Chris Bumstead has won the Classic Physique title at Mr. Olympia—the most prestigious competition in the world of professional bodybuilding—four years in a row, and he will likely be aiming for a fifth victory at the next event in November. The Canadian bodybuilder regularly shares insights into the diet plan and workout routines he uses to sculpt that award-winning physique, and in a new conversation with Chris Williamson on the Modern Wisdom podcast, he reveals the top 10 exercises he thinks are most essential for getting "as muscular as possible."

Squat

C-Bum first ensures that there is some lower-body work in the list, and specifies that he were only able to do one kind of squat variation for the rest of his life, it would be a Smith machine squat, as it provides added stability.

Deadlift

Bumstead chooses this classic compound lift as it targets the back, glutes and hamstrings, giving you plenty of bang for your buck.

Pullup

Bumstead hits his back and biceps in one fell swoop with this bodyweight staple. He favors a neutral grip here, to hit "a little more lat and biceps."

Incline dumbbell press

"I find inclines a little bit better on your shoulders... so you won't fuck up your shoulders as much," he says. "And the dumbbell will just keep you a little bit more symmetrical."

Seated dumbbell shoulder press

"I think that'll help your triceps and shoulders a lot," says Bumstead. This press isn't just a great builder of shoulder strength; it's also an impressive display of overall strength, which requires full-body effort to perform well.

Close-grip flat bench press

This is a great exercise for building both strength and size in your chest and triceps—provided that your grip isn't too close. When executing this motion, the devil really is in the details: check out our best tips for mastering the close-grip bench press.

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Dumbbell curl

Bumstead thinks it's "self-explanatory" as to why this popular bicep-builder is on the list. He prefers to do a standing version of the curl with a supinated grip, but there are a wide range of variations you can try to maximize your pump.

Bent over row

"That will help with stability and core," says Bumstead, "and then lower back and obviously upper back."

It's worth noting, however, that this bent-over position can lead to back pain: a bench-supported, single-arm alternative using a dumbbell can help you to achieve the same motion and result.

preview for Eb and Swole: Two-Position Bent-Over Row

Hanging leg raise

This ab-torching exercise is a lot harder than you might initially expect, with full-body tension needed to lift your legs through space while hanging from the bar.

Lateral raise

This move, which Bumstead uses to get "meaty delts," is one of the keys to achieving a V-shaped torso—but it's worth starting out with lighter weights while focusing on exhibiting the correct technique in order to avoid shoulder strain.