Using every weapon in his arsenal turned Jay Cutler into a four-time Mr. Olympia. In a recent YouTube video on Nov. 7, 2025, Cutler showed how to perform the cross-body standing dumbbell fly to build up the outer and lower chest.
“This isn’t an exercise that I necessarily do every single workout, but I like to mix it in to just hit things a little different and to keep a little variation in my workouts! Give it a shot next time you’re hitting chest!”
Throughout his prime, Cutler didn’t have a weak body part, but it took specific exercise selections to catch up with Ronnie Coleman. Finally, in 2006, Cutler did the improbable and took out ‘The King.’ His first reign was short-lived; Cutler dropped the Sandow trophy to Dexter Jackson in 2008. This laid the foundation for his massive comeback in 2009.
He left the sport as one of the most visible ambassadors and hasn’t slowed down in retirement. Cutler remains in tremendous shape and helps lifters maximize progress with his tailored breakdowns. While the cross-body standing dumbbell fly wasn’t a weekly staple in his routine, he peppered it in at times to etch out the details in his chest.
Jay Cutler Swears By Cross-Body Standing Dumbbell Fly For Building the Lower and Outer Chest
In the video, Cutler explained that the cross-body standing dumbbell fly was a go-to back in the day. While the dumbbells require more stabilizing effort, he emphasized that this move effectively hits the lower and outer chest.
“The cross-body standing dumbbell fly… now we used to use a lot of variations back in the day, the cables, there’s a lot of machines that imitate the fly movement.
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With dumbbells, it’s a little more stabilization, but ideally, you can hit really good fibers, especially you guys trying to build your lower chest, your outer chest, and really get that peak contraction.”
This exercise is all about stimulation. Cutler said it’s best to keep the weight moderate, which allows for better focus on the contraction.
“With this exercise, come across the body, alternating arms, and really getting that feel, getting that squeeze, and remember: use the weight that is enough where you can feel the stimulation and don’t worry about going crazy, crazy heavy, as it’s all about the contraction with this exercise,” explains Cutler.
Cutler isn’t the only fitness star with chest-building solutions. ATHLEAN-X founder and fitness coach Jeff Cavaliere recommends just two dumbbell exercises for growing a bigger chest. He stands by the incline bench press and the dumbbell floor fly because they keep the shoulder from enduring unnecessary strain.
Cutler believes the cross-body standing dumbbell fly has plenty of merit, but only uses it sometimes. Above all else, he stressed that lifters focus on the stimulation and contraction rather than chasing heavier weights.
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