Even successful bodybuilding icons like Chris Bumstead haven’t gone unscathed in their journey towards achievements. The Canadian bodybuilder crossed many hurdles before winning his first Mr. Olympia Classic Physique title. And now, with five of them in a row, he is all set to prepare for more.
In a recent post on his Instagram handle, Bumstead opened up about the reality of winning five titles. Including glimpses of all the blood, sweat, and tears it took to reach the zenith, he wanted fans to understand the hardships of the sport. And fans came in full force to support and respect the bodybuilding icon with their comments.
Compiling a series of his videos, he created the post to show what people thought winning five titles was like versus how it went. People only see the final results that Bumstead presented on stage, where he came in with his best conditioning. However, what they didn’t see was the hard work he put in to achieve those gains.
“Most things we want in life are harder than you think, but more rewarding than you can ever imagine.”
Fans immediately reacted to the post with encouraging comments. Fellow bodybuilder and winner of the Mr. Olympia 2023, Derek Lunsford, agreed with the way Bumstead expressed the struggles:
“What people don’t see…”
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Another bodybuilder, Philip Visicaro, resonated with the Canadian’s sentiments and penned a long note:
“This is very real. The pressure mentally is immense…I think he does a good job of staying humble and respecting everyone. And as of now he’s the classic GOAT.”
Another fan encouraged Bumstead with some kind words:
“Keep inspiring the World! You are the Face of Bodybuilding Worldwide!!!”
A fan even related to the bodybuilding champion’s post and commented something along similar lines:
“It is the work & the journey that most people don’t see.”
And finally, one follower was convinced that a tough feat like this was something that only Bumstead could pull off:
“It’s hard but only Cbum can do it.”
Bumstead’s reality check was enough for many to not only get a glimpse of what the prep for bodybuilding championships looked like but also what sacrifices were made behind the scenes. In the end, the reality check only made friends and fans respect him more.
A recap on how the year has been for Chris Bumstead
With this reality check, Bumstead aimed to be transparent with his progress. This year has been quite eventful for the champion, even after winning his fifth title in a row. Moving houses and preparing for a new member has been a priority since he recovered from his hair transplant.
The new year brought him some respite from training, as he took a month off from his gym to spend time with his family. After getting back to the grind, he even collaborated with his onstage rival Ramon Dino to film workout videos. Now, with his eyes on the next Mr. Olympia title, Bumstead is all set to make history and hopefully inspire many more.