It didn’t matter what the lift was, I trained it very heavily. I would occasionally focus on getting stronger, and it obviously paid off for me. Competitors that have more thickness will appear to be much larger than they really are. That thickness is one of the greatest illusions you can present onstage. Stronger bodybuilders have more thickness to their muscles. Do you feel there is a direct connection between being stronger and being a better bodybuilder? Olympia victories, some of your lifts in the gym have become legendary in their own right, such as the 800 pound squat and deadlifts. On the heavy days, we would do sets of 6, 4, 2, and 1 rep on the main lifts. We would do some bench work, but the main focus was working on the technique so we wouldn’t get a lift turned down. We actually didn’t do too much for the deadlift. We really worked on the squat and trained accessories for that. We trained four days a week, and it wasn’t a lot like a bodybuilder would do. Keep in mind that it was a long time since I trained for powerlifting, but I remember the main focus was working on the squat. What wisdom could you share for someone who wants to take that next step from the gym to a meet? Powerlifting has become a very popular strength sport in recent years. I don’t remember what my best number was for that lift, but I remember I wanted it to be better. I got 500 (pounds) in the deadlift, and I got that in the squat as well. What were your best numbers in competition? I didn’t get back into powerlifting until after that. I didn’t lift at all in college when I played football at Grambling State. We did pretty good because we had quite a few strong guys on the team. When I joined the powerlifting team in high school. He took some time to talk with Men's Health about his early years in powerlifting, his bodybuilding journey that is second to none, and offers advice for those that want to blaze their own trails to glory. “I think it’s all about knowledge and being willing to learn for the most part,” Coleman says about his success. Even 14 years after his last contest, he’s as involved with the sport as he has ever been. He is also very active with his supplement line, podcast, and work as a contest promoter. Thankfully, stem cell treatments have helped him move forward with his recovery. He has undergone over a dozen surgeries on his back and neck, which have taken their toll on the 57-year-old legend. His life post-retirement has had its fair share of ups and downs. In the eyes of many bodybuilding fans, Coleman is the G.O.A.T. Olympia titles, one more than Schwarzenegger's seven. Ronnie Coleman is one of them–and his accomplishments have made him a bodybuilding icon and earned a royal moniker: The King.Ĭoleman won a record-tying eight Mr. And no matter how many human growth hormones, stem cell therapy’s, money and medical expertise, Ronnie Coleman will never be strong again.Very few men in strength sports can say that they've one-upped Arnold Schwarzenegger. Better to be a Jay Cutler who is still swole, rather than a Ronnie Coleman, who is now essentially permanently disabled. are very shortsighted if you put yourself in a position where your body can no longer naturally produce testosterone, you are in a very bad and fragile situation. This is how bodybuilders and powerlifters who use steroids, testosterone, human growth hormones, etc. In other words, best to think of very very slow indefinite gains, rather than quick gains, tomorrow marred by huge setbacks. Then perhaps the best mode of action and advancement in life is to just put yourself in a position in which you will not backtrack. I am the most sad and depressed when I feel like my physical strength is waning, and that I’m getting weaker. I feel the most depressed or sad when I feel like I am backtracking on my progress, or getting weaker.įor example, my greatest joy is to feel incense my strength ascending, especially with my deadlift and physical power. For me, the greatest joy I get in life is feeling a sense of progress.
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