"The only reason I lift weights is because of you”: Boxer Tommy Fury left numb while training with idol Ronnie Coleman
Ronnie Coleman is arguably the biggest name in the bodybuilding industry. The eight-time Mr. Olympia is an idol to countless youngsters and bodybuilders and influenced them to lift weights.
Coleman recently uploaded a training video with prominent boxing personality Tommy Fury in which the latter revelaed why he started lifting weights.
"The only reason I lift weights is because of you (Coleman). I seen you as a kid and I thought, my God, I want to get in the gym and be like you," he said. [02:26]
Fury was filled with joy after getting a chance to work out with his bodybuilding idol. They kicked off their training session with a back workout doing lat pull-downs. The duo hyped each other to push and lift heavier weights. Coleman used his signature slang, "Yeah Buddy" and "Lightweight Baby," to help Fury push his limits.
While Fury was increasing the weight for his next set, the King of Bodybuilding said, "Go for the gusto, you got this," and kept encouraging him throughout the set. They then moved to an old-school plate-loaded reverse grip machine by hammer strength. After performing a bilateral set, Coleman did the next set following a unilateral approach and said:
"Man my right side is still my dominant side." [11:26]
After seeing the eight-time Mr. Olympia still able to lift such heavy weights, an astounded Fury said:
"Just can't believe your luck most of the time; what's going on here. I was watching him when I was like eight or nine on YouTube, like doing these amazing lifts." [11:40]
Ronnie Coleman is the reason 7X Mr. Olympia chose bodybuilding as a career
Last year, eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman got together with the seven-time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath for a training session. Heath reminisced about an incident from 2002-03 that motivated him to train as a bodybuilder.
"I majored in business and IT, and the guy I was sitting next to in the programming class happened to have your picture on his laptop screen," he said.
Despite Ronnie Coleman retiring from bodybulding in 2007, he continues to influence many young people to lift weights and stay fit.