Jay Cutler competed in one of the most talent-rich eras in bodybuilding history. Taking to YouTube on Dec. 5, 2025, he explained how to build thickness and width using his pump-focused back workout.
In the 2000s, Jay Cutler cemented himself as an all-time great after ending eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman‘s reign. Cutler’s career wasn’t without adversity; he dropped the title to Dexter Jackson in 2008. Despite being counted out the following year, “The Comeback Kid” proved he wasn’t finished and reclaimed the title.
Cutler still keeps his finger on the sport’s pulse. Whether he’s breaking down the latest threats to shake up the Open or offering training advice, the 52-year-old hasn’t stopped giving back to fans and athletes.
How Jay Cutler Builds Thickness & Width in His Back at 52
Find his exercises from the video below:
- Reverse Pulldowns
- Hammer Strength Low Row Machine – Isolateral
- Pullover Machine
- Dual Pulley Seated Cable Row
- T-bar Row
- Pulldown Machine
Reverse Pulldowns
He began with three working sets of reverse pulldowns. He likes this movement because it pulls on the lats, and can be performed with one or both arms.
“This exercise is really good because you get that pull on the lats. I like to do these both arms at a time, you can do them isolaterally, especially on this piece of equipment. We’ll get a couple feel sets in, get the motion, and probably three working sets.”
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Hammer Strength Low Row Machine – Isolateral
For skin-bursting pumps, Cutler always sticks with more than eight repetitions.
“Everything over eight reps, I never really perform any exercises under eight repetitions for skin-bursting pumps. I think that’s ideal,” he shared. “We’re going to do three sets here.”
On the low row machine, he warned about chest pulling and said to focus on the contraction.
“What I really like about this is, you have the pad to keep yourself stationary. I’ll do single arm at a time here, so isolateral movements, where you see me do the rows. Ideally, keeping the chest not pulling too much but really getting that contraction.”
Pullover Machine
Moving on, he credited the pullover machine for helping lengthen the lats.
“The Nautilus pullover, chain-driven. We never see any chain-driven equipment. Ideally, this exercise really lengthening the lats. We do this with cables, we do it with dumbbells, we try to duplicate it a million different ways, but nothing can duplicate this actual machine.”
Dual Pulley Seated Cable Row
The Massachusetts native started seated cable rows with his palms down. He revealed that many people recruit their glutes, legs, and arms rather than pulling only from the lats.
“My starting position is going to be palms down. When I come back, remember: I’m not trying to come back, I’m trying to keep my back straightened and really pull with the lats. I see way too many people using their ass or legs or everything else, like biceps, to pull this weight.”
“Same thing, eight or 12 reps,” he added.
T-bar Row
The t-bar row was a proven width-builder for Cutler throughout his prime years.
“We talk about the width. A lot of people can build great width, good cap on the shoulders, good lat width, but not a lot of people can build this thickness.”
Pulldown Machine
Positioned tightly against the machine’s pads, Cutler finished off the workout with three sets on the pulldown machine, implementing brief pauses.
“I’m going to sit close with basically my crotch is in the machine, pretty much. I keep the seat a little lower so I get the full extension. Ideally, I get a little hold at the bottom, very, very slight, half-second, quarter-second hold, and then get that full contraction.”
“I always pick five, six, shit, I used to do seven or eight, three sets each,” said Cutler.
When it comes to training, Cutler has plenty of crafty tools in his arsenal. He recently unpacked how to build boulder shoulders using behind-the-back lateral raises. This under-the-radar exercise helped him cap his delts for the Olympia stage.
Higher reps and just three sets per exercise are all Cutler needs for a killer back pump. At 52 years old, the bodybuilding legend continues to flaunt strength and longevity in retirement.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Says Martin Fitzwater’s Consistency Reminds Him of the Late Gustavo Badell
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