Due to the changing norms in the sport of bodybuilding, athletes are expected to present themselves on the show day as lean as possible. For this, they go crazy with their prep week where athletes quit drinking water, sodium, and carbs and consume very few calories. This is obviously not healthy for any individual and often takes a load on the body, leading to severe effects and even death in some cases.
8X Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman is one such athlete who used to present a dry and grainy physique on stage that led him to countless titles. However, what most people don’t know is the struggle and the load that it took on his body. Recently, a video has resurfaced on YouTube where Coleman can be seen discussing in an interview the effects that he once faced due to extreme dieting.
Ronnie Coleman discloses the effects of strict dieting
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The peak week before a show is one of the most difficult times for a bodybuilder. Apart from the hormones going down the tank, the anxiousness and stress prior to the show are really high too. To make things worse, a brutal diet and almost no water intake often leads to a lot of struggle as well. While Coleman has been open about the time he faced severe dehydration, he also once shared about the consequences he faced due to strict dieting.
Coleman revealed an incident where he passed out due to dehydration and strict dieting. He disclosed, “I was going to the hospital, I was dying, I couldn’t walk, couldn’t get out of bed, and i felt awful…I fainted the night before, I did pass out when I was putting on my tan. I was wide awake, and the next minute, I was waking up in the tub.”
Back in 2020, during a podcast with Joe Rogan on ‘Joe Rogan Experience,’ Coleman revealed during episode number 1489 about his fat percentage back in his competitive bodybuilding days.
Joe Rogan was surprised by Coleman’s revelation
In the podcast, Ronnie explained to Joe his eating and training routines. Ronnie said, “I had about six meals a day”. He further added, “It’s kind of hard to eat like that so I would have to wake up in the middle of the night to eat and go back to sleep.” Ronnie realized that bodybuilding is not an overnight process. But it is the years of hard work, discipline, and training.
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The most shocking revelation that left Rogan short of words was that Coleman peaked at 0.33 percent body fat. That is less than half a percent. To this statement, Rogan replied in disbelief, “What? How does a human get that low?”
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Watch This Story: Strongest Bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman’s Reason for Lifting Weights in College Was Beyond Any Desire To Win 8 Mr. Olympia Titles
What are your views on Coleman’s revelation about his insanely low body fat percentage? Let us know in the comments.