Chris Aceto quickly addressed Shawn Ray’s comments about his ability to coach bodybuilders.
Chris Aceto is a decorated coach in the bodybuilding world but success does not come without criticism. During a recent appearance with RxMuscle, Aceto addressed comments made by Shawn Ray regarding his ability to coach the world’s best bodybuilders.
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“Anyone can criticize my coaching ability. What Shawn overlooks, and that’s why I put it up on my Instagram, is I’ve coached 126 bodybuilders to professional wins, 48 different athletes.”
Derek Lunsford recently announced that he would be coached by Aceto to prepare for the 2025 Arnold Classic. Lunsford is just over one year removed from winning his first Mr. Olympia title. He became the only competitor to win a title in both divisions after defeating Shaun Clarida in Men’s 212 in 2021. Lunsford returned to the biggest stage in 2024 and fell to third on the scorecard.
Ray began this back-and-forth claiming that top-tier athletes, such as Lunsford, do not need coaches. This is where Aceto decided to respond.
Chris Aceto Responds To Shawn Ray’s Comments
Chris Aceto used other sports as a reference when discussing the best athletes in the world and relationships with coaches.
“It’s like saying ‘oh, the guys in the NFL, they don’t need a coach. Tom Brady doesn’t need a coach.’ All the guys in the Major Leagues have batting coaches so this idea that bodybuilders don’t need a coach is just Shawn Ray trying to say ‘I never did’ because he always makes it about himself.”
Shawn Ray enjoyed a career in bodybuilding that spanned three decades. He won back-to-back Arnold Classic titles in 1990 and 1991. Ray competed in 13 Mr. Olympia’s between 1988 and 2001, placing as high as second in 1994 and 1996 but never capturing the coveted Sandow trophy. Aceto mentioned that Ray was unable to win the big one and did not use a coach.
“The odd thing is he never had a coach. He’s never won the Olympia.”
Chris Aceto ended by saying no matter the level of athlete in any sport, there are coaches with all of them.
“Everyone who passed him, from Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Chris Cormier beat him. I mean Nasser, Levrone beat him. The last time I looked at the best basketball team in history with Michael Jordan was the head, he still had a coach.”
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