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When you say Jay Cutler, most bodybuilding fans immediately think of his incredible width and depth of back. It was his back that eventually helped him dethrone the untouchable Ronnie Coleman. The four-time Mr. Olympia recently revisited one of the most common questions in gyms in his video: what’s better for building muscle? The classic deadlift from the ground, or the shortened range of motion of the rack pull (touch)?<\/p>\n
Cutler’s answer may surprise those looking for a clear winner. According to him, it’s not a battle of “who’s with whom”, but an understanding of what each exercise is for. Jay points out that although the two movements look similar, they have different roles in training.<\/p>\n
He views the classic deadlift from the ground<\/b> as a complex affair that engages the entire body from the calves to the traps. It’s an exercise for brute strength and overall volume. On the other hand, rack pulls<\/b>, that is, pulls from stops (usually from the knees), were key in his training for isolation. If he wanted to specifically target his lower back and hamstrings without exhausting his legs as much, he reached for this variation. He recalls that during his toughest Olympia preparations, touch-ups were an integral part of his routine, as they allowed him to specifically shape the details that make the difference on stage.<\/p>\nThe champion’s strategy.<\/h2>\n
So how did Jay put it all together? His approach wasn’t dogmatic. Instead of discarding one exercise, he alternated them – often on a weekly basis. This ensured that his body was getting a boost to grow overall strength, but at the same time, he didn’t neglect the specific development of his lower back, glutes and hamstrings.<\/p>\n
It was this variability that allowed him to progress over the long term without undue overload. Cutler himself says:<\/p>\n
“It depends on what your training requires at any given time. Sometimes you need that full-body pull from the ground, other times more isolated lower back work.”<\/i><\/cite><\/small><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n His view on weights and repetition is also interesting. While videos of his workouts look brutal, Cutler has never been a fan of ego-lifting and “maxes” for one rep. To achieve that proverbial muscle plasticity, he kept strictly within the bodybuilding range.<\/p>\n Whatever he had loaded on the barbell, he aimed for at least eight reps<\/b> in three to four working sets. It was this volume of work under tension that got him results, not the mindless lifting of record weights we see in powerlifters.<\/p>\n Cutler’s message in conclusion is clear: If you want comprehensive development, don’t shy away from either option. But remember the main point Jay repeats over and over again – technique comes before weight. The three biggest mistakes he warns against are:<\/p>\n
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\n<\/ol>\n If you avoid these mistakes and cleverly alternate ground strokes with touches, you’ll take your back to a whole new level.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nForget the maximums<\/h2>\n
Leave the ego outside the gym<\/h2>\n
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