Exercise Scientist Dr. Mike Israetel has analyzed just about every iconic Mr. Olympia winner’s workouts except one man who dominated the Open landscape in the 2000s. You guessed it, Ronnie Coleman. In his latest venture shared on August 16, 2024, Dr. Israetel critiqued ‘The King’s’ training technique, intensity, and performance-enhancing drug use.
The man, the myth, the legend, and the GOAT of bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman, cemented his name in the sport’s history books after dominating the competitive stage and earning eight Mr. Olympia titles. His freakish muscle mass and impeccable conditioning allowed him to reign supreme over his fellow competitors, including Jay Cutler and Flex Wheeler, throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.
In order to achieve his once-in-a-lifetime physique, Ronnie Coleman’s training put the beast in ‘beast mode.’ From 800-pound deadlifts and squats to 2,300 pounds on the leg press, even the reigning World’s Strongest Man and Arnold Strongman Classic titleholder Mitchell Hooper can’t deny Coleman’s incredible feats of strength.
Exercise Scientist Critiques Bodybuilding Legend Ronnie Coleman’s Training and Steroid Use
It’s only fitting that exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israetel would be interested in diving into Ronnie Coleman’s intense workout methods. As an influential figure in the fitness community, Dr. Israetel has become known for examining and critiquing legendary bodybuilders and Hollywood stars‘ training techniques.
“Let’s look at some of his training. In advance I’m going to warn you, I have a terrible barely admissible, awful Ronnie Coleman impression that I do all with love, all with respect,” says Dr. Israetel.
First, Dr. Israetel broke down Coleman’s use of performance-enhancing drugs.
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“I think a lot of Joe Rogan’s viewers don’t know what basic stuff is. So when Ronnie is like test, d-bol, and what I said, basic stuff, could you give us a few more examples of what basic stuff is? He’s not wrong. Guys did some basic stuff back then. Then also did some not-so-basic stuff.”
“That’s when the 90s tren started kicking, high dose growth hormone and insulin started kicking. Some guys were using some slightly more exotic compounds but definitely drug use was a little bit more straightforward back in the day.”
Looking at his training practices, Dr. Israetel examined Coleman’s use of heavy weight and high volume, specifically on barbell rows.
“Just to handle 225 like that means you are nonsensically strong. You don’t just do that two plates on a side [row].”
“One of the things that Ronnie did incredibly well is he pushed his sets hard. Was it always amazing technique? No. But it was a stable technique Ronnie was used to. Was he really trying? Yes.”
He also looked at Coleman dumbbell pressing 200s.
“Can you go hard enough to dumbbell press the 200s? Only if you’re Ronnie Coleman, Stan Efferding, and like three other people ever,” he shared. “Astounding. This is very impressive on all levels. Not just brutal man strength and swag, but even on technique and control. This is dope. Unreal.”
“His ability to still say things while training is hilarious. You’ll never hear me say lightweight in the middle of a rep but Ronnie? He can do it all.”
He gave some parting thoughts on what we can glean from Coleman’s career and accomplishments.
“Ronnie Coleman we can learn from him and we can even critique some of the things he did to give us ideas of what to do ourselves. Can we critique him at a human level, as a champion, as a person, as a representative of the sport? Absolutely not. He’s beyond reproach which is why my exercise scientist rating for Ronnie Coleman is an eight out of eight.”
Ronnie Coleman has left an everlasting positive imprint on the sport which earned him the Arnold Classic Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. He was also just presented with the prestigious 2024 Ben Weider Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Tampa Pro to honor his distinguished bodybuilding career.
Even in retirement, Ronnie Coleman inspires up-and-coming athletes. He continues to contribute to the sport by sharing his thoughts and opinions as well as his training tips and tricks. Coleman’s hardcore workout techniques are still revered to this day.
RELATED: Ronnie Coleman’s Top 2 Training Techniques He Used to Win 8 Mr. Olympia Titles
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