The four-time Mr. “O” continues to be a creature of behavior
Final up to date on December third, 2024
If it ain’t broke, don’t repair it. Like most bodybuilders, Jay Cutler is a creature of behavior. Despite the fact that the four-time Mr. Olympia not trains to compete, he’s nonetheless dedicated to coaching the identical means that made him a dominant pressure through the early 2000s.
One in every of Cutler’s non-negotiables facilities round how he begins each chest workout. On Nov. 26, 2024, the 51-year-old started his routine specializing in a muscle group that has nothing to do with constructing large pecs.
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Jay Cutler Places Calves Earlier than Pecs
As a substitute of diving straight right into a set of cable crossovers or seated chest flyes, Cutler begins every chest exercise the identical means: coaching his calves.
At first, it appears unusual to begin a pec-building session with decrease physique. Most individuals pencil calves into their leg workouts — a logical method that definitely isn’t flawed. Nonetheless, Cutler has a unique outlook.
- “I solely practice [calves] on chest day,” Cutler defined. “I attempt to prioritize muscle tissue, particularly what I name minor muscle tissue, so it might be forearms, calves, no matter, that you just may not put as a lot effort into.”
Cutler tried coaching calves every day, each different day, and even thrice per week. Nonetheless, after many years of trial and error and remark of different lifters, he recognized a significant downside to the standard calf-building methods.
“Folks are likely to say, “Ah, I gotta practice calves,” however the depth is simply not there anymore,” Cutler defined. “You’re spent from the exercise.”
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To reap probably the most hypertrophy rewards, Cutler concentrates on three calf exercises:
That mixture of actions supplies a adequate stimulus for Cutler, who sticks with two warm-up units and three working units for every train. He supplied recommendation for individuals who wish to maximize their calf-building efforts:
“The key to calf progress is a very nice stretch and an excellent peak contraction,” Cutler defined. “It’s a cussed muscle, so generally it’s important to regulate to numerous reps, decrease reps, heavy weight. The extra consistency you get your thoughts to muscle connection, you will get some progress out of the calves.”
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Olympia-Degree Chest Exercise
Cutler cranked up the depth with a chest exercise that included the next workout routines:
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Listed here are key relevant takeaways from Cutler’s coaching session:
- Cutler by no means makes use of full extension on incline presses, preferring to shorten the range of motion to keep up fixed rigidity on his pectoral muscle tissue. Time beneath rigidity is likely one of the greatest drivers of muscle progress.
- To tighten or construct up the decrease chest, Cutler recommends specializing in weight loss program, as most individuals “carry somewhat extra physique fats” in that space, and decline flye actions.
- Per Cutler, the flat cable flye is the perfect chest-building motion as a result of the pulleys present fixed rigidity. You possibly can lose rigidity with free weights.
Though placing pecs and calves in the identical exercise is unconventional, doing issues in another way can generally spark higher outcomes. For Jay Cutler, it’s simply rinse and repeat.
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