“It’s about Planning Ahead; It’s About Prioritizing What Is Important to You” - Jay Cutler on Dirty Bulking vs Lean Bulking

In one of his vlogs on his YouTube channel, retired bodybuilder Jay Cutler opened up about how he bulked up for a pro show. The former Mr. Olympia champion said that he did cardio for an hour and 30 minutes a day and had six meals per day during the offseason.

Cutler knows that reaching the highest level of Men’s Open bodybuilding is a long road, much longer and harder than it is for the lighter weight classes. So some athletes might shy away from the necessary sacrifices.

"It’s about planning ahead, prioritizing what's important to you," says Cutler.

Former Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, who has been one of the top mass monsters in the sport alongside eight-time winner Ronnie Coleman, is now a bodybuilder with a smaller physique than he had during his prime.

Check out the video below:

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Jay Cutler On Dirty Bulking Vs Lean Bulking

When you're bulking up, it's important to eat a lot and train hard. That's the way to get the best possible results from your efforts. However, some people try to do too much at once, which can lead to problems, such as overtraining or eating disorders.

lean bulking means you’re eating plenty of whole foods, including vegetables and lean proteins. Whole carbs like fruits and whole grains are also good, as long as they don’t spike your blood sugar levels. Healthy fats from foods like avocados and fish are encouraged too.

Knowing that, Cutler never looked to gain size for the sake of lifting heavier and bigger numbers. He's not training for physique competition but rather for maintenance and functionality in his retirement.

Cutler trains for maintenance but not the same way he did during his competition days, though.

He eats differently now, too — big meals before a workout and force-feeding to consume enough calories to grow. Cutler heads to the gym when his schedule allows for it, and he’s motivated for a particular type of workout.

He trains more for enjoyment than anything else these days. The four-time Mr. Olympia believes it can be helpful to have a second set of eyes on your progress occasionally.

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Today’s society wants to be leaner, they are scared to be bigger," says Cutler.

Jay Cutler believes Men’s Open bodybuilding is “The King” of all bodybuilding contests.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and others think the sport should focus more on the Classic Physique division. However, Cutler knows the road to the highest level of Men’s Open bodybuilding is much longer and harder than in lighter divisions, so some athletes might shy away from that.

Jay Cutler believes that eating every two or three hours is crucial to the success of bodybuilders, whether they are training or traveling. Bodybuilders must always prepare meals ahead of time and stick to a healthy diet.

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Bringing in Societal Shifts

Cutler remembers the heyday of bodybuilding, when everyone wanted to get bigger. While that remains true to some extent, more people want to shed pounds and get in shape — the appeal of being a mass monster hasn’t gone out of style.

He believes that teaching nutrition should be a priority in school. During his career, he cycled through various dieting approaches, including low carbs, high carbs, and moderate carbs.

Cutler recommends a minimum training period of four months before tailoring the programme to meet an individual's goals. He emphasizes the importance of setting deadlines for goals and allowing enough time to achieve them.

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Takeaway

Cutler believes you have to hold yourself accountable. It's important to be able to prioritize your needs. Balancing responsibilities at work and home can stunt training goals or make sticking to a meal plan more difficult, but putting yourself first is required too.

Leaning down, as Cutler suggests, is one way to ensure that you're able to utilize additional calories for building lean muscle mass rather than storing them as fat. In his view, bulking up and bulking dirty can both work if you want your goal badly enough.

Although he's no longer an active professional bodybuilder, Jay Cutler remains a valuable source of knowledge for those who want to get bigger and stronger.

Even though it seems like a tough road ahead, Jay Cutler believes anyone with enough discipline can lean down before they dirty bulk — and that doing so will provide lasting benefits.