Taking A Break

Riding high from his first victory, Ronnie realized his potential to succeed in the industry. He wasted no time, and entered another contest that year – the 1990 NPC Texas Championships.

But he couldn’t continue his dream start. Ronnie placed 3rd behind the likes of Jerry Rodgers and Edgar Fletcher; it was this competition that convinced him to take time away from the stage, to further develop his physique.

Pro Card

After taking the rest of 1990 away from the limelight, Ronnie made his return, determined to beat the more experienced athletes on stage.

Being naturally gifted, he’d managed to build formidable arms – which other athletes acknowledged as being ‘Mr. Olympia standard’, a high compliment for an amateur.

With this encouragement, Ronnie entered the 1991 World Amateur Championships, travelling to Poland in the hope of making a name for himself – and that’s exactly what he did.

The judges were impressed by Ronnie’s physique; he overshadowed his competitors, and was consequently awarded with the 1st place trophy. But that wasn’t all.

By winning his biggest show yet, Ronnie had earned the prestigious Pro Card – becoming a professional bodybuilder at the age of 27.

Life As A Pro

Ronnie didn’t have an easy start to his professional career. His first show was the 1992 Chicago Pro Championships, which featured a strong line-up – including the likes of; Bob Paris, Kevin Levrone, and Milos Sarcev.

He placed 11th, which set the tone for his next 3 years.

Between 1992 – 1994, Ronnie entered a further 10 competitions. However, the highest he managed to place was 3rd.

Road To Success

Not one to give up, Ronnie continued entering shows; he didn’t let his lack of success get in the way, and eventually his motivation to win paid off.

In 1995, at the age of 31, the future legend appeared in the Canada Pro Cup. This show was filled with another star-studded line-up, but this time, Ronnie managed to beat his opponents.

Overtaking such athletes as Rich Gaspari and Milos Sarcev, Ronnie finally took home his first trophy as a professional bodybuilder. This victory thrust him into the spotlight, and he became seen as one of the upcoming stars of the future.

Making History – Mr. Olympia

Over the next 10 years, Ronnie experienced a winning streak, dominating most competitions he entered – he walked away with 24 trophies, becoming almost unbeatable in his prime.

During this period, he wrote his name into the record books; Ronnie matched Lee Haney’s record by winning the prestigious Mr. Olympia show 8 times.

By consistently beating the likes of Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Kevin Levrone, Lee Priest, and Jay Cutler – Ronnie became known as one of the greatest bodybuilders in the history of the sport.

Retirement

After a record-breaking 15 years spent competing at the highest level, Ronnie made the decision to retire after the 2007 Mr. Olympia.

“This is it for me at the Olympia, and September 29th will be the last time I step on a Mr. Olympia stage. I want to thank God, my family, my friends, all the great fans who have supported me over the years.”

Ronnie left the sport as a legend, beating Arnold Schwarzeneger’s Mr. Olympia record, and cementing his name among other idols.

Surgery

After his retirement, it was clear that Ronnie’s heavy-lifting during his intense training sessions had damaged his body. By 2016, the 8x Mr. Olympia winner was forced to endure 7 operations on his back – including a gruelling 11 hour surgery.

As a result, the 8x Mr. Olympia champion had to cope with living in a wheelchair for a period of time.

However, he didn’t let this get him down; Ronnie believed that what he achieved as a bodybuilder, will always outweigh any negatives in his life.

“Do I have any regrets? If I had a chance to do it all over again, would I change anything? Yes – one thing.

That is when I squatted 800lbs. I would do 4 reps, instead of 2. That is my only regret in my career”

Entrepreneur

After his retirement, Ronnie was keen to stay involved in the fitness industry. As a result, he decided to create his own supplements company – who market a range of products from fat burners to pre workouts.

Ronnie has also made frequent appearances at bodybuilding expo’s around the world, meeting and greeting his millions of fans (as well as promoting his company) – inspiring them to realize their dreams.

Idols and Influences

Ronnie names Brian Dobson as a key influence in his success; Brian convinced him to compete as a bodybuilder, and guided him to his first trophy (as well as letting him train at his gym for free).

However, most of his motivation comes from within – ultimately, it was himself that pushed past the setbacks early in his career and continue training with the highest intensity.

What We Can Learn From Ronnie Coleman

One asset helped Ronnie’s journey to the top – determination.

He was naturally gifted and had a great start to his career, by taking home a trophy in his debut show (1990 Mr. Texas). However, from 1992 to the end of 1994, Ronnie didn’t win any shows – his best achievement was placing 3rd during this period.

But he didn’t give up. Instead, Ronnie pushed his limits everyday in the gym, sculpting a better package every year.

Ultimately, this is what made him an 8x Mr. Olympia winner – and is the reason why he’s known as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.

With the right determination and mind-set, anyone can realize their dreams.