In the latest episode of the Generation Iron Podcast, 2000s bodybuilding icon Victor Martinez chatted with co-hosts Vlad Yudin and Edwin Mejia Jr. Around halfway through their conversation, the trio began discussing bodybuilding coaches and how much trust athletes should put in them. Martinez said an athlete should always ask their coach if they have questions regarding their coach’s decision. However, Yudin brought up an interesting point regarding Ronnie Coleman and Chad Nicholls in 2001.

Vlad said the eight-Mr. Olympia had a massive health scare the morning after pre-judging at the 2001 Mr. Olympia. He said Coleman mentioned it in the GI documentary Ronnie Coleman: The King (2018). When Udin asked the Dominican Dominator to “analyze” the story, Martinez gave his opinion on why he supported Chad Nicholl’s decision.

How Chad Nicholls helped Ronnie Coleman win his fourth Mr. Olympia

In 2001, Ronnie Coleman was poised to win his fourth consecutive Sandow trophy. However, on the day of the finals, Coleman felt horribly sick. “I was totally dehydrated the day of the show, and I was thinking I was going to die,” Coleman once said in an interview.

However, Yudin said when Coleman called his coach Chad Nicholls, his coach told him not to visit the hospital. Instead of questioning Nicholls, the eight-time Mr. Olympia drank over a gallon of water throughout the morning. “He followed the directions of a coach, (and) ended up going and winning that night,” said Yudin.

Martinez said Coleman did the right thing calling Nicholls. Since the defending champion was already in a daze, his coach knew Coleman needed to rehydrate. Speaking from experience, Martinez said he had been in a similar situation. “I felt like I was gonna die many times right but that’s not always the case your mind plays tricks with you,” said the 49-year-old.

Hence, the bodybuilding veteran admired Nicholls’ quick thinking, helping Coleman and enabling him to win his fourth Mr. Olympia title. However, after 2001 Coleman avoided one thing for the rest of his career.

Ronnie Coleman’s decision to prioritize Mr. Olympia over the Arnold Classic

After winning the Olympia, Ronnie Coleman competed and won the Arnold Classic in 2001. However, The King avoided pushing his body to do back-to-back preps from 2002. Since the Arnold Classic happens shortly after Mr. Olympia, bodybuilders do not find enough time to rest and recover from their Olympia prep.

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Hence, despite having the opportunity to win more Arnold Classic titles, Coleman focused on the most prestigious bodybuilding title for the next four years. However, he wasn’t the last person, and even current Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan and 4x Mr. Olympia Classic Physique champ Chris Bumstead avoided the 2023 Arnold Classic. Hence, according to Victor Martinez, while athletes should ask their coaches for clarification, experienced coaches like Chad Nicholls and Hany Rambod also keep their athlete’s health in mind.

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