Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler never skips leg day, even in retirement. In a recent YouTube video shared on April 27, 2026, he broke down his leg workout routine that focused on pre-exhaust techniques.
Jay Cutler sits among bodybuilding royalty. His milestone moment came at the 2006 Mr. Olympia, when he dethroned former eight-time champ, Ronnie Coleman. Cutler lost the prestigious crown to Dexter Jackson in 2008, but this set the stage for his iconic comeback.
At the 2009 Mr. Olympia, Cutler showcased his quad stomp pose en route to gold. To this day, fans and bodybuilding legends regard him as having one of the strongest lower bodies of all time. While most top-tier IFBB Pros start falling off as they get older, that’s not the case for Cutler.
Jay Cutler’s Leg Day Routine at 52
Find his exercises from the video below:
- Standing Leg Curl
- Seated Hamstring Curl
- Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts
- Lunges (In Place)
- Lying Hamstring Curl
- Leg Extension Machine
- Leg Press Machine
- Vertical Leg Press
- Freedom Racks
- Seated Leg Press
Standing Leg Curl
No longer traveling, Cutler’s focus returned to his day-to-day fitness routine:
“I’ve been hitting the gym, so I’ve gotten shoulders in, I’ve gotten arms in,” said Cutler. “I don’t think I did chest.”
Seated Hamstring Curl
He believes the seated hamstring curl works best for his body because of his shorter quads and longer calves.
“My favorite exercise is the seated hamstring curl. I think because of the length of my quads. I think I have shorter quads and longer calves so, this seems to work better in the seated position.”
Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlifts
He moved on with stiff-legged deadlifts, noting why he prefers dumbbells over a barbell. He prioritized the pump and stretching the hamstrings.
“Why do I prefer dumbbells? I prefer dumbbells because I don’t know, I feel a little bit of you’re not restricted with the bar hitting your shins or feet or whatever. What you’re trying to do here, remember, it’s about pumping the hamstring so you get that blood in there. Then, stretch the cords out.”
Lunges (In Place)
With lunges, he maintained focus on his hamstrings but explained that it also worked his quads.
“It is a little bit of a quad [movement] but I’m really putting emphasis on the hamstrings.”
Lying Hamstring Curl
He kept weight moderate on hamstring curls, aiming for 8-12 reps.
“In the beginning, I had a hard time feeling this movement. The pad is on a medium. We are going to do 110 and once again, 8-12 reps.”
Leg Extension Machine
He used the leg extension as a pre-exhaust movement before more taxing compound lifts.
“I always talk about pre-exhaust movements and how important that is. You usually get the blood going a little bit. Even though we have a lot of function in the quads with all the stuff we just did, we still want to get the knees warmed up.”
Leg Press Machine
When pushing out reps on the leg press, Cutler kept his feet lower on the platform to bias the quads.
“Feet lower on the platform, we’re hitting the quads.”
Vertical Leg Press
For added stimulus, Jay switched to the vertical leg press, which he said can sometimes make him light-headed.
“I still feel light-headed when I get off it. This exercise, when you stand up, the blood is going this way,” he said. “I just remember how much weight I used to do on this thing. I think it’s a great exercise.”
Freedom Racks
He completed three sets of freedom racks for glute development.
“Freedom rack, pretty much a Smith machine, but it’s on a slide, as you can see. We’re going to do three sets here. The only reason I squat is for my ass.”
Seated Leg Press
Lastly, he finished with 250 pounds on the seated leg press.
“We’re going to do a little finisher here,” Cutler shared. “250. What I’m really trying to do, the foot position is going to be a little lower. I’m actually going to point my toes out a little bit. This is really, really good on the teardrops.”
Cutler doesn’t just have practical tips for training the lower body. He recently outlined how to reap maximum benefits from arm workouts. He emphasized that on arm days, you should never rest for more than a minute or you risk gains.
At 52, Cutler is proving he can still maintain a high work rate with grueling sessions. He believes pre-exhausting the muscles and focusing on the pump are non-negotiables for progress.
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