On Oct. 5, 2022, over his YouTube channel, Bumstead shared a comprehensive look at his recent training. This time, he focused on his legs. After already diagramming how he trains aspects of his body like arms and shoulders earlier in the off-season — the new clip is another detailed look at how one of bodybuilding’s superstars is preparing for the Olympia stage again.

[Related: How to Do the Standing Calf Raise for Complete Leg Development]

Here’s a complete rundown of Bumstead’s latest “killer leg day” before the 2022 Mr. Olympia commences on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV.

Seated Leg Curl, Leg Extension, Hip Adduction

Bumstead treated the first part of his leg workout like a warm-up. He didn’t have a concrete number of repetitions or sets he wanted to reach. It was more about getting his lower body muscles prepared for the meat and potatoes of his training session. The leg curls and leg extension were for Bumstead’s hamstrings and quads, while a few sets on a hip adduction machine loosened up his adductor muscles along the inner midline of his thighs.

Mid-way through this warm-up series, Bumstead removed his shoes and trained in socks for the remainder of his workout. He has previously stated this leg day ritual helps him feel more stable during exercises and improves his mind-muscle connection.

Hack Squat

For his first big movement of the day, Bumstead started with some hack squats. The athlete did an initial set without any plates attached to the machine to get a sense of the movement, and slowly added weight as he progressed. Bumstead’s final working set featured him completing nine reps with nine 45-pound plates on each side, followed by a “back-off set” using seven plates for 12 repetitions.

During a between-set rest period, Bumstead was approached by recently retired, seven-time 212 Olympia winner Flex Lewis. The coincidental meeting likely occurred because the training location, Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym in Syosset, NY, is known as “the East Coast Mecca of Bodybuilding” and regularly hosts a who’s who of bodybuilders and sports stars.

Single-Leg Press

Bumstead shifted to the leg press machine, where he performed a few heavy sets of the movement unilaterally to give both of his legs equal attention. After his sets, he discussed the importance of listening to your body during a workout, especially when you’re having a high energy, high performance day.

“Sometimes you just have to ‘read the room,'” he said. “One day if you feel a lot stronger, if it feels too light, or feels too easy, don’t just do 10 reps to do 10 reps. Rack the weight. Put more weight on. ‘Buckle up for the ride.’ That’s the quote for this year.”

Leg Extension

To center on his quads, Bumstead returned to the leg extension machine as a main lift, not simply a warm-up. While he did a few more challenging sets, Bumstead makes sure not to load too much weight so as to keep any potential punishment on his knees at a minimum.

Instead, he achieved a deep stretch in the bottom position of each rep and worked through a long range of motion for maximum work.

 

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A post shared by Chris Bumstead (@cbum)

[Related: How to Do the Goblet Squat for Lower Body Size and Mobility]

Romanian Deadlift with Barbell

To shift focus on his glutes and hamstrings, Bumstead performed a few sets of a Romanian deadlift with a loaded barbell. The bodybuilder had two plates per side for sets of 12 as he worked through this part of his routine. Bumstead noted that his glutes and hamstrings were still fatigued from the single-leg press, making this relatively light weight more than enough.

Sissy Squat

As he neared the end of his workout, Bumstead implemented some sissy squats into his routine. The movement, which asks the quads to lift the majority of a person’s body weight, can help strengthen connective tissues and muscles in the knees and legs. Bumstead appropriately powered through some sets of sissy squats as best as he could before finally moving off of quad work.

Seated Leg Curl

Bumstead had everything come full circle for this workout when he finished with seated leg curls to give his hamstrings attention. After he “beat up” his legs with textbook-perfect repetitions here, the bodybuilder called it a day.

 

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A post shared by Chris Bumstead (@cbum)

[Related: How to Do the Bulgarian Split Squat for Leg Size, Strength, and Mobility]

Bumstead will have to overcome a few noteworthy peers to win his fourth consecutive Classic Physique Olympia title. There’s former two-time champ Breon Ansley (2017-2018), whose reign ended with Bumstead’s first title in 2019, and Terrence Ruffin, an athlete who usually finishes around the top of the Classic Physique Olympia. Late riser Neil Currey might be someone to watch as a dark horse, too.

However, if this glimpse at Bumstead’s commitment to building powerful legs says anything, his impressive run in the Classic Physique division may well continue.

Featured image: Chris Bumstead on YouTube

The post Chris Bumstead Goes for Broke With a “Killer Leg Day” Routine appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

On Oct. 3, 2022, Currey shared a glimpse at his latest physique with this year’s Mr. Olympia less than three months away. Per a later clarification from Currey’s coach, Ben Chow, the 5’10” bodybuilder weighs 235 pounds at the time of the picture and still plans to lose about 20 pounds to make reach the 215-pound limit for the Classic Physique competition at the Olympia.

 

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A post shared by Neil Currey (@neil_currey)

[Related: The Best HIIT Workouts with Bodyweight, with Kettlebells, and More]

According to NPC News Online, the 2022 Mr. Olympia will be Currey’s debut at the prestigious bodybuilding competition. Though, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t amassed an impressive resume thus far.

Currey has been an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League member since a seventh-place Classic Physique debut at the 2019 Yamamoto Pro. He’s seemingly only improved ever since that initial top 10 flourish. In 2021, Currey would notch what was the top Pro League result of his career when he finished in second place in the Classic Physique category at the 2021 Tampa Pro.

In 2022, he bested himself when he took home third place at the 2022 Pittsburgh Pro and scored his first career Pro victory at the 2022 New York Pro. In accordance with the IFBB qualification standards for the Olympia, the latter win gave Currey automatic qualification to the 2022 edition of the contest.

Here’s a rundown of Currey’s IFBB Pro League results to this point:

Neil Currey | IFBB Pro League Career Results

• 2019 Yamamoto Pro (Classic Physique) — Seventh place
• 2020 Europa Pro Championships (Classic Physique) — Ninth place
• 2021 Puerto Rico Pro (Classic Physique) — Third place
• 2021 Xtreme Bodybuilding and Fitness Pro (Classic Physique) — Seventh place
• 2021 Tampa Pro (Classic Physique) — Second place
• 2021 Texas Pro (Classic Physique) — Did not place
• 2022 Pittsburgh Pro (Classic Physique) — Third place
• 2022 New York Pro (Classic Physique) — First place

 

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A post shared by Neil Currey (@neil_currey)

[Related: The Best Dumbbell Ab Workouts for a Stronger, Better-Looking Core]

Setting a bar of expectations might be difficult for Currey in his Olympia debut. The highest standard, though, would be toppling three-time reigning Classic Physique Olympia champion (2019-2021) Chris Bumstead. There’s also former two-time winner Breon Ansley (2017-2018) and perennial high-level contender Terrence Ruffin to compete with.

For Currey, a finish somewhere around the top would likely be a great way to burst onto the Olympia scene. He very well could surprise and achieve even more.

The 2022 Mr. Olympia will take place on Dec. 16-18, 2022, in Las Vegas, NV.

Featured image: @neil_currey on Instagram

The post Bodybuilder Neil Currey Weighs 235 Pounds as He Nears First Olympia Competition appeared first on Breaking Muscle.