Jay Cutler refuses to beat around the bush when discussing his bodybuilding career. In a July 24 YouTube video, he explained why it’s impossible to win the Open Mr. Olympia naturally. He also offered advice on when athletes should consider performance-enhancing drugs.
In the 2000s, Cutler gave eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman some of his toughest tests. After earning runner-up four times, Cutler dethroned “The King” and reigned for four years. He claimed victories over high-profile IFBB Pros like Victor Martinez, Dexter Jackson, and Markus Rühl.
Cutler’s last contest came at the 2013 Mr. Olympia, where he finished sixth. Since then, he’s embraced retirement and hasn’t shied away from the measures he took throughout his career. From force-feeding meals to anabolic steroids, he broke down the challenges that come with the sport’s greatest title.
Jay Cutler Explains Why Natural Athletes Can’t Reach Olympia-Level Size and Conditioning
In the video, Cutler shared concerns around the lack of steroid education in the fitness industry:
“There’s a lot of pressure. I notice when I scroll now, what I notice is a lot of that, a lot of peptides, and obviously, the ages… there’s certain needs and wants in what’s necessary, right? I just wish the education was a little more. It’s very hard for me to sit on this side and be a guy, you know, I took juice through my career.”
According to “The Comeback Kid,” it’s impossible to win the Open Mr. Olympia naturally due to the size and conditioning demands in the division.
“People look at bodybuilding, and they’re like, if you’re not juicing you can’t get to that level. Can you win the Olympia natural in the Open division? No, you can’t. Because you can’t hold that size and get that condition, that’s the one thing.”
“Anyone can get big. You see the guys in the gym who bench press 500, but they’re big, you know? But to get chiseled and to have the low body fat, it’s very hard to maintain that. I don’t want to be a hypocrite and don’t do this or that, but I try to educate like there’s steps to go for progress,” Jay Cutler shared.
When asked about enhancing, Cutler emphasized that athletes should aim to max out their physiques naturally first.
“I’m not going to tell you what age. People ask me that all the time. When should I enhance? I think you should push yourself naturally as long as you can.
And listen, if you’re not going to pursue a career, then what’s the point? I mean, just to be a gym bro? Because Joe in the gym is doing it or whatever? That’s not the best judgment to make.”
While some athletes avoid talking about performance-enhancers, Cutler’s always been an open book. He shared that competitors commonly cycled on and off throughout his career. The former four-time Olympia added that some compounds were used to bulk up, while others were used to cut weight.
Cutler shared that anyone can get big, but winning the Mr. Olympia takes a combination of mass and conditioning. For most individuals, he believes it’s best to reach their maximum potential before exploring the performance-enhancing drug side.
