Jay Cutler’s four Olympia trophies came as a result of passion and power, but he wouldn’t have been able to hang for so long had he not also exercised some care and consistency. When it comes to lifting, this icon was a warrior in the gym, but he also exercised caution when crushing some of the bigger moves. Deadlifts are a great exercise for building mass, but they must be executed correctly. Fortunately, we got your back with Jay Cutler’s tips for preventing deadlift injuries.
“Is the deadlift a bodybuilding movement,” asked Cutler, rhetorically, in a recent Instagram post. “I preferred it,” he answered, explaining that while there are other exercises that work the back and provide a whole-body workout like rack pulls, the deadlift was one of this legend’s go-to moves when chasing Olympia success. But the main reason Cutler was able to take victories in such a long span from 2006 to 2010 was not merely the result of throwing weights around, as Cutler demonstrated.
How Jay Cutler Minimizes the Risk of Deadlift Injuries
First, Cutler set out how to correct your form. “Foot position: neutral, shoulder width (apart), little bend at the knees,” he explained. “You’re going to pull (the bar) through. The bar has to come through the shins, so you can’t really roll the bar out in front and pull that way. You really have to kind of pull through the body.” This is how you will activate the lower-body and erector spinae muscles. Using the correct form just like Cutler will also prevent injury. “You can use a belt, I mean I would always suggest using a belt during this exercise,” he added. The bodybuilder also acknowledged that since deadlifts tax the core, it’s important to work on the strength around your mid-section to aid your deadlifting performance. “So, I think abs training is important,” he suggested.
Jay Cutler Never Ego Lifts
When we see these bodybuilding behemoths on stage it’s easy to think that the best way to emulate them is by racking the weight sky high. Not so, said the man who knows best. “Don’t go too heavy, don’t ego lift. Leave your ego art the door. Work with repetitions,” got it! So, what about those showy one-rep-maxes that your average gym bro likes to shout about? “I never, ever, ever in my career focused on one or two rep maxes,” confirmed Cutler. “It didn’t fit the bodybuilding nature for me.” He has a valid point, because muscle growth is about exhausting and tearing down those muscles fibers rather than giving them a quick hit. “For me, I’ve always had great success, never been injured in a deadlift movement.” Follow the champs advice, and you’ll avoid injury too.
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