Jay Cutler is still tackling training sessions with intensity at 53. In an August 3 YouTube video, the bodybuilding legend broke down how he builds cannonball delts with pre-exhaust and isolation techniques.
Jay Cutler mastered nutrition, training, and supplementation to reach the top of the sport. In 2006, he dethroned eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman to kickstart his reign. Cutler eventually fell short of Olympia gold in 2008 against Dexter Jackson, but avenged the loss in 2009 with his iconic quad stomp pose.
Retirement hasn’t changed Cutler’s day-to-day routine; he still trains often and eats a strict diet. Beyond the stage, he continues to guide bodybuilders and fans with practical workout advice backed up by high-level experience.
Jay Cutler Offers Training Tips During Brutal Delt Workout at Kilo Club
Find his exercises from the video below:
- Dumbbell Seated Side Laterals
- Techno Gym Shoulder Press
- Incline Front Raises (J-bells)
- Rear Delt Cable Fly
- Standing Side Lateral Machine
- Decline Bench Sit-Ups
- Roman Chair Leg Raises
- Kneeling Cable Leg Crunches
- 20-Minute Treadmill Finisher
Dumbbell Seated Side Laterals
During the video, Cutler starts with seated side lateral raises as a pre-exhaust exercise before approaching heavier compound movements.
“Side laterals, pre-exhaust, get the blood in the muscle, get the joint kind of lubricated, however you want to classify whatever that is. Getting the blood flow, nutrients, everything in there,” he said.
“I don’t go crazy with this exercise. As I do this raise, I’m going to do it seated, but I’m also going to do a front raise and a side lateral at the same time. That’s just the way I feel it.”
Techno Gym Shoulder Press
He favors the Techno Gym shoulder press because he feels it stimulates all three shoulder heads:
“I just feel like the handles are in the perfect spot, and it really gets the front, side, and rear delt.”
Incline Front Raises (J-bells)
He offered tips during incline front raises, urging lifters to keep their hands parallel with the floor to better isolate the shoulders.
“Front raise incline, you guys have seen me do it a million times. Pretty simple.”
“With these, I’m just trying to be parallel to the floor, really isolating the shoulders. Great with the J-bells, you guys have seen me do this with a straight bar before, but this is a little different. The longer dumbbells, if I use the regular dumbbells, I would hit this [part of the bench].”
Rear Delt Cable Fly
Reminiscent of his competitive physique, Cutler revealed that his shoulders were among the first body parts to lose size when he stopped eating as much.
“The famous Jay Cutler rear delt side delt fly. I think I had some of the biggest rear delts. They were the first thing to do when I stopped eating and taking all the supplements. You got to eat a lot of food to keep the shoulders popping.”
Standing Side Lateral Machine
He explained why he likes to train rear delts on shoulder days, and believes the standing side lateral machine hits all three heads of the delt.
“For me, I like doing the shoulder all heads [together]. I understand though, because Yates used to it that way too. Everyone has their preference, but it’s just so simplified. So much is exercising for me now, so I feel like okay, I’m going to do a certain body part so it helps me lock in and do that,” Jay Cutler said.
Core Work + Treadmill Finisher
After delt training, Cutler used decline bench sit-ups, Roman chair leg raises, and kneeling cable crunches to keep his midsection under control. As a finisher, he wrapped up the session with 20 minutes on an incline treadmill.
Throughout his bodybuilding career, Cutler also utilized a higher-volume approach, but it differed greatly from Dorian Yates’ all-out training system. “The Comeback Kid” noted that he avoided going to failure during exercises to save himself from injury and fatigue.
At 53, Cutler continues to show that exceptional longevity is possible in the Men’s Open division. He isn’t slowing down and wants to guide the next generation of lifters on how to not only build muscle, but do so safely.
RELATED: Jay Cutler and Flex Wheeler Reflect on PED Culture and How Prize Money Changed Bodybuilding
