Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler is determined to help lifters reach their full potential inside the gym. On May 19, 2025, he broke down three common deadlifting mistakes to avoid and how to fix them.
Cutler remains entrenched in the bodybuilding community in retirement. As a former four-time Mr. Olympia and the only athlete to regain the prestigious title, his command of training and biomechanics is backed up by years of experience battling against greats like Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath.
Over the years, Cutler’s picked up on mistakes lifters make as he still trains at the gym seven days a week. While he doesn’t lift as heavy since stepping away from the sport, he’s adopted a proven system for staying in shape year-round.
Jay Cutler’s Top 3 Most Common Squatting Mistakes and How to Fix Them
- Deadlifting Too Heavy
- Wrong Body Position
- Rounding The Back
The first pitfall Cutler said to avoid while deadlifting was using too much weight. He emphasized that the deadlift doesn’t just work the back, pointing to the hamstrings and glutes as well.
“Number one, people deadlift too heavy. They tend to get down there, get ready to do the weight, and they can’t really move it.
You want to be able to move through the repetitions. You want to get that feel. Remember, it’s not only going to focus on your back, it’s going to be your hamstrings, glutes, everything.”
Body and bar positioning also play a crucial role for those aiming to reap gains from the deadlift. Cutler explained that the bar should drag over the shins, and your head should be up during repetitions.
“Number two –the body position. You want to touch the bar to your shins, almost to the point where the bar drags over the shins. You want to pull through the body, keeping your head up, keep the body position, and pull the weight almost like you’re pulling the bar straight through your body.”
In addition, he said not to round the back during deadlifts.
“The third and final mistake is rounding the back. You want to go through the movement. You want to bend the knees a little bit.
A lot of people tend to bend over and they round the back, which you’re going to end up with a back injury that way. You never want to round your back; you want to keep the chest high, and like I said, pull through the body. Do not round the back,” he shared.
Cutler’s always offering lifting advice to his fans. He recently unpacked the three most common mistakes made when performing the lat pulldown. Most notably, he said lifters should avoid leaning back too much, aim for a full contraction, and try not to use excessive momentum.
Cutler maintains that these three mistakes can sabotage deadlift gains over time. With the right amount of weight, along with proper body position and back posture, he believes anyone can improve this tricky lift.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Reveals What It Really Takes to Develop a Championship Back
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