Very few have left their mark in the world of bodybuilding like Ronnie Coleman has. The former police officer, took the Mr. Olympia contest by storm winning it 8 consecutive times. One look at his physique at the time and his dominance becomes abundantly clear. In a sport where you have to always be at your biggest and strongest however, steroid use will always be the elephant in the room. Unlike most bodybuilders though, ‘The King’, has been more than willing to speak about it.
During an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience back in 2020, Coleman looked back at his professional bodybuilding career and reflected on the steps he took to rise to the top. He began bodybuilding at the age of 24 and stayed clean for the first 6 years. However, a certain realization then led to him using anabolic steroids.
Ronnie Coleman once revealed why he started taking steroids to Joe Rogan
Ronnie Coleman revealed on the Joe Rogan experience podcast that the people he was competing with were on steroids. The highest position he ever placed was third. Tired of getting his ass kicked, Coleman decided that he needed to be doing the same thing as them in order for him to get on the same level.
“The highest I would place was third. The other guys had a competitive advantage…so I was like, ‘Let’s make this thing equal’.”
Coleman revealed that he wasn’t abusing steroids recklessly. He claimed that he didn’t use it any more than what baseball players were taking and while there was hardly any increase in his strength or size, his conditioning vastly improved making him much more shredded quickly.
He also stated that steroids were not magic and could not help someone who did not already have the genetics for it before emphasizing that he doesn’t encourage the use of Steroids or any other PEDs.
Is Ronnie Coleman the strongest bodybuilder of all time?
Ronnie Coleman’s muscles aren’t just for show. Apart from the Mr. Olympia contests, Coleman is also the winner of 26 IFBB professional titles and possesses some of the greatest feats ever recorded. He once did a flat bench press for 12 reps with a pair of 200-pound dumbbells. As if that wasn’t already mind blowing, he then inclined the same weight for 6 more reps and one forced rep during the same workout.
‘The King’ has also completed the 800-pound deadlift and squat and a 2400-pound leg press among several other unbelievable acts of insane strength.
There are not many men in the world who can be put in the same league as him. Who the strongest ever is in the world od bodybuilding will always incite massive discussions from the fans. It is impossible however, to keep Coleman’s name out of the discussion.
