While the shine and glamor associated with the sport of bodybuilding might feel tempting to many, what people fail to realize is the difficulties that the athletes have to go through while preparing for a bodybuilding show. The peak week is one period of time when it is extremely difficult for an athlete as he is on zero carbs, consuming little to no water, and relying on a ton of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs that lead to multiple troubles. 

Lack of water in the body can cause severe cramps and can even lead to death by dehydration. Often being on heavy diuretics worsens the situation even more. 8X Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman has seen it all when it comes to the sport of bodybuilding. Despite winning countless titles and fame, his journey has not been a bed of roses. Apart from being in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, another trauma that he went through because of bodybuilding was an incident when he almost died due to severe dehydration.

Ronnie Coleman reveals the morning of 2001 Mr. Olympia

After already winning the Mr. Olympia title three times previously, Coleman was hoping to get his fourth title in Mr. Olympia 2001. Unfortunately, fate had something else planned for him as he woke up in a completely dehydrated state on the morning of the show. While breaking down the exact happenings in a podcast with fitness entity Bradley Martyn, Coleman revealed a while ago that he was on the verge of dying. 

In an attempt to dry his muscles as much as possible, Coleman might have taken it too far. “I woke up the morning of Olympia, I felt awful. I was totally dehydrated to the point where I felt like I was kind of dying,” recalled Coleman. Adding to this, Coleman said, “I call my nutrition [nutrionist] I say, hey, forget this show. I’m going to hospital. I’m not going to die for this sport…He’s like “No, you worked too hard I’ll tell you what you do.”

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Ronnie did as his nutritionist told him to do. “I grabbed a gallon of water and I drink the whole thing and I felt good. After I drank that gallon of water, I felt okay,” Coleman revealed.

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The incident perfectly explains the difficulties and struggles faced by bodybuilders. Coleman’s openness about his traumas serves as an inspiration to many as he persuades individuals to prioritize health above everything. What are your views on this? Let us know in the comments.