Four-time Mr Olympia champ, Jay Cutler always thinks outside of the box and in a recent Instagram post, he shared a favorite personal hack for achieving the perfect pump in his triceps. Here’s how to try it for yourself.
“Plate loaded machine dips for triceps… with a little twist,” teased Cutler as he introduced a move that has been one of the mainstays of his illustrious bodybuilding career. In the accompanying video, Cutler lays it all out. The focus here is on the long head of the triceps. This is the biggest muscle of the triceps and provides that bulging shape that bodybuilders seek to attain.
While Cutler explains that some people love traditional bodyweight dips and can also strap additional weights around their waist, the icon shares that he’s always been a fan of the seated plate loaded machine dip, but with a difference. “People are facing in on the machine, that’s what it’s kind of built for,” says Cutler of the traditional approach to this apparatus. “But you know, we can’t always follow what the rules of the machine.”
Jay Cutler Faces Away From the Seated Dip Machine
Instead of facing forward, Cutler instead faces away from the machine. “To really get that lock in my triceps, I’ll turn around in the opposite direction,” he says. “And what I’m focussed on, is the thicker portion of the triceps.” To maximize his rep-to-muscle ratio, the legend explains that he aims for a weight that is heavy enough so that he can perform at least 8 reps per set. This makes sense as it puts him in that hypertrophy sweet spot of 8-12 reps. “But with this, I always really want to get that contraction kind of locked out at the bottom,” he adds. “Really get that stretch at the top.”
To replicate Cutler’s rebellious reps, face away from the machine and place your grip in the middle of each handle. “Get those triceps back,” says the big man as he executes the exercise. “Get that contraction, get that squeeze.” Cutler says that he doesn’t hold the weight at the bottom of the lift. “I’ve done these pretty much my whole career,” says the popular athlete. “Always felt a good pump out of it. Just remember, that’s kind of how I’m judging the workouts is how much blood actually gets in the muscle.”
Cutler says to practice this exercise at least every other week. “If not, every week in your routine,” he adds. We’re on it, champ!
