Chris Bumstead's legs are one of the most recognizable parts of his physique, and his training reflects exactly why.

The five-time Classic Physique Olympia champion has shared his go-to leg routine, built around heavy compound lifts, targeted isolation work, and enough volume to leave nothing untouched. 

Here are the exercises he used to create his iconic legs:

1. Leg extensions (warm-up)

As per Generation Iron, Bumstead opens with leg extensions. This is a movement he treats as essential for isolating the quads. 

"The leg extension is a lower bodybuilding exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps muscles and strengthens the knees."

He does this exercise with full flexion and extension emphasized on every rep for maximum growth and blood circulation.

2. Leg press

From there, he moves into leg press, one of his most-used exercises for hitting the quads, hamstrings, and glutes simultaneously. Foot placement changes the target; lower on the platform shifts focus to the quads, while higher placement brings the hamstrings more into play.

3. Bulgarian split squats

Bulgarian split squats follow, a unilateral movement Bumstead relies on to build both strength and symmetry.

Training one leg at a time forces a stronger mind-muscle connection and prevents a dominant side from taking over the work. This is necessary for symmetry.

4. Leg Curls

Leg curls round out the hamstring focus, performed seated with the pad firmly pressed against the thighs to maximize range of motion and better isolate the muscle.

5. Hack Squats

Hack squats are a regular fixture in Bumstead's routine, hitting the quads, glutes, hamstrings, adductors and hip joints all at once.

The machine's built-in stability lets him load heavy without worrying about balance, making it a reliable way to pack on size.

6. Dumbbell walking lunges

Dumbbell walking lunges add another dimension, building the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves and core together while improving balance and mobility.

Bumstead uses added dumbbell resistance to keep the movement challenging as strength increases.

7. Calf raises

Calf raises get dedicated attention as well, targeting the gastrocnemius to build both size and explosive power in the lower legs.

8. Adductor movements

Bumstead also includes hip adductor work, a movement many lifters skip entirely. Strengthening the adductors adds definition to the legs while supporting the hips and reducing strain on the knees and lower back.

But working out alone isn’t sufficient for such a physique. Proper nutrition is also a key for such impressive legs.

Chris Bumstead's off-season diet

Chris Bumstead's off-season isn't about enjoying food. It's about eating enough of it.

The six-time Mr. Olympia shared his bulking meal plan, as published by  Scott 'Future' Felstead in a Muscle and Fitness article when he was in the 2024 offseason. 

His day starts with steak fried in grass-fed butter, followed by oatmeal with almond butter, banana, blueberry, collagen, and chocolate whey protein. A mid-morning snack for him is Japanese sweet potato and lean ground turkey.

Post-workout, he takes in two scoops of chocolate whey isolate alongside carbohydrate powder. An afternoon snack of pasta and ground turkey follows, before dinner closes the day with wild sockeye salmon burgers, avocado, olive oil, and arugula.

The daily total lands at 4,551 calories, split 37% carbs, 33% fat, and 30% protein. For the offseason, that is a decent amount of calories.

This precedes the cutting phase, where the calories are highly restricted.

Written by

Zaid Quraishi

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi