Coleman was never a man to make excuses.

Ever have that feeling that you were about to break under the pressure? That you may have reached a limit in your training, a point in which you found impossible to pass? Well first off, stop crying. Complaining never solved anything. Now, sometimes we need reminders of why the hell we strive for anything out of life. These champions that you watch on the posing stage didn’t get there through luck. They didn’t just wake up one day with shredded and massive physiques. They put that work in and made it happen. Whether they were injured, sick, or dealing with personal issues, they found the time to make it into the gym and push themselves towards their ultimate goal.

Take Ronnie Coleman for example. He’s a genuinely nice guy, a man that many bodybuilders and athletes look up to for his personable demeanor and his commitment to hard work and realizing his full potential. Yeah, yeah, it seems like we’ve been constantly talking about Coleman these days…but really why wouldn’t we? He’s an all time great, the legendary Olympia whose name is synonymous with the sport. There’s no denying the man’s greatness. But what got him to the heights of success in the first place? Was it his God given genetics? Was it his natural athleticism?

If you let Ronnie tell it, it had nothing to do with genetic gifts or raw potential. It was hard work and dedication that brought him to not only one, but eight Olympia titles that would see him tie the all time record held by the great Lee Haney. Coleman unearthed this rare interview from his past that gives us all another glimpse into the man behind the legend. Take a page out of Coleman’s book and push yourself to lift some heavy ass weights if you want to see those gains.

Stay tuned for more Generation Iron updates and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.