During his prime, Jay Cutler went through numerous intensive training programs with the goal of winning the Mr. Olympia title, but he had to defeat the GOAT, Ronnie Coleman. He ultimately prevailed over his rival, and it was all thanks to his perseverance and hard work. However, the 50-year-old bodybuilder had a unique approach to volume training, which helped him win four Mr. Olympia titles as well as three Arnold Classics.
Cutler recently mentioned in his Jay Mail that someone who worked with him in the past wanted him to create a brand based on his training method. However, the bodybuilder flatly rejected this, stating that he was not interested in such gimmicks.
The ‘Quad Stomp’ is also grateful for his unique volume training method, which has provided him with an injury-free life in addition to all of the accolades he has received over his distinguished career. Although there are many advantages to the training process, he has listed the following five:
Jay Cutler’s unique time between two sets
There is always a little interval between two unique workouts. During this time, the person is supposed to recover from the exercise so that they can perform at their best the following time. While most people recover in 90–120 seconds, Cutler took 45–60 seconds, and there’s a reason for it.
According to the bodybuilder, this process causes blood to enter the muscle faster and stick to it, increasing sarcoplasmic cell swelling and resulting in muscle gain. As the individual’s conditioning improves, they burn fat in the process, resulting in a leaner body. Cutler returns to the recovery process, as he writes:
“The muscle is more fatigued, so you use slightly less weight which is smart because you get the same hypertrophy response without having to go so heavy. This keeps the joints healthier, which is why at 48 I have zero injuries or pain”
The increase in volume
A person’s ability to support a specific amount of weight largely determines volume training. While most people aim for 10–12 sets, Cutler used to propel himself to 30.
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He always pushed his body’s boundaries because he wanted to be at the top of the sport, and advised the same to his followers,
“Every time you do a rep and complete a set, I want you to see that as another step towards greatness. You are carving out a stronger muscle connection with the brain. The extra volume I suggest also keeps the body lean.”
Avoid going to failure during sets
High-intensity workouts have traditionally instructed people to do failure sets, which are when they are too weary to do another set. Cutler stressed that while this approach promotes muscle growth, it also raises the danger of injury, as he knows bodybuilders who have regretted their endeavors.
The 50-year-old describes how he maintained his intensity training while avoiding failure, saying,
“Instead, I rather do twice as many sets as them, stopping at failure, and keeping healthy joints. Don’t misinterpret this as training without intensity – you still use a weight which means you are near failure, but you stop a rep short of where complete failure would be so there are no forced reps.”
Hitting failure during any type of rigorous workout is undoubtedly a typical occurrence, but according to Cutler, trying for that one extra set can generate all of the unnecessary problems that the fitness fanatic does not want.
The volume cycle to follow
According to Jay Cutler, stagnation will not take a fitness fanatic as far as they wish in the realm of bodybuilding. To avoid this, he uses a four-week cycle for his volume training.
First and foremost, he wants his followers to make their personal choices for the amount of weight they can bear, as they will be adding more weight to the base the next week. The increase in volume is also implemented in week 3, but in week 4, the recovery process begins, as he writes:
“Week 4, we back off with less volume to allow for central nervous system recovery. This is crucial because muscle fibers are recruited through the central nervous system – when it gets fatigued through volume training, it must be allowed to recover to avoid plateaus.”
This aforementioned cycle extends throughout other portions of the body, and it is typically the best approach to maximize the effects of any workout regimen.
Following an ideal body part splits
Body part splits involve working out two different sections of the body in each exercise session. According to Cutler, he always does leg and back training together because they are two of the most demanding exercises, and he does not recommend doing them on consecutive days.
He additionally suggested that his followers take a day off following the workout to start the natural recuperation process, as he writes:
“Don’t just think about the volume a body part is doing, consider the whole body. Legs will hit the central nervous system hard, and your energy. This will impact all body parts, which can knock the rest of your program if your recovery isn’t taken care of.”
Cutler is highly confident in his volume training process, and he believes that if an individual follows the aforementioned structure, they will be able to improve faster owing to an increase in pure muscle gains.
