“Couldn’t even load my own weight”: Carb-depleted Ronnie Coleman lists dangers faced during Mr. Olympia days
Eight-time Mr. Olympia champion Ronnie Coleman always looked flawless on the Olympia stage, but this was not an easy task for him. To maintain such a colossal physique and gain perfect shape and conditioning, the bodybuilder had to be on a carb-depleted diet, which led to many struggles in the gym.
In the latest video on Ronnie Coleman's YouTube channel, he is seen working out with well-known boxing sensation Tommy Fury. Coleman opened up about the challenges he faced in his prime. The eight-time Mr. Olympia said:
"When I was getting ready for Olympia, because my carbs was so low, I couldn't even load my own weights."
He added, "I use my energy for, uh for doing the doing my sets. Yeah, all the load was done by my assistant." [08:59]
This intrigued Furry, and he asked Ronnie Coleman about his carbs intake in his prime. Coleman replied:
"My carbs were 125 grams a day, two hours of cardio, and the workout."
Coleman's response shocked Fury, who asked the former bodybuilder about his protein intake. Coleman made another shocking revelation, stating that he took 600 grams of protein. Fury responded:
"I thought I was aiming for a lot, about 300 a day. Double. Crazy."
A decision that saved Ronnie Coleman's winning streak
In an interview, the King of Bodybuilding stated that he went through a near-death experience in 2001 while competing for his fourth consecutive Sandow Trophy. Ronnie Coleman's situation got so bad that he thought about not competing in Mr. Olympia and going straight to the hospital.
"The one that stands out the most to me is ’01, where I was totally dehydrated the day of the show, and I was thinking I was going to die," said the eight-time Mr. Olympia champ.
But his coach, Chad Nicholas, said, "Don't do that!" and advised him to drink some water. This helped the King feel better and avoid hospitalization. But drinking water messed up his on-stage physique. However, the bodybuilder managed to win the show, continuing his winning streak and his legacy.