Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler are some of the most prolific bodybuilders to grace the sport and used their size like a weapon at bodybuilding shows. In a recent throwback video, Coleman and Cutler go head-to-head to determine who sported the biggest arms during their prime years.
Coleman, an eight-time Mr. Olympia, shares that lofty distinction with Lee Haney for most titles ever won at the prestigious event. “The King” laid waste to his competition with staggering proportions and jaw-dropping muscularity.
While Coleman continued to amass titles at Olympia, Jay Cutler steadily emerged as a threat in the Men’s Open division, which was highlighted by his second place performance at 2001 Olympia, behind champion Coleman. Despite placing runner-up, Cutler fondly remembered the moment because that was precisely when his ‘idol’ became his ‘rival.
Eventually, when 2006 rolled around, Cutler dethroned Coleman en route to winning his first Olympia title. During his bodybuilding tenure, Cutler utilized Ronnie Coleman-esque workouts, which were described as high-volume and intense. While Cutler admitted these training methods were a ‘little extreme’, clearly, they had a positive impact on his career, overall.
While both decorated legends have stepped away from the sport, there was a time, even outside of competition, when they couldn’t help but compete against each other. The two bodybuilders in their prime have even compared the size of their biceps, and the gun show did not disappoint.
Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler Arms Race
Featured in a recent video, Coleman shared throwback footage of him and Cutler facing off to see who sported the biggest biceps. Coleman’s 23.5-inch arms eclipsed Cutler’s 22.5-inch guns by a fine margin.
While Coleman got the last laugh during the biceps battle, Cutler never held back during bodybuilding preparations. In fact, to hang with an athlete as decorated as Coleman, Cutler revealed that his diet also got a little extreme. The Massachusetts native remembers the bulletproof mindset he adopted to contend against the eight-time Mr. Olympia. Cutler revealed that at one point, he consumed over 140 egg whites a day to progressively add muscle to his physique.
For Coleman, his claim to excellence came through consistency. The bodybuilding legend remembers training six days a week, without fail for the entirety of his storied career. He always advocated for pushing the limits inside the gym, stating ‘every single day, I was lifting something heavy’, a lesson he deems essential to building quality muscle.
Coleman sacrificed a lot to reach the top of the sport and sustained a number of injuries as a result of his hard work in the gym. Some of these surgeries hindered his ability to walk unassisted.
In retirement, Coleman is an inspiration and hasn’t slowed down. He still hits leg workouts twice a week even though his feet feel numb.
Check out the full YouTube video below:
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Cutler also remains committed to the sport and routinely features workouts and video discussions geared around the sport’s most pressing issues. Both bodybuilders have maintained impressive physiques in retirement, and judging by the arms race won by Coleman, it appears they will remain friendly rivals until the end of time.
Also read: Best Back Ever: Ronnie Coleman vs Dorian Yates
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