Men’s Open bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler still offers workout advice since retiring back in 2013. On April 1, 2025, he broke down three of the most common lat pulldown mistakes that could be costing you some gains.
Jay Cutler won the Mr. Olympia four times, cementing himself as an all-time great. He was the first IFBB Pro to finally dethrone eight-time-winning Olympia champ Ronnie Coleman. He also proved throughout his career that he could bounce back from adversity, an attribute he displayed in 2009 after regaining the Sandow trophy against Branch Warren and Dexter Jackson.
Cutler’s a top-tier ambassador for the sport of bodybuilding, and although he no longer competes actively, he still shapes and influences the sport on a major level. From picking apart physiques in the Men’s Open to revealing his tried-and-true techniques for perfecting workouts, he’s a source of wisdom for any bodybuilder or fitness enthusiast eager to improve their physiques.
Bodybuilding Legend Jay Cutler Shares His Top 3 Lat Pulldown Mistakes to Avoid and How to Fix Them
In a recently uploaded YouTube video, the four-time Olympia titleholder walked through common pitfalls that many individuals encounter when performing reps on the lat pulldown machine, one of the most common exercises for back training.
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- Leaning Back Too Much
- Not Getting a Full Contraction
- Using Too Much Momentum
The first mistake he sees is people leaning back too much throughout lat pulldowns.
“Three commonly made lat pulldown mistakes. Number one, I see people leaning back way too much on the lat pulldown where they’re coming way back like this.”
Next, he highlighted that oftentimes, individuals lack a full range of motion, which affects the quality of each contraction.
“Number two, I see people doing a lat pulldown and only coming to here, you want to get that full contraction in the lats. Ideally, come down and get that full contraction, not actually touching the chest, but you get that arch enough to really bring the lats in.”
Lastly, he touched on why using too much body momentum will hinder gains. He advocated for fully engaging the lats by squeezing on each contraction instead of lifting the weights with other muscle groups like the biceps.
“Third mistake that people make on lat pulldowns is their momentum. A lot of people are using too much momentum there. They are jerking the weight, not really using, they are using the biceps and everything else but the lats. You really want to engage the lats.
Get that full contraction. Sometimes you even want to pause, you want to get that squeeze. You come down, you lock the lats right there, get that squeeze so you can really engage those fibers that aren’t always being used depending on your training style,” he shared.
Back training comes with its fair share of challenges. The movements are sometimes hard to master since you can’t actually see the body part you’re working on unless you look in a mirror. This makes the mind-muscle connection a little more tricky to establish. However, Cutler’s insights address many of these problems.
As one of the most accomplished in the sport, Cutler continues to give back to the bodybuilding community. By avoiding these common lat pulldown mistakes, he’s confident anyone can sculpt a better back with time and dedication.
RELATED: 4x Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler Guides Sam Sulek Through Intensive Chest Workout and Posing Session
Watch the full video from the JayCutlerTV YouTube channel below:
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