Chris Cormier shares his first hand account on the experience of competing against Ronnie Coleman.
There’s no denying that Ronnie Coleman is one of the greatest bodybuilders in the history of the sport. With eight Mr. Olympia victories a massive physique that was equally matched in his conditioning – Ronnie’s presence in bodybuilding has been unmatched in almost every respect. So what was it like to have to compete against Ronnie in his prime? In our latest GI Exclusive, Chris Cormier shares his first hand account of what it was like to share the stage with Ronnie Coleman.
The 90s and early 2000s of bodybuilding is a beloved era of the sport. A large part of this is due to Ronnie Coleman’s Olympia reign and legendary physique. But Ronnie also competed against a lineup of some of the best bodybuilders of all time. It was a stacked era full of incredible athletes. A time passes, this era only becomes more and more respected. It’s been called the second Golden Era in some circles.
It must have been frustrating then, to be such a talented athlete stuck behind the behemoth shadow of Ronnie Coleman. That’s why we asked Chris Cormier to share his experience and mindset facing off against Ronnie during his prime years.
The interview in question was conducted during the filming of Ronnie Coleman: The King. Chris Cormier’s full answers wasn’t able to make it into the final film. We’re now releasing the full extended interview clips from our GI Vault to bring even more insight into a legendary man and a legendary era in bodybuilding history.
Surprisingly, Chris Cormier didn’t focus on frustration facing off against Ronnie Coleman. Instead, he describes it as an extremely fun experience. Cormier considers himself in that time to have been an X factor in bodybuilding. He was a competitor who could stand toe to toe with Ronnie and, had he played his cards just right, actually defeat the champion.
Of course, we know this didn’t happen during the Olympia. But in the moment, Chris Cormier didn’t feel taking down Ronnie was an impossible task. Instead, it was a challenge that made Cormier a better athlete. It made all of Ronnie’s bodybuilding peers better athletes. This increased the quality of the competition. It’s what helped make their era such a memorable one.
So when Chris Cormier looks back at those years, he thinks of them as the best times of his life. He had the luxury of pushing himself to improve against one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. By being able to stand toe to toe with Ronnie, he was able to prove to himself how far past perceived human limits he was also able to go.
To hear about that kind of sportsmanship is encouraging. It’s the kind of mindset that promotes the true joy of sports and athletic endeavors. While pro bodybuilding is a competition at the end of the day, if the athletes are having fun and feeling passionate on stage – it can be felt by the audience. It elevates the entire sport.
You can watch Chris Cormier’s full comments in our latest GI Exclusive Vault interview segment above. You can also watch Ronnie Coleman: The King on digital today. Click here or the banner below to stream or download!
