A meeting of two hallowed fitness legends finished 2022.
At the start of this century, Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler were arguably the two most prominent names in bodybuilding. En route to his legendary run of eight consecutive Mr. Olympia victories (1998-2005), Coleman relegated Cutler to second-place on four occasions (2001, 2003-2005). When push came to shove, and Cutler was ready for his long-awaited moment of glory, he would finally dethrone Coleman in 2006 and capture another title over his ripped peer in 2007.
Over a decade and a half later, Coleman and Cutler are two primary fixtures in the extended lore of bodybuilding history. The two former titans have a combined 12 Mr. Olympia titles (eight for Coleman, four for Cutler) and continue to be influential voices intimately concerned with the happenings of the modern sport. On Jan. 10, 2023, a video posted on Cutler’s YouTube channel features the two icons, joined by bodybuilding YouTube personality Jesse James West, plowing through a collaborative training session. Per the caption of Cutler’s video, the workout took place sometime during the 2022 Mr. Olympia weekend on Dec. 16-18, 2022.
The central focus of the three men’s joint workout was to chisel their respective back and biceps muscles. To commemorate the two legends he was training with, West had headbands and sleeveless flannels for everyone involved to adorn. A torn towel (reminiscent of these headbands) was a Cutler trademark look during the early parts of his career. Meanwhile, Coleman made wearing a sleeveless flannel his own staple during his dominant run as Mr. Olympia.
Once the workout got up and rolling, there was no stopping this whirlwind of strength and energy. The trio worked through respective sets of lat pulldowns, shifted to seated cable rows and single-arm machine rows, and implemented alternating traditional dumbbell curls throughout their routine. They did not specify the precise numbers and reps for each respective set.
In a treat for any spectating and diehard fans, Coleman and Cutler used the workout as an opportunity to swap unique anecdotes from Olympia legend to Olympia legend. It might have been an inside look at what it was like to be in the two men’s shoes while they were in their athletic primes.
Coleman and Cutler are certainly astute enough to know that what they have to offer bodybuilding now is more in line with their replete wisdom and experience. That’s what made their enthusiasm for watching Hadi Choopan finally climb the Olympia mountain post-workout palpable.
For a time, they were rivals. In the present, Coleman and Cutler can happily embrace their roles as stewards of bodybuilding’s past and future.
Featured image: JayCutlerTV on YouTube
