Ronnie Coleman shared his wisdom over the course of his career regarding many topics in bodybuilding.
Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman is considered one of the greatest to ever step on stage. To this day, he continues to train hard in the gym while sharing his different tips and philosophies about how to build muscle. Now, this does not always mean that his tips will work for the average person.
Coleman professional debut was in 1991 at the IFBB World Amateur Championships and his first win as a professional was at the 1995 Canada Pro Cup. Then after his first place win at the Canada Pro Cup, Coleman’s meteoric rise to fame could not be stopped. He currently holds the record for most wins of the Mr. Olympia title (8 times, tied with Lee Haney) and the most overall wins for any IFBB professional (26 wins).
Ronnie Coleman was sensational in the gym and this led to a successful career. His methods worked for him and some continue to be effective to this day. Others, on the other hand, might not be ideal. In this post we detail three of Ronnie Coleman’s best and worst bodybuilding tips.
Ronnie Coleman’s Best & Worst Bodybuilding Tips
Ronnie Coleman has spoken on many different platforms regarding tips of the trade in bodybuilding. This includes some of his best, and worst, methods when training:
Best
- Ab Training
- Muscle Growth Principles
- Exercise Selection
Ab Training
May different athletes will share opinions on ab training. Ronnie Coleman was a big believer in building a strong core. While how you train abs is up to you and your training regimen, Coleman used to work in multiple workouts each week.
“I do abs every other day. I try to hit them at least three times a week and I mix up my exercises a lot.”
Muscle Growth Principles
Ronnie Coleman might be known for moving an incredible amount of weight in the gym but this does not mean that he was just in it for the numbers. Coleman spoke with Flex magazine about his muscle-building philosophy and he focuses on form and range of motion just as much as weight.
“My three most hallowed training principles are to use the most weight possible, with the most correct form, through a full range of motion.”
Exercise Selection
Another tip Coleman has discussed previously is choosing the correct exercises. When training back, Coleman would perform two different workouts each week — one for thickness and one for width. He wanted to choose exercises and build workouts that would set him apart in the gym.
Worst
- Squats for Supersets
- Training for the Pump
- Protein Intake
Squats for Supersets
Ronnie Coleman did some of his best work on the squat rack. This is where he has admitted to moving 800 pounds for six reps. While Coleman was just as big a fan of squats as an other exercise, he admits that they are not ideal for supersets.
“No other position permits such a quick and easy transformation from one exercise to another.”
Training for the Pump
Another debate in bodybuilding is whether or not you should train to failure. Each competitor will give a different answer depending on his current day or current goals. While many studies have been done and there are certain answers to certain questions, Coleman did not believe in training to failure.
“A muscle receives the maximum benefit only if you can feel it being pumped and burned. As soon as that sensation fades or shifts, you’ve gone too far. I never go to failure.”
Protein Intake
Ronnie Coleman built incredible muscle during his career. After his competitive days ended, he discussed some of his methods and it included taking in an absurd amount of protein sources.
Coleman shared that he would take in two grams of dietary protein per pound of bodyweight. For the average person, this is not the best idea to try.
Ronnie Coleman weighed in at around 287 pounds in 2003. To reach his daily quota, he would have to consume 600 grams, or 2,400 calories, or protein. While this might have worked for Coleman, this is a challenging method for the average gym goer.
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