Bodybuilding great Ronnie Coleman dominated the stage in the 1990s and early 2000s. In a recent IFBB AMA YouTube video, legend Ronnie Coleman joined Milos Sarcev to explain why he always considered himself and not his competition his biggest rival during his illustrious career.
With an unprecedented eight Mr. Olympia titles to his name, Ronnie Coleman has cemented his status as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. His remarkable achievements are attributed to his exceptional work ethic and unparalleled dedication to training. Coleman’s immense size, strength, and muscularity set new standards and revolutionized the sport.
During Ronnie Coleman’s explosive career, his rivalry between Jay Cutler became one of the most iconic in bodybuilding history, captivating fans with its intensity and drama. As two of the most dominant figures in the sport during the early 2000s, Coleman and Cutler frequently battled for the coveted Mr. Olympia title, pushing the other to their limits. Despite their fierce competition on stage, the two shared a mutual respect off stage acknowledging each other’s dedication and talent.
Ronnie Coleman Reveals He Was His Biggest Rival And Explains Why He Was Never Concerned With His Competition
Speaking of rivalries, when asked who the greatest threat was during his rise to stardom Ronnie Coleman confidently named himself.
“A lot of people are asking me, who is your biggest rival? Jay or Flex or Kevin? Who is your biggest rival out of those three,” Sarcev asked.
“Me,” Ronnie Coleman responded.
“When did you feel the most pressure,” asked Milos Sarcev.
“I didn’t,” Coleman answered.
Ronnie Coleman discusses what his mentality was in his early days just starting bodybuilding.
“You are an athlete and you get to a certain level and you know what it took for you to get to that certain level so in your mind you’re thinking well I know what I did to get here, if I continue to do what I’ve always done I’m going to stay here. Or if I continue to work to get better I am going continue to stay here” Ronnie Coleman explained.
Ronnie Coleman also opened up on how his ticket to success was focusing on what he was doing instead of looking at his competition or rivals.
“So when you think like that you’re not really worried about the competition because you are already on top. All you’re thinking about is getting better every single day. You’re not really thinking about the competition because you can’t control what they’re going to do you can only control what you are going to do and that’s the way I was.”
“After the first Olympia, I’m like okay, okay now all I gotta do is continue to do what I’ve always done to get it the second time, and once you got it the second time you’re like okay the formula worked.”
Ronnie Coleman Talks Not Being “On Their Level” During His Early Years In Bodybuilding
Ronnie Coleman transitioned from football into bodybuilding. In the beginning, he reveals that he needed to catch up to his competition who had already been in the sport for some time.
“When I was coming up like in 91, 92, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 you know those guys, they were killing me that’s because I wasn’t on their level yet. I didn’t get into bodybuilding until 1989. They had probably been already in it for a while before then” Ronnie Coleman said.
“I was mostly concentrating on football all my years of you know training and coming up. Once I got into bodybuilding it took me a while to catch up to those guys but they probably had already been bodybuilding way before me. At least that’s the way I see it because like I said I hadn’t done no shows or nothing. My first show was in 1990.”
In addition to not having as much experience as the rest of his competitors, Coleman explains that he hadn’t started performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) yet which widened the gap between him and the rest of the bodybuilders taking the stage at that time.
“You gotta also remember I wasn’t on the same level as they were either. They had probably been doing drugs you know probably way before me and it took me a while to finally commit to that side of it” Coleman added.
Unfortunately, Coleman has endured a series of significant injuries throughout his career. These injuries primarily centered around his back, requiring him to undergo numerous surgeries, totaling over 13 procedures. Despite the challenges posed by these setbacks, Coleman displayed remarkable resilience, undergoing extensive rehabilitation and continuing to pursue his passion for fitness.
Ronnie Coleman’s career in bodybuilding is legendary, marked with immense success. Coleman’s dedication and relentless work ethic have earned him widespread admiration, inspiring countless individuals to pursue their fitness goals with passion and determination.
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