Even the most iconic bodybuilders have pushed through some of the toughest battles while aiming for their goals. Chris Bumstead is a testament to the resilience needed in the sport by moving forth and crossing mental and physical hurdles.
The Classic Physique icon has always been open about his struggles and journey, which gets him appreciation from fitness enthusiasts across the world. Recently, at a seminar, he wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable and emotional in front of the audience while recounting some life lessons.
Bumstead’s brand, Raw Nutrition, recently organized a seminar to commemorate the opening of a new gym in Florida. The event witnessed several fans gathered together to watch him, his coach Hany Rambod and fellow panellists Matt Jansen and Domenic Iacovone speak about their experiences with success and fear.
After Iacovone went into a detailed account of how he overcame his fear of change and achieving success, the mic went to Bumstead, who was ready with anecdotes. For him, the important lesson he learned from life was to express himself openly and seek help without hesitation.
“Learning how to actually express those emotions by myself and…not feeling like I needed to handle them by myself but being able to lean on my relationship, people that I trust, is probably the biggest mental health hack that I’ve ever had.”
Life and living up to expectations could be scary, as something both Iacovone and Bumstead pointed out. However, the latter explained that unless one got out of their comfort zone to take on new challenges, they wouldn’t get to know themselves completely.
“If you’re around people who just want to stay comfortable and stay where they are, and hold you down because they don’t want to project their own insecurities on to you, you’re going to hold yourself back.”
That’s why Bumstead feels it is necessary to surround oneself with people who are equally driven and passionate about their goals. They will motivate those around them to achieve success, even if it is uncomfortable and tough.
Chris Bumstead has observed a change in his mindset since his fifth title
Like all bodybuilding champions, Bumstead had developed his own mindset to challenge him and lead him towards victory. However, he recently admitted that the thought process that this ideology brought him was far from positive or healthy.
Low on confidence, nervous and anxious about his title, and self-doubt always plagued him until the end of the competition. While he credited his first four wins to this thought process, things changed while prepping for his fifth win.
Until 2023, Bumstead had already been in the bodybuilding industry for about a decade and knew the ropes all too well. He confessed how he slowly allowed himself to feel confident in his talent and ability and ended up victorious.
