“Rarely do I stand at 90 degrees” - Jay Cutler reveals method to build back thickness with T-bar rows

Jay Cutler is one of the most successful bodybuilders in the history of the sport. Cutler has forged a stellar career by winning a variety of pro shows and, most significantly, has won the Mr. Olympia title four times. He is one of only two bodybuilders to have won the title in non-consecutive years.

Since retirement, Jay has remained a well-respected figure in the game. This is mainly due to his work on his podcast and his YouTube channel where he disperses knowledge to up-and-coming bodybuilders.

In a recent video on YouTube, Jay gave tips about executing the T-bar row to perfection to gain a bigger back:

"T-bar rows, what is the best handle? Now, I always preferred a closer handle when I was doing T-bars. The main thing is is the body position okay. You’ll see that this is at an incline. So, ideally, I like to stand a little bit more upright, very rarely do I stand at 90 degrees."

T-bar row is a very efficient exercise to work the whole back. While the traps work during the movement, the main muscles targeted in the exercise are the Latismus dorsii and the rhomboids, which make up most of the mid-back.

Cutler wants his audience to work with a closer grip to build thickness for bodybuilding:

"Closer grip, now with the T-bar movement, we are trying to work the middle back – so you really try to work the Rhomboids, the mid for the rear double biceps. The front-to-back thickness is what the T-bars are going to work the most."

---

Jay Cutler: A legend in the game

Born in 1973 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Cutler grew up a skinny teenager who was not showcasing any natural athletic ability. This changed forever when he started lifting weights at the age of 18.

Two years later, Jay won his first bodybuilding show - the 1992 Gold Gym Worcester Bodybuilding Championships. He was also academically inclined, which saw him earn a degree in Criminal Justice in 1993.

Quickly earning his pro-card, Cutler began winning a variety of pro shows, including the IFBB Night of Champions in 2000 and the Arnold Classic in 2002. Cutler won the Arnold Classic three times in a row.

Cutler first stepped onto the Olympia stage in 1999 where he did not see much success as he finished in 14th place. The following year, he finished in eighth place. His first breakthrough at the Olympia came in 2001, where he finished second behind Ronnie Coleman in his prime.

He and Coleman forged the best rivalry in the history of the sport. After 2001, he went on to finish second behind Coleman three more times. In the 2006 edition of the competition, Cutler emerged as the winner as he beat Coleman, who was on the verge of winning his ninth Sandow.

The American bodybuilder won the Olympia again in 2007, before falling to second place the following year. In 2009, the American bodybuilder made one of the strongest comebacks in sporting history when he regained the title that he won again in 2010.

Cutler is one of the best ambassadors for the sport. His opinions and takes are held in high regard within the community.