Ronnie Coleman is a legendary figure in the bodybuilding world who dominated the sport during the 1990s and early 2000s. In retirement, he still has a vested interest in the athletes and what goes on in the community. In a recent video on YouTube, Ronnie Coleman discusses what his diet looked like while he competed along with his first-ever cycle of steroids.
Known for his unparalleled work ethic, Ronnie Coleman earned eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles from 1998 to 2005, tying the record set by Lee Haney. His physique was characterized by an astonishing combination of size, symmetry, and muscle density, showcasing muscular development that set him apart from his peers.
Beyond his undeniable success on the bodybuilding stage, Ronnie Coleman’s journey is marked by perseverance and determination. In addition to his illustrious bodybuilding career, he worked as a police officer, underlining his dedication to discipline and hard work. Between his many cameos and the pension he will receive when he turns 60 from being an officer, Coleman is set up comfortably for the rest of his life.
Ronnie Coleman Discusses The Significance of Red Meat and Protein for Muscle Mass
Despite facing numerous physical challenges and setbacks, including multiple surgeries on his back, hips, and neck, the pain wasn’t enough to stop Coleman’s passion for bodybuilding. ‘The King’ has expressed that he lives in pain but recently shared an update following stem cell treatment that he was able to reduce the amount of painkillers he uses. These major improvements have Coleman feeling like his ‘old self’ again.
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Speaking of his old self, Ronnie Coleman reminisced on the good ol’ days of bodybuilding in a recent YouTube video.
“You also gotta have the mentality, you gotta do what it takes to get on that stage. Some guys may not wanna eat certain things like beef and all the stuff that bodybuilders have to eat to be the best. I ate a ton of beef.
I ate a ton of chicken. I ate a ton of turkey” Ronnie Coleman explains.
He also gave his thoughts on consuming red meat.
The interviewer asks if red meat plays a role?
“For me it did. Not a big role cause I only ate it once a day. Mostly it was a lot of chicken for the most part” Ronnie responds.
“Do you think just chicken and fish you can build up?” Ranveer asks.
“Oh ya for sure you can but you probably cant look like I did.”
“So you think red meat is actually one of the reason you had that kind of thickness?” Asks Ranveer.
“Oh yeah, for sure. I know for a fact it did.”
“Protein is what builds muscle. You gotta eat a lot of protein. That’s why I ate 600 grams a day. Now I eat maybe about 200-300 grams a day. I’m still a big guy, I still have to eat kinda big. Before I got into bodybuilding I ate a lot of meat and I eat a lot. Even before I was bodybuilding.”
Related: Protein Calculator: Find Your Daily Protein Intake
Ronnie Coleman Reflects On His First Time Using Steroids, ‘I was so afraid to do all that stuff back then’
As a professional bodybuilder, Ronnie Coleman has experience using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) but stresses that everything he used was under doctor supervision and he routinely checked his health.
“Everything that I put in my body you know was doctor-prescribed. And every four months I would get a check-up and make sure the liver was right, the kidneys were right, the heart was right, you know I had everything checked.I never had a problem.”
“You need to have your body checked out at least every six months, don’t go six months without checking it. I’ve never went six months without checking it even now” Coleman said.
Ronnie Coleman revealed Flex Wheeler led him to the world of PEDs.
“It was probably 1995-1996 somewhere in there. I was 30 years old. The first time ever, mhm, because I was so afraid to do all that stuff back then.”
“Well, I got a lot of information from Flex Wheeler. He gave me a lot of information. Flex had been around he won a lot of stuff, ‘I wonder what he’s doing’
“You want to find out what somebody is doing, you go straight to them and ask them. You don’t go to some fan on the street or you don’t go to his friend. You go to him, you know and hopefully he’ll tell you. With Flex, he was quite honest with me because everything he told me worked” Coleman explains.
“No [I don’t remember dosages or what I took]. It’s been so long ago. It was just normal. I just know it was like normal dosages. People think I took you know massive massive amounts, I’m like no, no. If I would have taken massive massive amounts, I don’t think I’d be sitting here.”
Ronnie Coleman once again drills in the importance of constantly getting checkups to ensure the body is handling everything well and functioning properly.
“The route that I took, I always checked to make sure that my body was functioning right and everything was functioning right. That’s why I looked like I did on stage even though I was big and muscular I looked healthy.
“If you go back and look at my skin, some guys, their skin is bad when they are up there. I didn’t have a lot of, my skin wasn’t bad at all.
I could see it for myself. I’m looking at the other guys with all these pimples and all these red marks all over their body and I’m like how the hell, no, I wouldn’t want to look like that.”
Considering Ronnie Coleman’s experience as a bodybuilder who has used PEDs, he can pick up on the signs of someone who is using gear. Coleman recently used his steroid radar to judge whether seven famous actors were ‘natty or not’ including Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Ronnie Coleman has shared not only his tips for workouts and dieting but also what it was like for him during his career. Giving details on his bland diet and max weight records, Coleman is open to the bodybuilding community.
Ronnie Coleman stands as a living legend, not only for his unprecedented achievements in bodybuilding but also for his inspirational story of resilience and dedication. His impact on the fitness industry and the culture of bodybuilding remains enduring, making him a revered and iconic figure in the community.
To watch the full video, click the link below:
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