With a combination of unmatched strength and dedication, Ronnie Coleman cemented himself as a legend in bodybuilding after reshaping the sport throughout his professional career. In a recent YouTube video published on October 28, 2024, ‘The King’ discussed the timeline for when he expects to be able to walk again and also shared his thoughts on Samson Dauda winning the 2024 Mr. Olympia.
It’s been a highlight-filled road for bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman. Having amassed eight Mr. Olympia titles with arguably the most dominant reign of any champion, his accolades and accomplishments speak for themselves. However, en route to cementing himself as one of the all-time greats, he endured countless setbacks, including several health-related problems.
Coleman lost the ability to walk without assistance and has endured over 13 back surgeries. Known for lifting incredibly heavy weights, some have wondered if that might have contributed to his lack of mobility. Nevertheless, the bodybuilding icon still trains with a chip on his shoulder in retirement at 60 years old.
In his free time, Coleman still keeps tabs on the division he once ruled over. While he doesn’t see a Mr. Olympia stringing together a near-decade-long dynasty like himself, he still monitors some of the sport’s top talents, like Samson Dauda. ‘The Nigerian Lion’ made history at the 2024 Mr. Olympia, winning the Open title. On his way to glory, Dauda became the first man from the UK to win the prestigious honor since former six-time titleholder Dorian Yates.
Ronnie Coleman Talks Timeline to Walk Again, Discusses Samson Dauda’s 2024 Mr. Olympia Victory
Recently, Ronnie Coleman sat down with Jay Cutler to discuss Dauda’s recent victory. They also talked about his road to recovery, which included the timeline for when Coleman believes he will be able to walk again.
“Yup, I’m giving myself about a year and a half to be walking, maybe with a cane, and then eventually, they can get it to where I can walk without a cane.”
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“So, I’m looking at two years because I remember when I had my neck surgery, the doctors were like, ‘It’ll take about two years for the numbness in your hand to go away’ and about two years to the date all that numbness went away and strength came back in my right hand” Coleman explained.
Coleman shared that he continues to get stem cell treatments every five months, attributing them to his ability to regenerate the nerves required to see him walk unassisted once again.
“So, I’m thinking in about two years I think that I’ll be able to regenerate some of those nerves. I’ve been doing stem cells. I do stem cells, like 300 million every five months.”
As for Samson Dauda’s impressive win on the prestigious stage, Coleman broke down his thoughts regarding his overall package. He also gave his two cents on whether Dauda can go on a run and win several titles.
“He had the best overall package up there even though he didn’t have the best conditioning by far but I think that the overall packaging is what swayed the judges.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen anymore [win multiple times]. I think it’s going to change hands for a while.”
This isn’t the first time Ronnie Coleman has been candid about his journey back to walking without assistance. The bodybuilding star has kept fans up to date on several stem cell therapy procedures he’s utilized since retiring from the sport. He says they have helped him transform his life, enabling him to live mostly pain-free with improved mobility.
“I’ve made some major improvements since I’ve been coming here. I was in a lot of pain when I first started. Now, my pain levels are like almost – almost – eight, nine somewhere in there and you guys got it all the way down – I’ve been coming here almost two years I think; somewhere in there. I found the more I was coming, the better I was getting.”
As one of the greatest bodybuilders to ever compete on stage, hearing Coleman might be on the verge of walking without assistance in two years is tremendous news. While he credits Samson Dauda for his complete look on the Mr. Olympia stage, he still has doubts about the champion’s ability to retain the title for the next several years.
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