The Volume

Ronnie Coleman Part 2


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In Part 2, Ronnie Coleman continues his conversation with Shannon Sharpe, offering a deeper look into his life as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He shares insights on using HGH and the extreme difficulty of the last week before competitions, admitting he was so exhausted that he had to hire someone just to load weights onto the rack. Ronnie reminisces about his mom’s cooking, saying he didn’t need to follow a strict diet because her meals were so good. He even shares a tip about baking potatoes to resemble French fries. Despite his intense regimen, he notes that he maintained a negative body fat percentage and rarely ever got sick, only three times in his life.

Ronnie dives into his impressive personal records (PRs), including a 500 lb bench press, 800 lb deadlift, 800 lb squat, 2300 lb leg press, and curling 225 lbs, revealing that walking lunges were his favorite movement. He claims to have the best back of all time and explains the importance of back muscles in bodybuilding. When asked about his Mount Rushmore of bodybuilders, Ronnie lists his top picks and reflects on why he couldn’t win nine Mr. Olympia titles in a row.

He opens up about the moment he realized his body was giving out, especially during his 2007 competition, where he struggled to stand on stage and ultimately broke down emotionally. Ronnie also discusses the toll that bodybuilding took on his body, mentioning the 13 neck and back surgeries he’s undergone, and how he knew his career was ending after that final show in '07.

Despite the physical hardships, Ronnie has no regrets other than not squatting 800 lbs more than twice. He reflects on how winning Mr. Olympia changed his life, allowing him to escape poverty for the first time. He notes that while some of his size could’ve been achieved without supplements, keeping up with the competition required them. He humorously adds that social media has made him more famous than he ever was, with only Arnold Schwarzenegger being more renowned in the bodybuilding world.

Ronnie talks about his disappointment over not winning nine Mr. Olympia titles in a row and recalls training with his competitors, like Flex Wheeler and Jay Cutler, who were intimidated by his strength. He also details his struggles with surgeries, explaining that his muscles were too big for standard procedures, and after his screws broke post-surgery, no lawyer in Dallas would take his malpractice case.

The episode takes a personal turn as Ronnie opens up about relearning to walk after his surgeries, undergoing stem cell treatment in Mexico, and how it eliminated his pain. He expresses hope that he’ll be walking without crutches within the next year. Despite his challenges, Ronnie still goes to the gym six times a week, calling it both mental and physical therapy.

Ronnie reflects on why he never became a trainer, claiming no one could keep up with his intensity. Even Deion Sanders wanted him to train him and his wife, but Ronnie declined. He also shares the grueling experience of touring in China for three weeks, calling it the hardest thing he’s ever done, and recounting a memorable meal where he saw the eye of a chicken in his dish.

Lastly, Ronnie discusses his family life, proudly mentioning his eight daughters—one for each of his Mr. Olympia titles—and takes Shannon through a typical day as a father. He talks about his current diet, explaining that he now prefers chicken thighs and ground beef because he got sick of chicken breasts and steak.

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