Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler doesn’t buy into the idea that perfect form is always necessary to build muscle. While much is made of staying strict in every rep to maximise gains, the four-time Mr Olympia takes a more flexible approach.
Instead, he prioritises intensity and a movement pattern that allows him to lift the weight efficiently. Cutler still focuses on ‘feeling’ each rep and staying in control, but doesn’t shy away from using a little momentum to challenge his muscles – as seen in his approach to barbell curls.
‘I’m not the most strict when I do my curls,’ Cutler says in a YouTube video. ‘I always talk about being the form king, and I just really feel the exercises. It doesn’t matter – you watched Arnold train in Pumping Iron, doing whatever it took to get the weight up. Remember, I was throwing around crazy weights, and I always feel my movements.
‘I know there are a lot of critics who talk about how you train, what’s right and wrong. I can promise you, I’m feeling every movement.’
When curling, Cutler uses a slight swing at the bottom of the movement to help initiate the lift, but he doesn’t let momentum take over. His biceps are still doing the bulk of the work – particularly at peak contraction and during the eccentric – as he focuses on maintaining tension throughout. A solid foot position also helps keep him stable.
It’s an approach that works for Cutler. Using a small amount of momentum allows him to handle heavier weights while still maintaining control, ensuring the key parts of the lift remain effective. What counts as ‘perfect form’ is also subjective. What works for one lifter may not work for another, and individual anatomy plays a role in how a movement looks.
That said, good technique still matters. It helps reduce injury risk and ensures the target muscle is doing the work, without unnecessary fatigue elsewhere. But chasing perfectly strict form can lead to overthinking and stall progress.
Ultimately, the best results tend to sit somewhere between rigid dogma and uncontrolled lifting.
