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Bodybuilding guru and Hardgainer, Jay “Cuts” Cutler, has created a very interesting workout routine that is one of the most intense we’ve ever seen. His workout won’t be easy to follow, unless one is prepared to make some very serious changes to their lifestyle.
Jay Cutler, a legendary IFBB professional bodybuilder who has won four Mr. Olympia titles, is one of the most influential bodybuilders in the world today.
When one thinks of Jay Cutler they probably think of his impressive build, but what many don’t know is that this charismatic hulk of a man is also an accomplished and very successful entrepreneur. He has established many companies in different industries and is well known for his work ethic and marketing genius.
Cutler’s workout routines were published in his highly-acclaimed book, No Nonsense Guide To Successful Bodybuilding. He’s been performing these routines (with slight variations) for years, and the results speak for themselves.
We have to warn you though, Jay Cutler’s workout routine is NOT for the faint of heart.
Jay Cutler’s Current Stats
Age: 45 years old
Height: 5’9 (1.79 m)
Competition Weight: 274 lbs (124 kg)
Off-Season Weight: 310 lbs (140 kg)
Birthday: August 3, 1973
Achievements: Mr. Olympia, 2006-2007 and 2009-2010
Jay Cutler’s Bodybuilding Principles
Jay Cutler didn’t get his body overnight. It was slowly built over the course of two decades through grueling workouts and constant monitoring of his diet.
Whether it’s at the gym or in life, he works hard and never stops striving to get better. When it comes to his workouts, he also doesn’t limit himself to strict rules about the number of reps or sets, but he’s been bodybuilding for such a long time that he’s become well aware of his limits.
How Often Does Jay Cutler Do Cardio?
Jay Cutler is a bodybuilder, so while he does include cardio in his workout, he won’t overdo it like maybe an endurance athlete would. This is because he wants to maintain his muscle mass winstrol vs anavar or even improve on it, and cardio is not good for those purposes.
With cardio, your body uses more energy, which means you’ll have less energy to build muscle.
If you want to build muscle, you need to consume more calories than what you burn, so cardio can be counterproductive.
For bodybuilders, it’s better to focus on lifting weights than cardio. Lifting weights is what will build muscle, and cardio will help with fat loss. In the same vein, it’s important to avoid cardio during the off-season.
On the topic of cardio, Jay Cutler revealed for one interview that despite the incredible mass of his muscles, he does do cardio, and in fact does 40 minutes of cardio in the morning except on his rest days. While 40 minutes every morning might be a lot for some, Jay makes sure to counter the effects of cardio on the size of his muscles by taking in a ton of calories and converting them into muscles with his grueling workout schedule.
Daily Workout Routine
Jay Cutler’s routines are primarily for building muscle and maintaining gains, not for weight loss. Whenever he works out, he makes sure to mix up his exercise routine with a lot of upper body, lower body, and core work, with a special focus on the muscle groups he wants to increase in size.
When he’s not working out, he’s following a strict diet, eating tons of lean proteins and fiber. Below is Jay Cutler’s workout routine, broken down by day of the week.
Monday (Chest/ Abs)
Mondays for Jay are dedicated to chest and abs workouts. For Chest, Jay does the following:
- Bench Presses: three sets, 8 to 10 reps each.
- Incline Dumbbell Presses: three sets, 10 to 12 reps each
- Cable Crossovers: three sets: 10 to 12 reps each
- Dumbbell Pullovers: three sets: 10 to 12 reps each
- Incline Dumbbell Flyes: three sets: 5 to 10 reps each
Below is what Jay likes to do on Mondays to develop his abs:
- Ab Crunches: three sets, 20 reps each
- Rope Crunches: three sets: 20 reps each
- Hanging Leg Raise: three sets 12 reps each
- Leg Lifts: three sets: 10 reps each
Tuesday (Biceps/ Triceps)
Jay Cutler’s arm workout routine is dedicated to Tuesdays. He exercises his biceps with the exercises below. The biceps are responsible for bending the elbow and rotating the forearm supination (palm up). They also play a major role in stabilizing the shoulder joint during overhead exercises like bench press. So if your biceps are weak or inactive, they can lead to injuries in these areas as well as make it more difficult to perform other movements.
- Two-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curls: two sets, 15 reps
- One-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curls: three sets, 10 reps
- Dumbbell Curls: three sets, 10 reps
- Straight Bar Bicep Curls: 15 reps
- Cable Curls: three sets: 10 reps
As for Jay’s triceps, he does the routine below. Many people think that the triceps, which is the muscle located at the back of your upper arm, is not as important or as large as other muscle groups in the body. But this is not true because it plays a major role in arm extension and stabilization during exercises such as push-ups and dips.
- Row Push Downs: 15 reps
- Dip machine: four sets: 15 reps
- Seated Overhead Tricep Extensions: Jay uses 55 lbs for each arm
- Tricep Cable Extensions: four sets: 15 reps
- Standing Overhead Tricep Extensions: three sets: 10 to 15 reps
Wednesday (Rest)
This is the day that Jay dedicates to rest. Research suggests that people need to take a break from their usual routine at least once per week in order to maintain their fitness and health.
1) It helps the body recover after training or working out.
2) Resting allows the muscles time to repair and strengthen themselves.
3) Rest days help people avoid injuries caused by overuse of the muscle group or joint.
4) Resting gives your muscles enough time to recover before you commit to another hard workout with weights or an intense cardio session.
5) Taking a rest day will prevent overuse injury in your neck and back.
Thursday (Back)
On Thursdays, Jay does the routine below to work on the muscle groups in his back. A strong back is important for your spine, your posture, and your overall health. It’s also one of the most under-worked muscle groups in the body.
- Hammer high row: three sets, 12 reps, and 2 sets for warm-up
- Hammer pulldown: three sets, 12 reps
- Seated cable row: three sets, 12 reps
- Barbell bent-over row: three sets
- Dumbell single-arm row: three sets, 12 reps
- Hammer row (single-arm): three sets
- Reverse seated cable pulldown: three sets, 12 reps
Friday (Shoulders)
Friday is Jay’s shoulder day. The shoulder is an important joint that needs to be exercised to keep it strong. It, along with the upper back, is responsible for maintaining stability in the head and neck. Additionally, the shoulder joint is also important when it comes to moving your arm in all directions for everyday life or when exercising. That’s why you should work out your shoulders. That being said, the routine below isn’t meant for novice bodybuilders to try out.
- Dumbbell Bent-Over Raise: three sets, 10 reps
- Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raise: six sets, 10 reps
- Barbell Front Raise: three sets, 10 reps
- Cable Lateral Raise: three sets, 10 reps
- Dumbbell Bench Press: four sets, 10 reps
- Rear Dumbbell Lateral Raise: three sets, 10 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug: six sets, 10 reps
Saturday (Legs)
The muscle groups in the legs are what Jay targets during Saturdays. Legs are the powerhouse of our body and we don’t pay them enough attention. They take on a lot of stress and not giving them enough care can lead to injuries. It is important that we balance out all the time we spend on our upper body by dedicating some time to working out our lower half too.
- Leg Extension: two sets, 12 reps
- Leg Press: three sets, 12 reps
- Hack Squat: three sets, 12 reps
- Rear or Front Squat: three sets, 12 reps
- Lunge (w/ dumbbells): three sets, 12 reps
- Single-Leg Leg Press: three sets, 12 reps
Sunday (Rest)
Sundays are another rest day for Jay, and because his is a grueling week of intense exercise routines, we definitely can understand why, unlike others, he dedicates two days of the week to rest.
Jay Cutler’s Workout Principles
When it comes to working out and building muscle, Jay Cutler’s been in the game so long that he’s learned to adhere to certain principles. He’s not a one-trick pony who does a little bit of everything, he has his own set of rules, and we’ve got them for you here.
Use what works. When you work out, you don’t need expensive equipment. You can use what you have that will get the job done. Indeed, you can get a full-body workout with just a few barbells, dumbbells, a squat rack, and a pullup bar. When you’re starting, you don’t really need anything else. You can also do exercises such as the squat, bench press, deadlift, and pull up in front of a mirror.
Gyms are really helpful, and for elite bodybuilders, gym equipment is necessary, but if you’re starting out, all you need is space in your home to workout, and a few small items to get you. started. If you have a video camera, you can record yourself doing these exercises and watch it later. If you have a mirror, you can see your progress. Use what works.
You need to have a rest day. You can’t be working out every day of the week because your body won’t be able to handle it. A rest day will give your body a chance to recover from the previous days’ workouts. You also need to make sure that you are getting enough sleep each night. Get a good night’s sleep before a workout. The sleep you get the night before a workout will help you feel more refreshed and ready during the actual workout.
Eat right before a workout. If you don’t eat anything at all before a workout, then your body won’t be able to use the energy from the food you eat during the workout. Always eat high-protein foods before a workout. Protein helps build muscle and helps keep you feeling fuller. A high protein diet also helps reduce hunger and keeps you feeling full for longer.
Jay Cutler’s Diet Routine
It is important to maintain a healthy diet when you’re bodybuilding. The diet should be balanced and should have enough calories that are necessary for the workout routine. The diet should also have other nutrients that are essential for growth, training, and recovery.
Below is what one can find in Jay Cutler’s Diet, divided into two parts, bulking and cutting.
Bulking
Bulking is a period of time when someone’s goal is to get bigger and stronger. Bulking typically happens in the off-season for competitive bodybuilders, or when someone wants to get bigger for other reasons.
Bulking usually involves eating more food than usual while working out less often than usual. If you are an athlete who wants to bulk up through strength training, this means adding weight with higher reps and fewer sets than you would use if you were cutting down.
Below is what Jay eats in a typical day when he’s bulking:
- Meal 1: Egg whites and one scoop of whey protein
- Meal 2: Three whole eggs, three packets of grits, and two pieces of toast
- Meal 3: 12-ounce filet steak, rice and vegetables
- Meal 4: Chicken breast, rice, and salad with dressing
- Meal 5: Flank steak, potatoes and vegetables
- Meal 6: Meat and rice
Cutting
Cutting, in bodybuilding, is a term used to describe reducing calorie intake and/or adding physical activity to reduce body fat. It’s a popular term used in fitness, and it means to lose fat, or “cut away” the body fat that you have.
This is achieved by following a strict diet and exercise program that focuses on losing weight over time. It can be done for aesthetic purposes, but more often it refers to the process of preparing for a competition. There are many different techniques of cutting, but one of the most common methods is “cutting up.” This technique tries to maintain muscle mass while losing fat.
Below is what Jay Cutler’s daily meals will look like when he’s cutting.
- Meal 1: Eggs, slices turkey bacon, and toast
- Meal 2: Egg whites (two cups), whey protein (one scoop), and oatmeal
- Meal 3: 10-ounces steak, white rice mixed with greens
- Meal 4: 10-ounce chicken breast, baked sweet potato and beans
- Meal 5: 10-ounces grilled chicken breast, rice, and gluten-free soy sauce
The Bottom Line
Jay Cutler is one of the most well-known bodybuilders in the world. He has graced the covers of many bodybuilding magazines such as “Muscle and Fitness” and “Muscular Development.”
Additionally, he has remained at the top of his game for nearly two decades and continues to amaze his fans with his amazing physique and his incredible work ethic.
His workout routine is incredibly intensive, but anyone who’s committed enough to follow it will eventually reap the rewards.
