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In the world of bodybuilding, few names have inspired awe like Jay Cutler’s.

The four-time Mr. Olympia champion’s rise to fame came from his sheer determination to dethrone Ronnie Coleman, arguably the greatest bodybuilder of all time. 

He’s since become an inspiration to bodybuilders across the world.

So, how did Cutler achieve the giant-killing physique that cemented himself as one of the world’s most iconic bodybuilders?

Today, I’m going to share with you Jay Cutler’s workout routine and diet plan for 2022. We’ll cover Cutler’s training philosophy, routines, dietary preferences, and even supplements.

Let’s jump in.  

Jay Cutler Current Bio and Stats

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Jay Cutler was born on August 3rd, 1973, in Sterling, Massachusetts.

He began working as a concreter from the age of 11 and started pursuing bodybuilding at the age of 18.

Jay competed in his first competition at the 1992 Gold’s Gym Worcester Bodybuilding Championships, where he placed second.

From here, he would go on to win his first competition in the 1993 Iron Bodies Invitational.  

Around the same time, Cutler also managed to graduate with a degree in Criminal Justice from Quinsigamond Community College in 1993. 

He would then go on to work as a corrections officer at a maximum security prison while building himself up as a formidable force in bodybuilding.

Jay’s reputation grew, and his success bloomed with victories in consecutive Arnold Classics in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

His rise halted for a short time as he faced his nemesis, eight-time champion Ronnie Coleman, in the Mr. Olympia Competition.

Cutler placed second four times to one of the greatest bodybuilders in history, finally dethroning him in 2006.

From here, Cutler dominated with titles in 2007, 2009, and 2010.

This run of success is the display of years of discipline and gut-wrenching dedication.

  • Age: 49 
  • Height: 5’10 (179cm)
  • Weight:
    • Contest: 260lbs (118kg)
    • Off Season: 290lbs (132kg)
  • Birthday: August 3, 1973
  • Occupation: Bodybuilder
  • Retired/Active: Retired

Jay Cutler Workout Fundamentals

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Jay Cutler’s dedication to his pursuit of becoming the best in the world was near unmatched.

He stated that he had to have a very simple mindset. While training, he said that he would need to put the blinders on, restricting himself from doing other activities outside of training.

His tunnel vision helped him form a strict routine where every aspect of his life was tracked.

Cutler’s mindset locked out negativity, even going on to say that he would hang up on people who would speak of their problems.

His love for training is what helped spur him on through his intense training routine. He said, “I almost passed out training, lunging with 225 (lbs) on my back in the parking lot.”

Cutler would even train late at night to play mind games with the other competitors, to let them know what he was willing to do to win.

Although his dedication and focus are hard to emulate, Cutler trained in a pretty classic bro split style, dedicating each session to one area.

The contractions of the muscle are more important to him than breaking records. He seemed to prefer heavy weight and low reps. 

The exception was his ab training, incorporated into each workout with little to no weight and high reps.

His routines would last around an hour, training each body part once through a seven-day period

Jay Cutler Workout Routine

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Jay Cutler’s routine was based on the following exercises. However, his sets and repetitions are not exact. He approached sets and reps loosely.

He based his volume on how he felt at the time, often pushing well beyond what we would consider normal.

Throughout his career, the Jay Cutler workout routine has consisted of dozens of combinations of exercises.

With this in mind, I’ve listed the exercises performed and filled in the blanks to form a program that is suitable to complete.

Below is a list of his noted exercises that he has used to obtain the Jay Cutler physique

Jay Cutler Training Schedule

MonTuesWedThursFriSatSun
ChestBackArmsRestShouldersLegsRest

Jay Cutler Ab Workout

ExerciseSets RepsRest
Crunches415-2030-45 sec
Leg Raises415-2030-45 sec
Side Crunches415-2030-45 sec
Rope Crunches415-2030-45 sec

Jay Cutler Chest Workout (Rambo Mode) (Duration 60 – 70 mins)

ExerciseSets RepsRest
Dumbbell Chest Press4-68-1230-45 secs
Incline Bench Press4-68-1230-45 secs
Incline Dumbbell Chest Press48-1030-45 secs
Chest Cable Flys41030-45 secs
Dumbbell Pullover48-1030-45 secs

Jay Cutler Back Workout (Duration 45 – 50 mins)

ExerciseSets RepsRest
Supinated Lat Pulldown4-68-1230-45 secs
Barbell Bent Over Rows48-1230-45 secs
Dumbbell Single-Arm Row48-1030-45 secs
V-Grip Cable Row48-1230-45 secs
Wide Grip Behind the Head Lat Pulldown48-1030-45 secs

Jay Cutler Shoulder Workout (Duration 60 mins)

ExerciseSets RepsRest
Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press48-1230-45 sec
Dumbbell Lateral Raise48-1230-45 sec
Cable Lateral Raise48-1230-45 sec
Barbell Shoulder Press48-1230-45 sec
Barbell Front Raises48-1230-45 sec
Cable High Reverse Fly48-1230-45 sec
Seated Reverse Fly48-1230-45 sec
Shrugs48-1230-45 sec

Jay Cutler Arms Workout (Duration 60 Mins)

ExerciseSets RepsRest
Dumbbell Bicep Curls48-1230-45 sec
Cable Tricep Pushdowns48-1230-45 sec
Machine Bicep Curls48-1230-45 sec
Overhead Tricep Extension48-1230-45 sec
Single-Arm Preacher Curls48-1230-45 secs
Reverse Grip Cable Triceps Extensions48-1230-45 secs
Barbell Forearm Curls  48-1230-45 secs

Jay Cutler Leg Workout (Duration 60 – 70 mins)

ExerciseSets RepsRest
Hack Squat58-1030-45 secs
Romanian Deadlifts48-1230-45 secs
Smith Machine Squats48-1030-45 secs
Seated Leg Curl410-1230-45 sec
Standing Barbell Lunges38-1030-45 sec
Lying Hamstring Curls48-1230-45 sec
Standing Leg Curls28-1030-45 sec
Seated Calf Raises510-1530-45 secs
Donkey Calf Raises410-1530-45 secs

Training Before Olympia 2010

Jay Cutler Bulk vs. Cut

When Jay Cutler bulked, he focused on increasing the calories of his current diet, choosing not to eat poorly.

Throughout his bulking phase he has explained that even when he reached his heaviest at 300lbs, he would still have definition through his abdominals.

Cutler’s daily calorie intake ranged between 4,000-6,000 per day, depending on where he was during the season. 

This made it easy for him to cut during his comp prep as he would simply decrease his calorie intake.

His training would remain essentially the same through the year, with Cutler favoring lower reps and heavier weights.

Jay Cutler Dieting and Food Preferences

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Jay Cutler program

Jay Cutler’s diet consists of smaller, more frequent meals, eating every two to three hours, with a high carb intake.

At the beginning of his career, he would eat larger meals and whatever he could get his hands on. This was due to a smaller budget, but he quickly learned nutrition was going to be his biggest asset.

When bulking, Cutler never went overboard with unhealthy food, but rather increased his calorie intake.

He once stated, “I never believed in a lot of body fat, I always had visible abs and cut thighs in the off season, even at 300lbs.”

He would eat 1000g of carbohydrates per day broken down through his six to eight meals per day. Breakfast and post-workout meals contained 200-300g of carbs for each meal.

Cutler believes that the three most important meals of the day are breakfast, pre, and post-workout. These meals were calorie-dense to give him the fuel he needed to perform during his workouts and recover.

He would eat an hour before and after training. 

Jay Cutler Food Preferences 

Jay Cutler meal plan
MealFood
Breakfast2 Cups of Egg Whites, Ezekiel Bread (flourless), 2 Eggs, 3 Slices Turkey Bacon, Coffee with Sugar-Free Creamer, Whey Protein + BCAA, Multivitamins, 2 Packs of Oatmeal 
Pre Workout12oz Chicken, White Rice
Post Workout12oz Meat and Rice, Protein Shake (40-50g)
Meal 412oz Chicken, White Rice
Meal 512oz Chicken, White Rice
Meal 612oz Chicken, White Rice
Meal 712oz beef, 2 cups of broccoli

Jay Cutler Diet Plan 

Jay Cutler diet plan

Jay Cutler’s diet plan is made up of six to eight daily meals that mostly consist of 12-16 oz of meat and 100-150g of carbs per meal.

Before training, he would choose to eat easily digestible proteins like chicken, a shake, or egg whites. 

And to the disbelief of many, Cutler has never eaten brown rice, explaining that long grain white rice has been his go-to for carbohydrate intake his entire career.

Meal 1

  • 2 Cups of Egg Whites
  • Ezekiel Bread (flourless)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 3 Slices Turkey Bacon
  • Coffee with Sugar-Free Creamer
  • Whey Protein + BCAA 
  • Multivitamins
  • 2 Packs of Oatmeal 

Meal 2 – Pre Workout Meal

  • 12oz Chicken
  • Long Grain Rice

Meal 3 – Post Workout

Or 

Meal 4

  • 12oz Chicken
  • 2 Cups of Long Grain Rice

Meal 5

  • 12oz Chicken
  • 2 Cups of Long Grain Rice

Meal 6 

  • 12oz Chicken
  • 2 Cups of Long Grain Rice

Meal 7

  • 12oz Chicken or Beef
  • 2 cups of Broccoli 

Jay Cutler Supplement Preferences

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Jay Cutler training supplements

Jay Cutler’s supplement intake consists of a variety of shakes and vitamins, but he’s always been a big fan of getting his protein from meals. The use of supplements is just a top-up.  

Jay Cutler Workout Tips 

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Jay Cutler workout routine tips

Here’s a list of tips that Jay Cutler has shared to achieve his Mr. Olympia-winning physique

Nutrition

Cutler believes that his success truly came when he began drilling down on nutrition.

Over the course of his career, he has explained that he never ate poorly, even during bulking season. He only increased his food intake. 

This was the secret to cutting down when it was time to compete.

Focus on Breakfast, Pre-Workout, and Post-Workout Meals

Cutler believes that breakfast, pre-workout, and post-workout meals are the most important of the day.

He aimed to make these the most calorie-dense meals of the day.

Pre and post-workout meals were consumed one hour before and after training. This was done to help fuel his body for his intense training sessions and aid in his recovery.

Meal Timing

During the peak of his career, Cutler would eat seven meals per day, each around two to three hours apart.

He believed that this was the key to hitting his target of 1000g of carbohydrates per day and 300-400g of protein per day. 

Discipline

To say Jay Cutler was disciplined would be an understatement. Cutler was known to be extremely regimented with his training. He blocked out negativity and reduced interaction to keep his eye on his ultimate goal.

He explains simply, “Without self-discipline, success is impossible”. 

Final Thoughts

Jay Cutler’s physique is one of the most recognized in the world of bodybuilding, a career decorated with the sport’s highest achievement. 

His body and his trophy case are the product of years of dedication to his regimented training routines.

If Jay Cutler’s physique is something you would like to aspire to, take advice from the man himself and focus on your nutrition.

Increase your calories, train hard, and be clear on your goals.

So, are you interested in trying the Jay Cutler workout routine and diet

Let me know in the comments below, and share this with any Jay Cutler fans you know.

What was Jay Cutler’s workout routine?

The Jay Cutler workout routine consisted of training each body part once per week. 

Each session would be around an hour long with a set routine.

However, the duration would vary depending on the number of sets he would perform for each session.  

How often does Jay Cutler do cardio?

Jay Cutler performs his cardio in the morning as fasted cardio. He does this to begin to take control of his mind early.

This gives him a positive start to the day, allowing him to conquer the rest of his routine

What was Jay Cutler’s diet?

Jay Cutler consumed between 4000-6000 calories per day, eating 1000g carbs and 300-400g protein per day.

He would split this across six to eight meals, with his three most calorie-dense meals being breakfast, pre-workout, and post-workout.

How many hours a day does Jay Cutler work out?

Jay Cutler’s workouts would go for around an hour. He has a structured routine when he goes to the gym, training each body part once per week.

The overall training time during his session would vary as his sets and repetition would change based on how he felt during the session. 

How many days a week does Jay Cutler work out?

Jay Cutler would train each body part once a week. He would train chest, back, shoulders, arms, and legs.

Each included ab training for high reps and low to no weight.

This would allow him to have one to two rest days per week.

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