Big arms were never an issue for bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler. In retirement, he maintains a strict workout schedule, hitting the gym seven days a week. On Sept. 20, 2025, he revealed his top-three cable-only exercises for biceps growth.
Cutler is best known for his rivalry with Ronnie Coleman. He took runner-up a record six times before catching “The King.” Before leaving competitive bodybuilding behind, Cutler amassed four Mr. Olympia titles, becoming the only IFBB Pro from the Open to win the title back after losing it.
At 52 years old, Cutler hasn’t missed a beat. Between nutrition, training, and recovery, the former champ keeps a full schedule. He’s still carrying impressive mass and conditioning, sticking to exercise selections that helped him dominate the sport.
Jay Cutler Breaks Down His Top 3 Cable Exercises for Biceps Growth
Find his selections from the video below:
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- Cable Preacher Curl
- Rope Curls
- Cable Concentration Curl
To isolate the biceps, Cutler favors the cable preacher curl, which provides constant tension on the muscle compared to traditional preacher curls.
“Our preacher curl — that’s going to be our isolation movement.”
The forearm activation from rope curls is the main reason why they earned a spot on his list.
“Exercise number two, we really want to work the thickness, the brachialis. We’re going to do the rope curls with a cable, really get that brachialis forearm growth. Come all the way up to get a nice contraction and get that nice extension at the bottom.”
His last recommended movement was the cable concentration curl. For proper setup, he rests the cable across his knee. Cutler shared that lifters can achieve the best results by using 10–12 repetitions.
“Last movement, a little more concentration. Isolate and individually work each arm. I’m going to rest the cable across my knee, and I’m going to come up and get that extension. Do this for about 10 or 12 repetitions, sometimes 15, really get that nice burn,” said Jay Cutler.
Cutler has also explained how to build a back with a crazy v-taper using just three exercises. He listed reverse pulldowns, barbell rows, and the seated cable row with a closed grip handle as effective options for getting the job done. As for the delts, the Massachusetts native swears by using a pre-exhaust technique to safely boost the intensity of his training sessions.
Cutler keeps his workout breakdowns simple so anyone can follow them. For optimal progress, he said to use a 10–12 rep scheme.
RELATED: Jay Cutler Breaks Down Meal Timing for Optimal Muscle Growth
Watch the full video from the JayCutlerTV YouTube channel below:
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