Jay Cutler Says You Can’t Win Mr. Olympia Naturally, Urges Athletes to Max Out Their Natural Potential First
Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler has never shied away from discussing the realities of professional bodybuilding. During a recent appearance on the Thinking With A Pump podcast, Cutler said you can’t win Mr. Olympia naturally, offering a candid assessment of what it takes to reach the pinnacle of the Open division.
While acknowledging the role PEDs have historically played in elite bodybuilding, Cutler also stressed that aspiring athletes should spend years maximizing their natural potential before even considering enhancement.
Jay Cutler Says Size Alone Isn’t Enough to Win the Olympia
Cutler explained that many people misunderstand what separates the world’s best bodybuilders from everyone else.
According to the four-time Mr. Olympia, building muscle is only part of the equation. The real challenge is maintaining extraordinary amounts of muscle while reaching the razor-sharp conditioning required to compete on the Olympia stage.
“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.”
He noted that plenty of lifters become exceptionally big and strong, but combining that level of mass with extremely low body fat is what makes the Open division unique.
“Anyone can get big… But to get chiseled and to have the low body fat, it’s very hard to maintain that.”
The comments reflect a reality many former Olympia champions have openly discussed over the years: elite Open bodybuilding requires a combination of size, symmetry, conditioning, and recovery that pushes competitors to the absolute limits.
Cutler Says Athletes Should Push Their Natural Potential First
Although Cutler spoke openly about PED use during his own career, he was equally clear that enhancement shouldn’t be the starting point for young athletes.
Instead, he encouraged aspiring bodybuilders to exhaust their natural progress before even thinking about taking that step.
“I think you should push yourself naturally as long as you can.”
He also questioned the motivation behind recreational lifters using performance-enhancing drugs if they have no intention of pursuing bodybuilding professionally.
“If you’re not going to pursue a career, then what’s the point?… Just because Joe in the gym is doing it… that’s not the best judgment.”
Throughout the discussion, Cutler emphasized education rather than encouraging drug use. He expressed concern that social media has normalized conversations around steroids and peptides without providing enough information about the risks.
A Candid Perspective From One of Bodybuilding’s Greatest Champions
Cutler has long been more transparent than many former champions when discussing his competitive career. During the podcast, he acknowledged using anabolic steroids while competing. He also explained that athletes in his era typically cycled compounds differently depending on whether they were building size or preparing for a show.
Cutler frequently shares training advice, nutrition strategies, and behind-the-scenes insight into what it took to become one of bodybuilding’s all-time greats.
Cutler believes the demands of the Open Mr. Olympia remain in a different category altogether. The former champ says it requires an unprecedented combination of muscle mass and stage conditioning.
For aspiring competitors, however, his biggest takeaway wasn’t about enhancement at all. Instead, it was simple: build the best physique you can naturally before considering anything else.
Image embed via Instagram @jaycutler
