Bodybuilding icon Jay Cutler still trains seven days a week at 53. Taking to Instagram on October 15, he broke down why everyone should start their shoulder workouts with seated dumbbell lateral raises if they want more width and size.
In the 2000s, Cutler took runner-up at the Mr. Olympia four times against Ronnie Coleman. For a moment, no one thought “The King” could be beaten. However, Cutler caught up with Coleman at the 2006 Mr. Olympia, and many assumed his reign could last just as long. Ultimately, Cutler lost the crown to Dexter Jackson two years later.
The loss positioned him for a legendary comeback. In 2009, the Massachusetts native reclaimed the Sandow trophy. Before calling it a career, Cutler managed to win a total of four Mr. Olympias. Though it’s been years since he competed, Cutler remembers exactly which exercises transformed his physique back in his prime.
Jay Cutler Says Every Shoulder Workout Should Start With Dumbbell Lateral Raises
In the video, Cutler explained that he always starts shoulder days with seated dumbbell lateral raises. He believes this movement is crucial for anyone wanting bigger and wider shoulders.
“My go-to to kick off all of my shoulder workouts! If you wanna be wide, you gotta build up those delts!”
“If you want to build the biggest shoulders and have the widest shoulders, and take up the most space, I suggest the seated side lateral with dumbbells. I feel it’s the ideal exercise. It’s always the first movement in my shoulder routine. If I’m going to start shoulders, most people go in the gym, they do a press movement, I focus on doing more pre-exhaust, really get the blood in there.”
For optimal progress, he said to keep your palms facing inward during repetitions. He prefers the seated variation because it minimizes body momentum.
“When I start this exercise, the palms are facing in, and I kind of turn and get that hang and really engage the shoulder. There’s three heads to the shoulder. The side, the front, and the back. So, what you want to do, is you really want to try to target. I feel like this exercise in the seated position, less momentum, it’s going to allow you to really get those fibers; you can target all three heads of the shoulder.”
He also pauses at the top of each rep briefly to help him dial in mind-muscle connection:
“When I do that little pause right here [at the top of the rep], I get a little hold in there, and just really lock in and engage, and get my mind to muscle, and I’m always doing this 8-12 reps like everything that I do. It’s very important that you focus on feeling the movement, not too much body momentum, and focus on the reps,” shared Jay Cutler.
Throughout his career, Cutler showcased wide, capped shoulders onstage. He believes limiting body movement and focusing on mind-muscle connection can help take gains to the next level.
