Adductor | 3 | 8-10 |
Leg Extension
The leg extension is a lower bodybuilding exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps muscles and strengthens the knees. It’s an excellent exercise to try if you’re looking to get big and strong front legs. To get more range of motion with this exercise, ensure you have a pad and your glutes firmly driven into the seat. Also, do full flexion and extension during this exercise to get the best muscle growth for your quads.
Leg Press
The leg press is another excellent exercise for the legs. It primarily works the quads, hamstrings, and glutes (2). Additionally, depending on the placement of your legs, this routine can emphasize specific muscles over others. Placing your feet low on the pad focuses on your quads, while putting your feet high on the pad focuses on the hamstring muscles.
Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a unilateral movement that works your quads and glutes. It requires core stability and builds six-packs, too. Performing a Bulgarian split squat involves working one leg at a time. This helps develop your mind-muscle connection, which is good for muscle hypertrophy.
Leg Curl
The leg curl is an isolation movement that primarily works your hamstring and knee joints. Chris Bumstead likes to perform this exercise seated with the pad firmly on his thighs. This helps hit the target muscles better and increases the range of motion.
Hack Squat
Hack squats are effective leg exercises for building muscles that target your quads, glutes, hamstrings, adductors, and hip joints. Because of this machine’s stability, you don’t have to worry about stability; you can focus on the target muscles. Hack squats are also a great alternative to barbell squats for those who have pain when doing those.
Dumbbell Walking Lunge
Walking lunges are effective bodyweight exercises that build quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and core muscles. Chris Bumstead likes to use dumbbells to add resistance when performing his walking lunges. Doing dumbbell walking lunges can help improve balance, mobility, and stability, making your movements easier.
Calf Raise
Calf raises are one of the best ways to work and strengthen your calf muscles. They’re an excellent way to build bigger calves by targeting the gastrocnemius, the biggest calf muscle. Building your calf muscles can help improve your explosive power and reduce the risk of injuries.
Hip Adductor
The hip adductor exercise effectively targets your adductor muscles and your hip joints. Doing the hip adduction strengthens your legs and adds definition to it. You’re at risk of knee and lower back pain when you have weak adductors. This is why it is essential to train adductors like Chris Bumstead.
Wrapping Up
The legs and shoulders are crucial for both upper and lower body strength. A targeted workout focusing on these areas can significantly enhance your physique and boost your performance during training sessions. Chris Bumstead offers highly effective routines that promise noticeable results, so consider adopting his leg and shoulder workout routines for improved upper and lower body aesthetics.
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References
- Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Longo, S., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2020). An Electromyographic Analysis of Lateral Raise Variations and Frontal Raise in Competitive Bodybuilders. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(17), 6015. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176015
- Martín-Fuentes, I., Oliva-Lozano, J. M., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Evaluation of the Lower Limb Muscles’ Electromyographic Activity during the Leg Press Exercise and Its Variants: A Systematic Review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(13), 4626. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134626
