Muscle & Fitness was once more than just the most trusted source for fitness and training information. Many of the athletes who have graced the covers of past issues of M&F have gone on to become legends and icons in bodybuilding and beyond, so this article could double as a fortune teller.
If you need proof, this particular cover from 2018 featured greats like Mike O’Hearn, Cory Everson, and Jay Cutler, as well as young Canadian upstarts who competed in a new division called “Classic Physique” Please refer to
When he appeared on this cover, Chris Bumstead was just starting out as a contender in the new category, but he was determined to become more than just an Olympia champion, he was the new standard by which all other bodybuilders were compared. In his mind, his attention was likely based solely on his physique, but this cover also speaks volumes about what “CBum” is trying to do in the sports world and beyond. I couldn’t do that.
Steve Smith / M+F Magazine
Chris Bumstead’s rise to bodybuilding greatness
A year after this issue spread to the stands, Bumstead won his first Olympia title by defeating the only man to beat him on stage, two-time Olympia champion Breon Ansley. Many fans are still convinced that his then-new mustache was the difference-maker for him that year.
Bumstead has done nothing but show off his form in each of his past five contest appearances, all on the Olympia stage. In between world title wins, his personal brand was growing on YouTube and social media. While many “influencers” have followers in the thousands, his followers were in the millions around the world.
Despite M&F becoming an online-only presence, Bumstead managed to find his way to another cover, the Olympia annual issue, which was released before his fourth Olympia win. By that point, he had reached a pinnacle beyond bodybuilding and was reaching mainstream audiences around the world.
Chris Bumstead launches bodybuilding business
Many fans and insiders compared Bumstead’s success to that of Arnold Schwarzenegger early on, but a more accurate comparison might be to four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. No. CBum’s fanbase took note of everything he said, watched every rep he did on video over and over again, and even started showing up with his own mustache when he appeared.
They also bought his products. His influence led him to pursue greater business interests. He no longer signed endorsement deals and took partial ownership of both his name and the businesses he collaborated with. His personal supplement line through Raw Supplements can be found on the shelves of major stores nationwide, and his own clothing line has reached such a level of success that his new releases are held at online events. Reached. Meanwhile, his rivals like Ramon Dino, Urs Kalechinski and Terrence Ruffin were trying to do their best when it was their turn to stand next to the champion on the Olympia stage. They all tried, but none succeeded.
The end of Chris Bumstead’s on-stage career
By 2024, the Bumstead name was a household word. He was interviewed on a self-help podcast and rejoined his former sponsor Gymshark, this time once again as co-owner and father. He was nearing 30 years old and in his prime in the bodybuilding world.
But the champion followed the old pro wrestling adage of “break out before you reach your peak.” On October 12, 2024, he entered the Las Vegas Convention Center for the last time to take the best shots of his rivals, then walked to the Resorts World Theater after winning his sixth and final Olympia title. , announced his retirement on stage. In that speech, he reconsidered what it meant to be the “standard” for his division and sport.
“I was just an ignorant kid chasing a dream. And six years later, here we are now with six gold medals around our necks. I wish I could have done that. I wish I had done it differently than what I was doing. So it was less about my size and what I did, and more about how I did it and who I was and what happened along the way.”
As much as our covers have been great fortune tellers over the years, no one could have predicted what would happen when we saw Chris Bumstead’s first cover six years ago. Many people are happy to see it.
