Industrial strength

Championship Body Builder Jay
By Bobby Hankinson

February 2006 – While most of us are dragging ourselves to the gym to fulfill New Year’s resolutions or just to shed some pounds, few are actually going to make a career out of it. But for Worcester-born, Sterling-raised championship body builder Jay Cutler, working out isn’t just a hobby, it’s a lifestyle.

“A lot of people don’t realize bodybuilding is a 24-hour a day thing,” he said.

The 32-year old, four-time Mr. Olympia runner-up and three-time Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic champion describes his life now as a continuum of “eating, sleeping, training and taking care of business.”

He begins his day at 6 a.m. with a meal that includes 15 egg whites, 2 whole eggs, 1 cup oatmeal, ? cup raisins, bread and coffee ~ and that’s just part of the first of his 10 meals for the day! After that, he’s off to the gym for the first of two daily training sessions (which by the way, have enabled him to benchpress 400 lbs., squat 500 lbs., and deadlift 400 lbs.). He’ll return to the gym later in the day to train once again.

The “taking care of business” part comes in between his dieting and exercise, when Cutler takes time to answer e-mails, schedule appearances and spend time with his wife. Right now, Cutler is booked solid through 2006 (including a stop at Powerhouse Gym in Bellingham on Feb. 25), but he wasn’t always so busy.

Back in 1991, Cutler had just graduated from Wachusett Regional High School and was on his way to Quinsigamond College to pursue a degree in criminal justice. As a gift to himself for his 18th birthday, he signed up for a membership to Gold’s Gym. He soon learned, however, that the benefits of going to the gym were more than just physical. “I used weight training during college because of stress,” he said.

As he noticed himself bulking up, he became more and more serious about his training. It was difficult at school, however, to integrate his new lifestyle into campus life.

Cutler often found himself having to prepare his own food and eat it cold out of Tupperware. His social life also took a hit as he avoided eating out and even family gatherings. As he became more serious about competing, he also had to avoid some of his favorite hobbies (including ATV and motorcycle riding) for fear of injury.

It wasn’t long before Cutler began to see the pay-off for his sacrifices. Though he competed in his first professional competition at the age of 19, he consider his win at the Night of Champions in New York City to be his breakthrough. After finishing second to last at the Mr. Olympia competition the year prior, Cutler said his NYC win re-energized him. After that it was a constant whirlwind of appearances and competitions, with many fitness journalists even proclaiming 2003 as “The Year of Cutler.” And his visibility has only continued to grow.

After living in California for a few years, Cutler and his wife now reside in Las Vegas. Living in the City of Sin, it’s important to Cutler that his home is 20 minutes outside of the strip, where it’s quieter and he can concentrate on his training. Though he doesn’t miss New England winters, he doesn’t forget where he came from, either. “That’s where my roots are and I still don’t forget my roots.”

Looking forward to 2006, Cutler has his sights set on his first win at the Mr. Olympia competition and on gaining even more visibility. In spite of all his success, this powerhouse remains ambitious and humble.

“By coming from Smalltown, USA and making it to the big time, I’ve gone above and beyond anything I ever expected to be. It’s very important to sit down and realize how far you’ve really come.”

Jay’s Contest History
2005 Mr. Olympia 2nd place
2004 Mr. Olympia 2nd place
2004 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, 1st place
2003 GNC Show of Strength, 2nd place
2003 Dutch Grand Prix, 1st place
2003 British Grand Prix, 1st place
2003 Russia Grand Prix, 2nd place
2003 Mr. Olympia 2nd place
2003 San Francisco Pro Invitational, 1st place
2003 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, 1st place
2003 IronMan Pro Invitational, 1st place
2002 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, 1st place
2001 Mr. Olympia, 2nd place
2000 English Grand Prix, 2nd place
2000 Mr. Olympia Rome, 2nd place
2000 Mr. Olympia, 8th place
2000 Night of Champions 1st place

1999 Mr. Olympia, 14th place
1999 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, 4th place
1999 Ironman Pro Invitational, 3rd place
1998 Night of Champions, 11th place
1996 NPC U.S. Men’s National Bodybuilding Championship, 1st place Men’s heavy weight, Dallas, TX
1995 NPC U.S. Tournament of Champions, 1st place Men’s heavy weight and overall, Redondo Beach, CA
1993 NPC Teen National Bodybuilding Championship, 1st place Teenage heavy weight, Raleigh-Durham, NC
1993 NPC Iron Bodies Invitational, 1st place teenage, 1st place Men’s heavy weight, Schenectady, NY
1992 Gold’s Gym Worcester bodybuilding championships, 2nd place Men’s Division, Worcester, MA