Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler is already back in the gym after attending the 2026 Arnold Classic. On March 20, 2026, he broke down his latest chest, calves, and abs workout at 52. Throughout the session, he focused on strong contractions and constant tension.
During his prime, Cutler cemented himself as an all-time great in the Men’s Open class. He finished second to Ronnie Coleman for years on the Olympia stage before reaching his full potential. In 2006, Cutler’s reign began, though it was short-lived. Dexter Jackson managed to take the Sandow trophy from him in 2008.
Cutler used the setback as fuel to mount arguably the greatest comeback in bodybuilding history. He won back the Olympia crown in 2009, and his quad stomp pose became a legacy-defining moment. Many bodybuilders lose their muscle in retirement, but Cutler still makes sure to train seven days a week.
Jay Cutler’s Current Chest, Calves, and Abs Workout at 52
Find his exercises from the video below:
- Standing Calf Raises
- Angled Calf Raises on Leg Press Machine
- Seated Calf Raises
- Atlantis Incline Chest Press
- Standing Arsenal Press
- J-Bell Flies
- Low Cable Press
- Decline Bench Sit-Ups
- Leg Lifts
- Incline Treadmill for 20 Minutes
Standing Calf Raises
Cutler noted that volume would remain moderate throughout the workout.
“I won’t go crazy, crazy volume,” shared Cutler.
Angled Calf Raises on Leg Press Machine
He shared that this calf raise variation hits the inside of the calf more than the outside.
“This exercise, for me, it’s kind of an angled calf raise. It works really really well for my calves. I get a nice contraction. I think more I feel it in the inner than the outer. Obviously, when the knee is kind of bent, you get more of that outer calf.”
Seated Calf Raises
He proceeded with standard seated calf raises, which better target the soleus.
“Pretty standard, like I said, I think we’re targeting this part of the calf, even though I feel like you can’t really isolate it, they say with the bent knee that it’s going to target more of the soleus, right?”
Atlantis Incline Chest Press
For the chest, he started with a low seat on the incline press machine, focusing on strong contractions.
“I’ll drop the seat to the bottom like a really lowered seat so I can really get under the weight,” he said. “Really just trying to get a good contraction on this.”
Standing Arsenal Press
The Arsenal press is one of his favorites, and again, a solid contraction was the main goal on this movement:
“It’s become one of my favorites,” explained Cutler. “When I lock into this, I’m going to actually bend down a little bit, guys. Same thing: Constant tension in the chest.”
“Remember, I’m not trying to worry about strength as much. I’m just trying to get the contraction of the movements. Really just kind of condition the muscle, and maintain, and basically with this, keep the intensity high.”
J-Bell Flies
It wouldn’t be a chest session without j-bell flies, a staple in Cutler’s arsenal.
“Pretty standard with this. I did these a couple weeks ago, and I was super sore. Tissue out, blood flow, nutrients.”
Low Cable Press
For his final chest-focused exercise, Cutler used a low cable press and kept the rep tempo high.
“What I love about the cables, cables allow you zero loss of resistance. So, with dumbbells, sometimes you can kind of, and I tend to go crazy fast, so what I’m going to do with these… I’m going to do these almost like a pressing movement; you can do this as a fly. There’s lots of variations of this. Remember, low seat guys.”
Decline Bench Sit-Ups
Moving on to abs, he achieved a greater range of motion by performing sit-ups with the bench at a decline.
“If you guys incorporate some sit-ups on this decline bench, every other day. If you notice what’s going on here, I’m inverted so it’s pulling my spine. That’s the key to abs.”
Leg Lifts
To finish off his midsection, Cutler stuck with leg lifts on the Roman chair.
“One of my favorite exercises, little leg lifts. I do it in the Roman chair.”
After a 20-minute incline treadmill walk, the bodybuilding star called it a day. Whether it’s bigger legs or arms, Cutler has tailor-made workouts to get the job done. Above all else, he always prioritizes a full range of motion and quality contractions.
Cutler hasn’t stopped pushing himself in retirement at 52. He credits this workout for helping him maintain a strong and aesthetic look beyond the stage.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Reveals His ‘All-Time Best’ Mass-Building Training Cycle
Watch the full video from the JayCutlerTV YouTube channel below:
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