Jay Cutler’s Favorite Triceps Exercise for Serious Growth

A staggered step, deep stretch, and full range of motion are Cutler’s building blocks for bigger triceps.

Last updated on April 5th, 2025

Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler has always had a keen sense of picking the right exercise for the job. The now-retired pro keeps his fitness in check and shares why rope extensions remain a staple in his triceps routine at 51. 

The triceps comprise three heads:

• Long Head — runs along the back of the upper arm)
• Lateral Head — creates the coveted “horseshoe” shape
• Medial Head — underneath the long head.

Jay Cutler’s Triceps-Sculpting Weapon 

Cutler programmed rope extensions early in his career to find success against titans of the Men’s Open class, like eight-time Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman and seven-time champ Phil Heath. 

To start, approach the cable machine with a staggered step, establish a solid foot and body position, and then extend the elbows to a full lockout. 

A deep stretch throughout rope extensions enables maximum triceps muscle fiber activation. Studies have shown that the stretch during triceps extensions plays a huge role in hypertrophy. (1) 

Stretching those fibers causes more blood flow; you’ll get the growth in the triceps.

—Jay Cutler

Cutler’s choice of the rope attachment is strategic. Letting the hands separate at the bottom of each rep allows a greater range of motion and stronger contractions.

Conversely, a straight bar forces a fixed pronated grip, which could cause joint strain due to a more restricted wrist position. (2) Cutler maintains a fast rep tempo; Cutler affirmed that any rep range — typically 10-20 reps per set — should work as long as it’s within that scope and close to failure

It’s all preference. As long as they grow, it doesn’t matter.

—Jay Cutler

Rope Extension Takeaways

1. Stagger Step: Place one foot slightly before the other for stability. 
2. Body Position: Keep the chest up and engage the core to maintain proper form.
3. Full Lockout: Extend fully for a complete contraction.
4. Range of Motion: Let the hands separate at the bottom for total muscle activation.
5. Volume and Reps: Use a faster tempo and aim for 10-20 reps. 

References 

1. Maeo S, Wu Y, Huang M, et al. Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. Eur J Sport Sci. 2023;23(7):1240-1250. doi:10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35819335/
2. Logli AL, Schueler BA, Littrell LA, Kakar S. Pronated Grip View With Wrist Deviation: A Pilot Study on the Effect on Ulnocarpal Relationships. Hand (N Y). 2023 May;18(3):501-508. doi: 10.1177/15589447211028928. Epub 2021 Jul 14. PMID: 34259079; PMCID: PMC10152522. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10152522/

Featured image: @jaycutler on Instagram