Jay Cutler won Mr. Olympia with the help of wide grip seat rows – Muscle and fitness

Jay Cutler crushed his competition four times on the Olympia podium and ‘Quad Stomping’ his way to legendary status in the bodybuilding world, but in order to present the perfect physique, the big man had to pay as much attention to building his back as he did to his arms and legs. In a recent social media post, Cutler explained that wide-grip cable rows were one of his favorite exercises for creating a winning, wider back. Here’s what you need to know.

“The backside is going to be one of those body parts that you have to hit from a lot of different angles and different variations,” Cutler explained during an IG video posted to his 5.8 million followers. “One of my necessary, most important and favorite exercises while fighting for the Mr. Olympia title was the wide grip cable row.”

Seated row: wide versus narrow grip

“Now you see a lot of people using a closer grip, they focus on that mid-back, I always wanted that wide back,” explained Mr. Olympia of 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010. “I felt like the lower lats were really important, especially in those back positions when I was fighting Ronnie Coleman, Phil Heath or Victor Martinez.”

Indeed, a wider bar attachment will help target the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids and rear delts, widening the back. “I had to have crazy lats, and I wasn’t always blessed with the best genetics,” says Cutler. “This exercise, (if you grip it a little wider, you won’t feel as much in the center (back), you’re really focusing on that lower bar.”

How to perform seated wide grip cable rows

The icon said this grip variation also helps define what many bodybuilders call the “Christmas tree area,” so called because when the lats are fully developed, a tree-like shape is formed and becomes visible in the center of the lower back.

To try this exercise yourself, encourage the back to adapt and “really get that strength,” Cutler advised. “Always focus on the reps,” he added. “I always did this, at least 12 reps (per set), power through.”

Top tips: Like Cutler, keep your elbows and shoulders back and sit up straight with your chest up, creating a gentle arch in your lower back. Pause at the top of the row and contract for one to two seconds for extra time under tension. Then immediately move on to the next repetition without resting at the end of the movement.

Once you’ve found a comfortable weight, go heavy for three sets, but always protect yourself from straining, the dream sports partner advised. “Remember that you can do this exercise hard, but make sure you control the weight and really feel the contraction, especially in those lower lats.”

Ready to give this one a try? “Wide grip = wide back!” Cutler noted. “Let’s get to work!

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