Did you know this about Ronnie Coleman?

[Canuck77]

>>>Go to 5:00 mark of video...

Sorry if repost.

[KarateChris]

Yes I did because I've seen the video
Inspirational to keep plugging away at it after losing and coming last so many times to then become the greatest bodybuilder of all time

[perfektion]

Inspiring that he went from getting dead last for years, to #1....Such a great bodybuilder!

[haltere]

I have to see the hole thing now..

thanks OP.

[cbezz]

haha yeah same, i remember that vid.
I've put half arsed efforts into trying to find evidence of his last place physique, but not really found much. I'd probably have to check his competition history to find out what competitions he finished down the bottom end in.

[MattyH7688]

I knew he didnt do well, but I didnt know he was "that" bad.

That is pretty crazy.

[Canuck77]

I have to see the hole thing now..

thanks OP.

It's a great interview, be sure to check out "Part 2" as well.

[Canuck77]

I knew he didnt do well, but I didnt know he was "that" bad.

That is pretty crazy.

Same here, it's hard to believe that someone can go from dead last to literally first place almost "overnight". As soon as he beat Levrone in NY in '98, as Levrone said, that's when he changed/things changed and Ronnie's physique went to a whole other level and he never looked back.

[Kulutuea]

Well, there have been photos and videos posted here before that show his physique at least as late as 96-97, and to be honest I think he should have been winning all the shows he entered and contending for the Olympia at that point. He was still huge, definitely huge enough, but had a very tight midsection, great shape. Would like to hear a judges explanation of what was wrong with his physique at that point

1996


1997

[warbird00]

I dont get it, Ronnie has an insane physique back then...

[JanesLastResort]

yeah ronnie talked about it in the RC: the undiscovered footage videos.

so inspirational.

[ssj4JAY91]

i love this, just gives us a glimpse in to what drove a bodybuilder of ronnie coleman's caliber to strive for perfection, the likes of which we've never seen before. usually we get caught up in his G.O.A.T legacy of his, but quickly forget or never find out that he was struggling busting his ass, and coming in "DEAD LAST"! for Years! incredible.

[Stryker916]

[Canuck77]

Well, there have been photos and videos posted here before that show his physique at least as late as 96-97, and to be honest I think he should have been winning all the shows he entered and contending for the Olympia at that point. He was still huge, definitely huge enough, but had a very tight midsection, great shape. Would like to hear a judges explanation of what was wrong with his physique at that point

I don't know...hard to say, unless perhaps those images are from a later date than what is indicated? I can see an improvement between the two images you posted though. Maybe it was also his posing but then again Levrone specifically stresses that his physique took off/drastically changed in '98 and when he was beat in NYC it was like, "omg, I just got beat by Ronnie Coleman..." like if Cutler were to lose today to "Bill Wilmore"...yeah, Bill who? Exactly (no offence to Wilmore)...that is how it was in '98 at the NYC Pro when Levrone lost to Coleman. But when he reflects he does state that Ronnie deserved the wins for both shows based on his much improved physique but that it was just hard to believe that Ronnie Coleman who was literally not even on the North American map just beat him both times...

Coleman wins a very close Olympia final (his first) that year and never looks back. I mean to think he was finishing dead last in Europe which are the shows with the least amount of talent and for 4-5 years straight...

It sort of makes Cutler's accomplishment of persevering through being 2nd all those years look a little bleak (not that I am knocking Cutler and his accomplishments because he is my fav current BB but just sayin' in context...)

Here is Ronnie in October 1995 when he was featured in Flex Magazine for a bicep routine. This is when he was placing last in the European circuit



Here is another of Ronnie around 1994-95.



Here is Ronnie around 1999 or so after a couple Olympia wins...drastic change? I'll say...

[OtisBDriftwood]

Coleman always had problems in nailing his conditioning 100% prior to 98. He would show up conditioned but watery, also he looked good by himself but next to other he would look lanky and lacked the thickness.
Wasn't till he reached the 245lbs on stage with better conditioning than everybody else that the judges recognized him.

[Canuck77]

Coleman always had problems in nailing his conditioning 100% prior to 98. He would show up conditioned but watery, also he looked good by himself but next to other he would look lanky and lacked the thickness.
Wasn't till he reached the 245lbs on stage with better conditioning than everybody else that the judges recognized him.

Makes me think of how Cutler came in last year...perhaps a similar situation. A lot of people say that Cutler came in last year with a physique on a whole new level, similar to what Levrone was saying about Coleman in '98. If Cutler hits it again this year and comes in with the tight conditioning, it could be another dominating era if he keeps at it for a few more years. Maybe there are some parallels here, not that Cutler was anywhere near finishing last prior to last year...just that his physique took on a drastic change at the 2010 Olympia compared to previous years with the exception at the Olympia in the early 2000's where he had similar conditioning but not as tight as 2010 imo.

[SixOneNineFromItaly]

He wasn't dead last on european Shows...
http://www.bodybuilders.com/ronnie.htm
He never placed lower than 6th..

[JanesLastResort]

Makes me think of how Cutler came in last year...perhaps a similar situation. A lot of people say that Cutler came in last year with a physique on a whole new level, similar to what Levrone was saying about Coleman in '98. If Cutler hits it again this year and comes in with the tight conditioning, it could be another dominating era if he keeps at it for a few more years. Maybe there are some parallels here, not that Cutler was anywhere near finishing last prior to last year...just that his physique took on a drastic change at the 2010 Olympia compared to previous years with the exception at the Olympia in the early 2000's where he had similar conditioning but not as tight as 2010 imo.

yeah makes me wonder wether jay will pull a ronnie or not.

if he will i say he'll win 2-3 more sandows before getting beaten by kai, phil etc.

[boyoboyo]

Makes me think of how Cutler came in last year...perhaps a similar situation. A lot of people say that Cutler came in last year with a physique on a whole new level, similar to what Levrone was saying about Coleman in '98. If Cutler hits it again this year and comes in with the tight conditioning, it could be another dominating era if he keeps at it for a few more years. Maybe there are some parallels here, not that Cutler was anywhere near finishing last prior to last year...just that his physique took on a drastic change at the 2010 Olympia compared to previous years with the exception at the Olympia in the early 2000's where he had similar conditioning but not as tight as 2010 imo.

it really wasnt a drastic change, he just nailed his condition 100% for the 2nd time in 8 years...

[MiniReem]

kevin should have won in 2000.....

[pharmamarketer]

It is like any profession. No one ever sees the top people getting shot down or having frustartions. Very rarely does someone make it to the top without getting the shti kicked out of them a few times. That is what makes the great ones so great. The fact that they get back up and prove everyone wrong. We should all remember that when we are out there in the "real world"

[Big Slim DaDDy]

Ronnie never gave up and look where it got him.

[Kulutuea]

Hai there Paul

[germanyt]

kevin should have won in 2000.....

Jay should have won in 01.












































semi srs

[Mr. Aries]

Hai there Paul

Damn dillet is a freak!

[boyoboyo]

From the pics iv seen, ronnie took a big step forward in 96, and then slowly but surley gained mass whilst his conditioning also improved.

[cbezz]

There's a pic of him on his bio on here.

He looks pretty young there, and not that huge for him.

[weltweitefurcht]

He wasn't dead last on european Shows...
http://www.bodybuilders.com/ronnie.htm
He never placed lower than 6th..

# 1995 IFBB Mr. Olympia -- 11th
# 1994 IFBB Mr. Olympia -- 15th


maybe Kevin was talking about that ^ idk

[Canuck77]

He wasn't dead last on european Shows...
http://www.bodybuilders.com/ronnie.htm
He never placed lower than 6th..

Actually, he did in fact place lower than 6th in several shows and last in several Olympias...here is a very good detailed bio on his placings and progress. If you read through it you can see what Levrone was referring to...

Source
http://goldenmuscles.com/bodybuilder...man-biography/

1992 – Welcome to the pro’s, new guy!

Ronnie made his pro debut at the Chicago Pro show on May 9, with an inauspicious eleventh place. Interestingly, all ten men who beat him there are now retired, and one is dead. I would bet that many of you won’t even recognize half of their names. They were, in the order they finished, Porter Cottrell, Thierry Pastel, Kevin Levrone, Henderson Thorne (who I consider semi-retired, since he only competes at the Toronto Pro show), Milos Sarcev, Kevin McGaunn, Mauro Sarni, the late Ray McNeil, Flavio Bachiannini, and Bob Paris. Right behind Ronnie in twelfth was Darrem Charles, making his IFBB debut after turning pro in 1991 at the Caribbean and Central American Championships. A couple weeks later in New York, Ronnie entered the Night of Champions and finished fourteenth. That contest was Kevin Levrone’s first of twenty pro wins, and some of those that beat Ronnie at that NOC who have since retired include Robby Robinson, Norway’s Geir Borgan Paulsen, Dan Smith, and Alan Ichinose. Darrem Charles was eleventh, and Nasser El-Sonbatty, competing in his first IFBB event, did not place at all. Back then, the weight class winners at the IFBB World Amateur Championships were eligible to compete in the Mr. Olympia if they so desired, and this is how Ronnie qualified for his first O. The contest was held in Helsinki, Finland, and the two biggest stories were the start of Dorian Yate’s six-year headlock on the title, along with Lou Ferrigno’s return to competition after seventeen years away from the stage (only to place a disappointing twelfth). Ronnie was one of seven men who ‘tied’ for sixteenth place, meaning that the judges didn’t bother to sort anyone out after the top fifteen. So in essence, Ronnie took last place in his first Mr. Olympia, still weighing around 215-220 pounds. Some more blasts from the recent bodybuilding past that finished ahead of Big Ron were Lee Labrada, Shawn Ray, the late Mohammed Benaziza, Vince Taylor, the late Sonny Schmidt, Ron Love, Steve Brisbois, Al’Q Gurley, and Francis Benfatto. This roll call of retired competitors should give you an appreciation of the longevity and staying power that Ronnie Coleman has. He truly is the last holdout of that generation of 90′s bodybuilders, yet continues to improve and win.


1993 – Climbing the ladder

Certainly it had to be discouraging for Ronnie to finish out of the top ten at all three of his first pro shows the year before, but he put his nose to the grindstone and kept working hard in the gym, the only way he knew how, and got right back in the game. In 1993, he entered four shows, all in the spring, yet failed to qualify for that year’s Olympia. His best finish was fourth at one of two Grand Prix events held in France that year, where Flex Wheeler was racking up consecutive victories in his rookie season, and Nasser shot up to third place behind Flex and Vince Taylor. At all other three contests, Ronnie was just out of the top five with sixth place. Flex won one of those in Germany, Porter Cottrell won the Chicago Pro, and Italy’s Mauro Sarni nabbed the Niagara Falls Pro Invitational. There, Ronnie was beaten by now-retired pros Jim Quinn and David Dearth. The Niagara show was most significant for being the pro debut of a 20-year-old sensation named Lee Priest, who had planned on doing the NPC amateur event held along with the pro show. As many of you know, Jim Manion took note of the short blonde kid with the freaky arms the week before out at Gold’s Gym in Venice and petitioned Wayne DeMilia to give the three-time Mr. Australia a pro card. Lee was three places behind Ronnie, in ninth.


1994 – Knocking on the door

Ronnie entered three contests in the 1994 spring season. At the San Jose Pro show, he took fourth place behind Levrone, Porter Cottrell, and David Dearth. He did better in Europe, finishing third at both the French and German Grand Prix shows behind Paul Dillett and Vince Taylor. Both qualified him for that fall’s Olympia in Chicago. At the Olympia, Dorian won his third Sandow, and Paul Dillett scored his highest-ever finish with fourth. Chris Cormier debuted in the Olympia in sixth, as did Gunter Schlierkamp, who was in a five-way tie for sixteenth, or last place. It was Gunter’s first year as a pro, having won the World Amateurs the year before. Ronnie didn’t do much better in fifteenth. Though he had shown signs of being a front-runner in the spring, Coleman had definitely fizzled out at the Olympia.


1995 – First pro win

1995 saw a bigger and better version of Ronnie Coleman, as his off-season following the dismal Olympia months before had yielded somewhere around fifteen pounds of new mass. He now had a supplement contract with Met-Rx to boost his income as a full-time police officer. This was a breakthrough year for Ronnie, as he won his first contest as a pro, the Canada Pro Cup. Right behind him in second place, oddly enough, was Gunter Schlierkamp, who wouldn’t place that well again until he beat Ronnie at the 2002 GNC Show of Strength, and who wouldn’t even make the top five at his next fifteen contests. Ronnie competed in two more spring shows, taking sixth at the Houston Pro, where Nasser El-Sonbatty won his first pro show. Nasser won his second pro contest a couple weeks later at the Night of Champions, where Ronnie was third behind him and Vince Taylor. His NOC finish qualified Ronnie for the Olympia on September 10 in Atlanta, where once again he didn’t exactly light the place up. In eleventh, he was just ahead of Paul DeMayo, but behind the now four-time champ Dorian, Levrone, Nasser, Shawn, Vince, Chris Cormier, Mike Francois, Flex, and Aaron Baker. Ronnie joined the Grand Prix tour that followed, where he placed fourth in France, sixth in Russia, and third in the Ukraine. By now, Ronnie was gaining plenty of stage experience and confidence, as well as the size he would need to keep moving up the ranks.


1996 – Joining the A-list

1996 was another good year for rising star Ronnie. At his first contest of the season, he won his second pro show, again at the Canada Pro Cup. The other two spring shows would see him foiled by Flex Wheeler, first at the Florida Pro Invitational, then the next weekend at the Night of Champions. But second place to Flex was nothing to sneeze at, since Wheeler started 1996 with seven pro wins and would finish it with an even ten. The Olympia took place September 21 in Chicago, and at last Ronnie broke into the top ten with a sixth place. He actually would have been seventh, but Nasser was disqualified due to a failed diuretics test. A week later, Ronnie did three shows in three days, competing in Grand Prix events in Madrid, Germany, and England. Dorian Yates fattened his wallet by winning all three shows, and Ronnie showed his consistency by taking fifth place at each.


1997 – The calm before the storm

Ronnie competed in eleven contests in 1997 and won just one, the Russian Grand Prix. That was a critical turn of events, however, as he managed to beat several men that had been kicking his ass over and over again until then: Levrone, Nasser, Cormier, and Dillett. Kevin was victorious, however, in six other events in Europe where Ronnie’s placings were up and down: Czech Republic (fourth), England (fifth), Finland (third), Germany (fifth Markus Ruhl made his pro debut there in tenth), Hungary (sixth), and Spain (seventh). Interestingly, Lee Priest beat him in three of those six shows, and Ronnie beat him at the other three. Ronnie competed in the Arnold Classic for the first time and was fourth, just after placing third at the Pro Ironman behind Flex and Priest. Just after the Ironman and Arnold, he went to the San Jose pro show and finished sixth. In his last Olympia before he began his reign, Ronnie was near the bottom of the top ten in ninth, behind Dorian in his sixth and final win, plus Nasser, Shawn, Levrone, Dillett, Priest, Jean-Pierre Fux, and Chris Cormier. I seriously doubt any of those men had the slightest idea that they would never beat Ronnie again in the Olympia. Kevin would get him one last time a few months later, but that would be the very last time he would edge out Coleman in bodybuilding competition.


1998 – The Reign of King Ronnie begins

Ronnie began this landmark year of his career with a loss to Kevin in San Jose, but proceeded to trounce Kevin en route to winning the Toronto Pro show and the Night of Champions later that spring. Then it was on to the Olympia in New York on October 10th. For this event, Ronnie worked with an up-and-coming nutritionist named Chad Nicholls, who Flex had referred to him. It would be a partnership that endured for many years to come. A sold-out crowd of 5,600 fans was there to see who would succeed King Dorian. The heavy favorites were Flex Wheeler, who now had fifteen pro wins under his belt and what many considered the most perfect physique of all time, and Nasser, who had been a very close second to Dorian the previous year in Long Beach. Ronnie didn’t get nearly as much publicity leading up to the show, but it didn’t matter once he walked onstage and showed off 250 pounds of striated, dry muscle. Flex pushed him hard and actually won the symmetry round, but when the dust had cleared, Ronnie had beaten him by a slim three-point margin. Since he had barely beaten Flex, few assumed Ronnie would hold on to the title for any length of time, not like the six years Dorian had been Mr. O, and certainly not close to the record eight years that Lee Haney had ruled bodybuilding. Surely, either Flex, Nasser, Shawn or Kevin would get their hands on that Sandow next. But unfortunately for all those great athletes, at 34 years old, Ronnie was just getting warmed up and entering his prime.

[spamy]