“The Best Back Exercise Is the One-Arm Dumbbell Row” - 4-Time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler Smashes Back-Blasting Workout

Jay Cutler recently shared a back workout on his YouTube channel he did in preparation for the Mr. Olympia competition.

Cutler is an experienced bodybuilder with a lot of insight into what it takes to succeed and gain recognition as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time alongside eight-time Mr. Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman. Cutler has some useful advice for fans about the best back exercise:

“The best back exercise is the one-arm dumbbell row,” says Cutler.

Cutler won the prestigious Mr. Olympia competition by defeating Coleman in 2006. In the next four years, he went on to win the Mr. Olympia crown three more times in 2007, 2009, and 2010. Cutler's rivalry with Coleman is one of the most memorable in IFBB Pro League history.

The YouTube star is one of the yesteryear celebrities who has adapted well to the social media age and has stayed connected with bodybuilding long after his retirement.

Watch the full clip below to see how Cutler crushed his back workout.

---

Jay Cutler’s Back-Building Routine

Here's a breakdown of Jay Cutler's back routine:

1) Hammer Strength Wide-Grip Pull-Down

Jay Cutler starts his back workout with wide-grip pulldowns on a hammer strength machine.

He says that he has never been able to perform traditional pull-ups with ease, so he focuses on pulldowns to make up for that. Cutler performs two warm-up sets of this movement before moving on to the next exercise.

---

2) Machine Over

Cutler next takes a pull-over machine, which works the back, chest, and abdominal muscles. While speaking about the variations of the pull-over machine, Cutler says:

"There are many variations of this exercise. Dorian Yates used a plate-loaded Nautilus pull-over machine. Hammer Strength makes a similar version."

---

3) Seated Row

Cutler ends his workout with seated rows, targeting the upper back and lats. He uses mag-grip handles for the exercise and performs a full range of motion, doing 10-12 reps per set. He did not say how many sets he performs.

---

4) Bench-Assisted T-Bar Row

In an effort to make up for the lack of equipment, Cutler turns to the bench-assisted T-bar row exercise.

He generally prefers to exercise off the floor, but on this day he uses a bench-assisted variation due to equipment unavailability. He performs three sets with eight reps in each set and tried to use a two-and-a-quarter plate load on each rep.

---

5) One-Arm Dumbbell Row

After doing barbell rows, the legendary bodybuilder next performs dumbbell rows to further work his back.

He starts with 70-pound dumbbells in the first set and adds ten pounds in each consecutive set, finishing with 90-pound dumbbells in the third set. Cutler keeps the number of repetitions in each set between ten and twelve.

---

6) Deadlift

In the final set of his back workout, Cutler performs two sets of deadlifts with two plates on each side. He completes eight reps in each set. Cutler says that he isn't always a fan of the exercise, but it remains his favorite.

---

Jay Cutler's Back Workout

Jay Cutler's workout includes:

1) Hammer Strength Wide-Grip Pull-Down

2) Machine Pull-Over

3) Seated Row

4) Bench-Assisted T-Bar Row

5) And Deadlift

---

Takeaway

Consistency and regularly tracking your progress is key. If you are not already doing so, now would be a good time to reassess your back push routine, and adjust it accordingly.

To hammer home the results you want with your back, it's important to follow a smart plan. The aforementioned routine of Cutler hits the major muscle groups in the back and can be performed at home too.