Danny Hester details the risk and reward of being a bodybuilder… and if Ronnie Coleman crossed the line.
There’s no doubt about it – Ronnie Coleman is one of the most legendary bodybuilders in the history of the sport. But for those who have kept up with Ronnie’s current life and his many injuries and surgeries (which has also been chronicled in detail in our documentary Ronnie Coleman: The King), there was a definitive cost to his hardcore training and aspiration to become the best. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Classic Physique Olympia champ Danny Hester answers the question – did Ronnie Coleman train too hard?
Danny Hester is the first ever Classic Physique Olympia champion and represents a different kind of bodybuilding physique compared to the Men’s Open mass monsters. This division and this physique look was a direct response to many fans asking for a look more reflective of the 70’s Golden Era of bodybuilding. Ronnie Coleman of course does not come from that school of thought. He solidified the new era of mass monsters with a shredded and gigantic size that no one has been able to match since his world record 8x Mr. Olympia run.
So what does Danny Hester think of the cost that came after Ronnie Coleman’s hardcore training? Were the surgeries and pain worth his legendary status attained during his prime? Hester comments that every athlete has to delicately balance the risk and reward of training to become the best. Every bodybuilder makes some sort of sacrifice. Every bodybuilder risks something in order to be the best in the world.
So did Ronnie Coleman cross the line on the risk/reward balance? Danny Hester thinks regardless of what kind of struggles he goes through now – he still trains. You can’t take the bodybuilding out of his life. So long as Ronnie Coleman doesn’t regret it – than it was worth it to him. That’s all that matters.
Danny Hester ends his comments with a warning to younger bodybuilders. Know what kind of risks you are really putting yourself through. Injuries may heal but many of them come back to bit you in the ass in the long run. As you get older, muscle tears and join problems get amplified. If you’re not careful you can end up like Ronnie Coleman today. So the big question is – are you willing to have that kind of future?
You can watch Danny Hester’s full response in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!
