Discussions are picking up around the 2026 Mr. Olympia, scheduled for September 24-27 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Taking to YouTube on April 26, 2026, bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler offered advice to Derek Lunsford ahead of the event. Cutler also broke down his ab training approach and showed off his shredded midsection.
In 2023, Derek Lunsford made history, becoming the sport’s first-ever two-division Mr. Olympia champion. However, he was unable to mount a successful title defense in 2024. He lacked fullness and finished third, with Nigerian mass monster Samson Dauda securing gold.
A year later, Lunsford won back the Sandow trophy, joining Jay Cutler as the second athlete ever to reclaim the honor. Though Lunsford reigns right now, Cutler warned that if his abs and legs aren’t up to par, bigger contenders like Dauda and Chinedu Andrew ‘Jacked’ Obiekea could catch him slipping.
Jay Cutler Shares Ab Training Tip With Derek Lunsford, Lays Out His Path to Victory at the 2026 Mr. Olympia
In the video, Cutler spoke on his ab training approach, revealing how it ultimately ties into stronger quarter turns and side poses.
“I don’t think you should do weighted ever. I mean, I like rope crunches, but it’s all breathing and squeezing. You got to think about it, that’s all you practice, right? I think breathing and contracting.
You want to stretch the wall. The breathing is going to control you as you do your quarters, right? You do more of a vacuum on this shot [front double], but quarter turns are important, and even with your side chest, just to make sure you have this detail, and the side tricep,” shared Jay Cutler.
Check out Cutler’s abs at 52 below:
According to Cutler, displaying full legs would play to Lunsford’s strengths and help against bigger contenders:
“The way I would look at it, look, you’re dealing with big dudes, you can’t come bone-down. You need the fucking legs.
I think your legs look better at the Olympia than the Arnold because they had more oomph, and that makes your taper look better. It gives you more power because, to be honest, not everyone has that. They don’t have the density in the legs. When your legs are full, bro, it’s dangerous.”
Cutler isn’t the only bodybuilding icon offering advice to top contenders. Former eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney recently shared words of wisdom with Dauda and Jacked. He urged both competitors to ‘stand tall and pose big’ when they make their way back to the 2026 Mr. Olympia.
In the meantime, Lunsford is focused on the guest posing event in Pittsburgh. Fans will get a teaser of what’s to come at Mr. Olympia when the sport’s biggest stars clash from May 16-17.
