You want shoulders like boulders? Jay Cutler reveals his favourite exercise for the "3D look"

If there's anyone who understands building muscle in the shoulder area, it's four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. Even in his 50s, Jay looks incredible and his deltoids still command respect. Many people ask him:

"Jay, what's the one exercise that will give me width and roundness?"

The answer may surprise you with its simplicity, but that's where its power lies. Jay Cutler relies on the Standing Overhead Press.

According to Cutler, why is the standing overhead press the king of the shoulders?

In this day and age of modern machines, this cornerstone is often forgotten. However, Jay points out that if you want shoulders that look massive from every angle, you need to go back to basics.

• Full-body involvement: Unlike the seated push, where back support helps, in standing your mid-body (core) and stabilizers need to work. This allows you to build functional strength.
• Maximum tension: free weights force your muscles to constantly micro-correct, leading to deeper stimulation of the muscle fibres.
• Width and Thickness: this movement primarily targets the anterior and middle deltoids - the very areas that make the shoulders visually wide.

(Workout parameters)

Jay Cutler is not a proponent of mindlessly lifting extreme weights at the expense of technique. Here are his golden rules for this exercise:

"The shoulder joint is the most prone to injury in the entire body. Never sacrifice technique just to add another disc to your axle," warns Cutler.

3 tips for getting the most out of the standing press

1. Don't underestimate the warm-up: Jay recommends starting with a few sets of light lateral raises to "lubricate" the joints and get the muscles blood flowing before pushing hard.
2. Middle of the body like a rock: Firm your abs and glutes before pushing the barbell up. This creates a stable platform and protects your spine.
3. Breathe: It sounds trite, but holding your breath for push-ups raises your blood pressure. Exhale on the upward pressure, inhale on the downward pressure.

Conclusion

You can try dozens of modern machines and isolation exercises on pulleys, but if your workout lacks honest overhead pressing, you're robbing yourself of results. Jay Cutler is proof that a combination of hard work and basic exercises works best.