Quick Bio:
Born: May 13, 1964 Bastrop, US
Contest Weight: 297 pounds (135kg)
Heights: 5’11” (180cm)
Stats:
Chest: 58” (147.3cm)
Waist: 36” (91.4cm)
Arms: 24” (61cm)
Calves: 22” (55.9cm)
Thighs: 36” (91.4cm)
Growing up with 3 siblings, Coleman wasn’t much out of the norm apart from being a little bigger for his age and excelling at football. Having said that, there was one thing he did do different, and that was to be the only person in his team to be training in the weight room all summer to prepare for grid iron.
Graduating from Grambling State University with a Bachelor in Accounting, Coleman also played football as a line backer for the GSU Tigers. Coleman’s career so far was nothing spectacular, and he almost ended up as a simple accountant. Fortunately due to a lack of opportunities at home, he moved to Dallas where he was yet again denied work in his field and instead took up a job delivering paper and pizzas to make ends meet.
Soon enough Coleman joined the police force in1989 where he was recommended by a fellow officer to join Metroflex Gym, which at the time was owned by amateur bodybuilder Brian Dobson. Unknowingly, this was the start of his new venture to becoming Mr Olympia.
Ronnie was a power lifter, therefore bodybuilding exercises and techniques were very foreign. But within a year under Dobsons tutelage, Coleman grew from 215 pounds to 230 pounds while already lifting staggering weights such as 500 pounds squats for 20 reps, 700 pounds deadlifts and a 500 pound bench press, and still drug free.
His first competition Mr Texas in 1990, was won with ease taking out the overall title. And it wasn’t before long until he competed against future heavyweights Kevin Levrone, Flex Wheeler and Paul ‘Quadzilla’ Demayo in the 1991 NPC nationals which he came in at fourth place.
In 1992, Coleman made his first pro debut at the Chicago Pro where he was inauspiciously placed eleventh. He then competed in a few more competitions the years after, but it wasn’t until 1995 where Coleman finally made a break through winning his Pro show at the Canada Pro cup on top of signing a supplement contract with Met-Rx.
The next year 1996, Coleman finally made it into the A-list, breaking into the top 10 at the Mr Olympia in Chicago. However, it was till’ 1997 where Ronnie started knocking on the Olympia door beating Kevin Levrone, Lee Priest and Paul Dillett in various contests, all of whom were men who had beaten him multiple times in previous years.
Then it was 1998; Colemans year. After having referred to a nutritionist named Chad Nicholls by his rival and friend Flex Wheeler, Coleman finally was crowned Mr Olympia having beaten the heavily favourite and also the man that helped him, Flex Wheeler.
From then on the Olympia was his show, as Coleman went on to winning the next seven Olympia’s joining Lee Hanley as the all-time great Olympia champ winning a total of 8. Now retired from competition, Coleman has launched his own label called Ronnie Coleman Nutrition, a company which supply’s sport nutrition and wellness merchandise for bodybuilders and athletes.
Competition History
’90 Mr Texas, Heavyweight – 1st and overall
’90 NPC Nationals, Heavyweight – 3rd
’91 IFBB World Amateur Championship, Heavyweight – 1st
’91 NPC Nationals, Heavyweight – 4th
’93 IFBB Niagara Falls Pro Invitational – 6th
’93 IFBB Grand Prix Germany – 6th
’93 IFBB Grand Prix France – 4th
’93 IFBB Chicago Pro Invitational – 6th
’94 IFBB Mr Olympia – 1th
’95 IFBB Mr Olympia – 11th
’95 IFBB Night of Champions – 3rd
’95 IFBB Grand Prix Ukraine – 3rd
’95 IFBB Grand Prix Russia – 6th
’95 IFBB Grand Prix France – 4th
’96 IFBB Mr Olympia – 6th
’96 IFBB Night Of Champions – 2nd
’96 IFBB Grand Prix Spain – 5th
’96 IFBB Grand Prix Spain – 5th
’96 IFBB Grand Prix Germany – 5th
’97 IFBB San Jose Pro Invitational – 6th
’97 IFBB Mr Olympia – 9th
’97 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational – 3rd
’97 IFBB Grand Prix Spain – 7th
’97 IFBB Grand Prix Russia – 1st
’97 IFBB Grand Prix Hungary – 6th
’97 IFBB Grand Prix Germany – 5th
’97 IFBB Grand Prix Finland – 3rd
’97 IFBB Grand Prix England – 5th
’97 IFBB Grand Prix Czech Republic – 4th
’97 IFBB Arnold Classic – 4th
’98 IFBB Mr Olympia – 1st
’99 IFBB Mr Olympia – 1st
’99 IFBB Joe Weiders Pro World – 1st
’99 IFBB Grand Prix England – 1st
‘00 IFBB Mr Olympia – 1st
’00 Grand Prix England – 1st
’00 Joe Weider’s World Pro Cup – 1st
’01 Arnold Classic – 1st
’01 Mr Olympia – 1st
’01 New Zealand Grand Prix – 1st
’02 Mr Olympia – 1st
’02 Grand Prix Holland – 1st
’03 Mr Olympia – 1st
’04 Mr Olympia – 1st
’05 Mr Olympia – 1st
’06 Mr Olympia – 2nd
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