Going to extreme lengths to prepare for bodybuilding competitions, Ronnie Coleman suffered multiple injuries to his back, shoulders, neck and hips. Not only this, the 8X Olympia winner also suffered from a herniated disk with which he worked out for 10 years before getting it fully treated. Recently, in a conversation with Derek Lunsford, Coleman admitted how he overdid himself while working out at the gym.

The bodybuilding champion’s admission comes months after accepting in Joe Rogan’s podcast that the athlete in him didn’t give up and said “let’s go on” despite losing strength. Describing how he did squats on the day he was supposed to do his legs workout, Coleman recounted how he suddenly felt pain. King Coleman went on to give an unfiltered account of how he battled his pain at the gym, but didn’t quit when it hurt most. 

Ronnie Coleman’s anecdote about “overdoing” it

Recalling his painful struggle, Coleman  admitted, “I did kind of overdo it one day.” After describing how he was doing squats, with his goal to complete 12 reps,  Coleman told Lunsford that he experienced an excruciating pain while doing his 8th rep. 

Further, explaining how he momentarily stopped doing squats, Coleman expressed that he realized there was a pain in his left leg. On his admission, Lunsford asked, “So what happened?” To this, Coleman had a  simple reply, “I figured to workout.”

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The bodybuilder further recounted how he stopped doing squats and began doing leg presses, later doing hamstring exercises, post which he went home. However, his back still hurt, and despite having back problems many times, Coleman knew that something was wrong, pushing him to go to the hospital. 

Later, Coleman stated, “I went to  emergency room, herniated disk.” Implying how he had to completely rest for two weeks after that, Coleman spoke that he then decided to once again work out in the gym. Talking about how he was selected to compete in the Arnold Classic at that time, Coleman hinted he didn’t wish to compete without preparing well. “I am taking my a** back to the gym”, he said, adding that he intended to do squats first. Earlier, Coleman also shared lesser-known details of the negative effects of the herniated disk, his treatment, and an innovative solution that proved to be a boon for him. 

King Coleman opens up on his courageous battle with pain 

Speaking about how he couldn’t bend and do stretches after his herniated disk, Coleman indicated how he still continued to workout with the same dedication. After suffering for 10 years from this pain, Coleman chose to undergo surgeries to treat his herniated disk. Later, he underwent 13 surgeries to treat his injuries. Further, Coleman remarked, “I was in so much pain that I couldn’t even sleep at night.” However, this is not all. 

Coleman further related how his doctors used the stem cell treatment to treat him, adding that he also did hyperbaric chamber sessions, which helped reduce his pain. How can you relate to Coleman’s struggles against his health issues while bodybuilding? Share your stories in the comments section.

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