Jay Cutler, a bodybuilding legend and four-time Mr. Olympia, has achieved more in his sport than most competitors can even dream of. One of the most memorable moments of his career was his iconic “quad stomp” during the 2009 Mr. Olympia competition. This moment put Cutler’s unreal leg development on full display, prompting many to wonder how great his pose would have looked if his calves were as developed as his quads.
The Challenge of Building a Stellar Set of Calves, According to Jay Cutler
While many gym-goers strive to build impressive calves, it remains a challenging feat for most. Cutler, a respected authority in the field, is often asked to share his advice on the topic by his fans. Recently, he took to social media to reemphasize his take on the matter.
Cutler’s Advice on When to Train Calves and How to Maximize Each Rep
In a video posted on social media, Cutler shared his advice on calf training. He emphasized the importance of full extension and heavy weights, and recommended focusing on 12 repetitions and at least three working sets per exercise. Cutler also suggested training calves on chest day, once every five-to-six days. To maximize every rep, he stressed the need to stick with heavy weights and get a good stretch at the bottom, a good contraction in the middle, and a strong peak at the top.
Cutler’s Three Favorite Calf Exercises: Standing Calf Raise Machine, Seated Calf Raise Machine, and Donkey Calf Raise Machine
Cutler shared his top three favorite calf exercises in the same social media video. These include the standing calf raise machine, seated calf raise machine, and donkey calf raise machine. He recommended performing three sets of 12 repetitions for each exercise.
Cutler’s Philosophy on Calf Training: Treat Them Like Any Other Body Part
Cutler believes that calf training should be treated like any other body part. He suggests training them once a week, usually on chest day, to give them adequate rest and recovery time. Cutler’s theory is that since people walk around on their calves all day, they are already doing a lot of reps with light weight. Therefore, he recommends using heavy weights and focusing on full contractions during gym workouts.
Cutler’s Winning Formula for Developing Championship Calves: Consistency and Time
Cutler believes that developing championship-caliber calves takes time and consistency. Rather than including unnecessary exercises, he prefers to maximize every rep he performs, ensuring a good stretch at the bottom, a good contraction in the middle, and a strong peak at the top. By sticking with a consistent calf training routine and using heavy weights, Cutler believes that anyone can achieve impressive calf development.
View this post on Instagram
When is the Best Time to Train Your Calves? Insights from Bodybuilding Legend Jay Cutler
“Everyone always wants to know how you have the developed calf muscle,” Cutler said in the video. “Now, I focus on 12 repetitions, and I do at least three working sets per exercise. Always, always training calves on chest day, which is once every five-to-six days.”
In a recent social media post, four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler reemphasized his stance on training calves on chest day instead of leg day. However, this is not a new concept for Cutler, who discussed it in a 2017 interview with Bodybuilding.com. Despite seeming counterintuitive, the reasoning behind this approach is to give the calves more attention and energy when they are not already fatigued from leg training.
“I try to tell everyone to train (calves) like every other body part. I trained my calves once per week, usually on chest day,” he told the website. “My theory is that, because you walk around on your calves all day, you’re already doing a lot of reps with light weight. Why would I go into the gym and do the exact same thing? So, I did heavy weight and got those full contractions.”Jay Cutler’s Top Three Calf ExercisesJay
View this post on Instagram
Cutler’s Top Three Calf Exercises
“What I try to focus on is at least two to three movements,” Cutler said on Instagram. “Definitely the standing calf machine raise, the seated calf machine raise, and then sometimes the donkey calf (machine) if it’s available in the gym.”
Give It a Try:
- Standing Calf Raise Machine: 3 x 12
- Seated Calf Raise Machine: 3 x 12
- Donkey Calf Raise Machine: 3 x 12
- Jay Cutler’s Calf Training Tips
“Stick with heavy weights,” Cutler said when asked about calves in a previous YouTube Q&A session. “You wanna get that full contraction, so you might notice that when I do calf raises, it’s always like a jump and then like a double pump.”
Cutler prefers to focus on the quality of his reps rather than adding more exercises than necessary for his calf muscles.
“I get a good stretch at the bottom, I get a good contraction in the middle, and then I really peak at the top,”
The technique I use for calf raises is, he said.
According to Cutler, this is the key formula for success:
“Stay with it […] It just takes time, but you, too, could have championship calves.”
Overview
Bodybuilding legend Jay Cutler, known for his iconic “quad stomp” in 2009, recently divulged his calf training insights. While his quads left an indelible mark in the competition, there’s been debate about his calf development. Addressing this, Cutler shared strategies that challenge conventional approaches, offering a fresh perspective on calf muscle optimization.
Courtesy Image @ Jaycutler (Instagram)
