Ronnie Coleman's Multiple Injuries: The Price of Being One of the Strongest Men on Earth

Ipapkorn March 17, 2023 0

From Olympia Wins to Deadlifting Over 800 Pounds: The Incredible Strength of Ronnie Coleman.

Ronnie Coleman, a bodybuilder who dominated the competitive scene in the ’90s and 2000s, was hailed for his unmatched strength and mass. His training videos spread like wildfire across DVD and the fitness internet community, inspiring millions of fans to take inspiration from his hard-and-heavy workout routines.

Coleman’s training style closely mirrored that of a powerlifter because he competed in powerlifting competitions early in his career. He combined high reps with high weight and aimed to lift heavier every day. Coleman revealed that crossbody symmetry and stage readiness were important alongside strength training.

Coleman’s Deadlift and squat are his signature moves. He won several deadlift-only meets in his local Texas in the early ’90s. Later in his career, he deadlifted 800 pounds with straps and gloves for two reps five weeks before Mr. Olympia's contest.

He also barbell-benched 225 pounds for 72 reps as per unverified stories, bench-pressed 500 pounds for five reps, shrugs loaded 735 pounds, and 160-pound dumbbell shoulder presses. Comparing his unofficial lifting measurement to powerlifting experts, he could have achieved a total of 1,001.6 kilograms (2,208.1 pounds), equivalent to the 120 kg class.

His strength matches that of other top powerlifters and bodybuilders but none of them accumulated as many Mr. Olympia trophies. Coleman's legacy remains unmatched, and he is a true king when it comes to strength and mass in the bodybuilding world.

Was Ronnie Coleman the strongest ever Mr. Olympia winner?

Ronnie Coleman's impressive strength is often compared to that of champion powerlifters. While his lifts have not been officially recorded in a powerlifting meet, online calculators estimate his potential max lifts to be around 1,001.6 kilograms (2,208.1 pounds) for the deadlift, squat, and bench press combined.

Deadlift: 373.21 kilograms (822.8 pounds)

Squat: 373.21 kilograms (822.8 pounds)

Bench: 255.24 kilograms (562.5 pounds)

This puts him in the same league as elite powerlifters, although it should be noted that his unofficial lifts were performed with the use of gloves and straps. While there have been bodybuilders who are stronger than Coleman in specific lifts, none of them have achieved his level of massive strength while winning eight Mr. Olympia titles.

In terms of strength, there have been bodybuilders stronger than Ronnie Coleman. For instance, Dallas McCarver and Stan Efferding pulled 383 kilograms and 380 kilograms respectively, while Johnnie Jackson's squat was recorded at 374.6 kilograms. Additionally, Efferding's bench press of 284.9 kilograms beat Coleman's record of 255.24 kilograms.

However, Ronnie Coleman maintained his massive strength while racking up a historic Mr. Olympia dynasty. Coleman pushed the limits of his own strength and combined the high reps favored by bodybuilders with high-weight powerlifting, becoming synonymous with strength and mass. Nevertheless, comparisons must be taken with a grain of salt since Coleman used straps and gloves in deadlifts, which would not be approved in official competitions.