Ronnie Coleman is one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. With 8 Mr. Olympia titles and 26 IFBB professional titles, he is second to perhaps only Arnold Schwarzenegger in terms of bodybuilding fame.

However, Coleman didn’t come from an affluent background, and never did he imagine that becoming a bodybuilding legend was on the cards for him.

Ronnie Coleman reveals why he started bodybuilding

Ronnie Coleman had a gold-spangled career with a record of eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles. He sat down with Joe Rogan to give a peek behind the scenes. Rogan asked Coleman if this had always been a dream for the champion, but was met with an immediate refusal.

“I never had a dream. I just wanted a free gym membership because I was poor back then,” Coleman shared, “Coming from Domino’s Pizza where I had to eat pizza every day to survive.”

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Coleman graduated in 1984 with a BSc in accounting but failed to find work in the field. Strapped for cash, he started working for Domino’s pizza, relying on the complimentary pizza for sustenance. Eventually, he became a police officer in Arlington, Texas.

“By the time I got in the police department, I was still struggling, trying to get back on my feet. I couldn’t afford a membership still,” Coleman added. He even detailed how once he was working as security at a Mr. Olympia event, and the audience thought he should be the one on the stage instead!

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Ronnie Coleman’s Journey

When Ronnie Coleman started at the police department, a fellow officer brought him to a nearby gym. This gym was owned by amateur bodybuilder Brian Dobson, the same person who got Coleman into the sport. Dobson wanted to train Coleman for the 1990 Mr. Texas bodybuilding competition, but Coleman was reluctant.

In the end, the prospect of a free gym membership made Coleman agree to Dobson’s offer. For the bodybuilding GOAT, the sport was only a means to an end. He placed first in the heavyweight and overall categories, defeating Dobson himself.

He won his first professional title in 1995, at the Canada Pro Cup. Coleman slowly rose to the top of the professional bodybuilding circuit. At the Mr. Olympia event, he started with not placing at all, to 15th, then 10th, then 6th, and 9th, between 1994 and 1997. He won his first title in the event in 1998 and then kept winning till 2005.

It is incredible to think that a man with his track record in bodybuilding only started off to keep a free gym membership.

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