4-time Basic Physique Olympia champion Chris Bumstead is within the early phases of his offseason as he prepares to compete for a fifth straight Basic Physique Olympia championship on the 2023 Olympia Weekend in Orlando, FL on Nov. 2-5, 2023.
Bumstead has been open about his coaching, as proven in a latest YouTube video documenting a leg exercise he took on with Christian Guzman, Bumstead’s enterprise companion and occasional coaching companion.
The title of the video — “This Leg Day Actually Sucked” — apparently expressed Bumstead’s emotions in regards to the exercise however, in energy sports activities, if a exercise “sucks,” it may be a great factor within the long-run.
The extreme coaching session occurred on the Revive Health club in Stuart, FL, and it kicked off with Bumstead strolling on a stepmill whereas going through backward, to warm-up. Strolling backward will help goal all the things within the higher thighs, particularly the glutes, whereas decreasing knee pressure.
Leg Extension
Bumstead started the lifting session with leg extensions, that are an efficient method to isolate the quadriceps and warm-up the knees. You too can see that he isn’t carrying sneakers, which is typical for the four-time champion. He has beforehand stated that the unconventional behavior helps him really feel extra steady on leg day and improves his mind-muscle connection.
At one level, the machine was loaded with a complete of 134 kilograms (295 kilos) and Bumstead will be seen powering by 10 repetitions. All through the exercise, Guzman adopted Bumstead together with his personal units.
The way to Do It: Sit on a leg extension machine and place your legs behind the pad. Sit again on the seat and maintain on to the handles. Carry the pad along with your legs and flex your quads as soon as your knees are near the locked out place. Slowly return to the beginning place and repeat.
Hack Squat
The second motion of the day was the hack squat. Bumstead carried out an extended vary of movement, dropping deep into the outlet with every rep. This system locations much more stress on the quadriceps muscle tissue. The bodybuilder labored within the 10 to 15-rep vary, ending with 245 kilograms (540 kilos) for six repetitions earlier than rapidly decreasing the load to 163 kilograms (360 kilos) for a drop set and finishing seven extra reps.
The way to Do It: Place your ft evenly on the foot platform and place your shoulders beneath the assist pads. As soon as you’re feeling strong and steady in place, carry the sled by straightening your knees and unlock the security handles. Go as deep as you safely can into the underside place — ideally obtain your hips beneath your knees. Drive your ft into the footplate and push your self again to the beginning place. Repeat for the specified reps and return the handles to their authentic location to lock the machine again into place.
Leg Press
The third quad-focused motion was the leg press. Bumstead defined that he has shifting his focus to make use of a comparatively wider stance than previously, to focus on his adductors (inside thighs) and outer quadriceps muscle tissue. Bumstead labored as much as a high set with 367 kilograms (810 kilos) and carried out 10 reps, adopted by a drop set all the way down to 285 kilograms (630 kilos) the place he did 15 extra reps. He then has extra weight eliminated, all the way down to 204 kilograms (450 kilos) and he goes to failure with 20 agonizing repetitions.
The way to Do It: Sit along with your again firmly in opposition to the pad. Place your ft evenly on the footplate and push it ahead to launch the security handles and take management of the sled. Bend your knees and decrease the footplate as deep as you comfortably can. Preserve you ft flat and press the sled again to the beginning place. Repeat for the specified reps. Lock he sled into place with the security handles.
Strolling Lunge
The following motion of the exercise was the dumbbell strolling lunge. Bumstead was on marked turf with a pair of dumbbells. He targeted on taking giant steps ahead and lunged down as near the ground as potential. He then returned to a standing place and took his subsequent step with the other foot. Just one set is carried out on digicam, however Bumstead later stated they did two. As a spectator may anticipate, he was exhibiting clear indicators of exhaustion at this level within the exercise.
The way to Do It: Maintain a dumbbell in every hand and stand tall. Take a step ahead and decrease your rear knee towards the ground, getting as little as you’ll be able to. Push by your lead foot to return to a standing place and convey your again foot ahead. Take the next step with the other foot and carry out a repetition the identical means. You’ve now achieved one rep for every leg. Repeat for the specified reps or distance you want to full.
Seated Calf Increase and Adductor Machine
The tail-end of the exercise shifted the main target to the calves, particularly the soleus muscle. Bumstead performs a set of seated calf raises with one 20-kilogram (45-pound) plate. He then finishes the session on the adductor machine, to offer much more consideration to constructing his inside thighs, earlier than calling it a day.
The way to Do the Seated Calf Increase: Sit along with your knees below the pads. Place your ft along with your toes on the footplate and your heels hanging off. Push by your toes to contract your calves and carry the load as much as launch the security deal with. Decrease your heels so far as you safely can to stretch your calves. Drive by your toes to carry the load as excessive as potential and maximally contract your calves. Briefly maintain the highest place. Repeat for the specified reps, however end with a contraction so you’ll be able to return the deal with and lock the machine into place.
The way to Do the Adductor Machine: Sit on the machine with the pads in your inside thighs. Launch the load so you’ve management of it. Squeeze your thighs collectively to deliver the pads in as shut as potential, ideally touching the pads collectively. Slowly launch pressure to permit your legs to unfold out. As soon as you’re feeling a stretch, repeat for the specified reps.
The complete particulars of Bumstead’s intense leg exercise weren’t shared within the video, however you’ll be able to attempt a pattern model of this exercise by following the information beneath:
Basic Physique Olympia-Model Leg Exercise
- Leg Extension — 3 x12
- Hack Squat — 3 x 12-15
- Leg Press — 2 x 12-15, 1 x 12-15 adopted by a double drop set to failure
- Strolling Lunge — 2 x 12 per leg
- Seated Calf Increase — 2 units to failure (20 or extra repetitions)
- Adductors — 2 units to failure (15 or extra repetitions)
Featured Picture: Chris Bumstead on YouTube
