Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler is breaking down his fasted abs workout routine at 51. He took to a recent YouTube video on February 12, 2025, to offer expert insight into strengthening the core with three exercises.
During the prime years of his career, Jay Cutler rapidly transformed his physique. With consistency, proper exercise selection, and dieting, he broke boundaries in the Men’s Open class. After multiple attempts, he dethroned eight-time Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman in 2006. He lost the honor in 2008 only to win it back a year later with an all-time best look.
It’s been over a decade since we’ve seen him on stage but his passion for training has carried him in retirement. He sports an incredible physique at 51 years old, continuing to push his limits with various workouts, including fasted ab training which he credits for helping him maintain a tight midsection.
Jay Cutler Breaks Down His Fasted Ab Training Routine, Rooted in Lessons from Bodybuilding Icon Lee Labrada
Find his trio of exercises below:
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- Leg Lifts
- Crunches on Incline
- Rope Crunches
Cutler reflected on his training frequency and routine, admitting to sometimes overtraining.
“I’ll be honest, I fall victim to always wanting to do more and I don’t think that’s necessarily the key, if that makes sense. I should know better since I did this my whole life and I put together a million routines for people.”
“Fasted training, so I got up this morning, I had to take the dogs in for teeth cleaning,” he shared. “I get up at 6 o’clock to take them and I literally went home and had some aminos and a scoop of protein.”
Cutler completed his fasted ab workout with rope crunches using an 80-pound stack. He picked up this exercise after watching Lee Labrada utilize it.
“Three sets of [rope crunches] and then I’ll finish up with a little cardio,” he states. “I feel really good.”
“I remember Lee Labrada doing these, that’s where I learned these from. Him doing an ab routine for the Muscle and Fitness but I always feel these in my intercostals, upper, lower abs.”
He recommended ab training to individuals who suffer from back issues.
“I really think it’s important too for your core, so you guys that might have a little back pain, I think it’s good to do some ab training in there, especially on your back day.
I always talk about that. But I think it’s really important you work the backside with all the deadlifts or rows or anything bent-over, seated cable rows, all that. You got to work your core, the front side too, right? You got to work the core and make sure that stays engaged that way it offsets the back to the front.”
In addition, he revealed how to include ab training in a general workout routine, advising lifters to avoid training them on leg days.
“Find them in your routine. Obviously, I don’t train abs on leg day ever. So on arm day, shoulder day, chest day, back day, I usually do one body part a day.”
Cutler continues to advocate for fasted training with many such as the British Journal of Nutrition finding that the practice led to slightly increased fat oxidation during a workout when compared to exercising after enjoying a meal.
Cutler stands by these three exercises for developing a tighter midsection. Give them a try the next time you include ab training in your regimen.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Labels Seated Wide Grip Cable Rows As His #1 Exercise for Building a Tapered Physique
Watch the full video from the Cutler Nutrition YouTube channel below:
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