That’s What I Wanna Do: The King Ronnie Coleman’s Picture Intrigued Phil Heath to Take Up Bodybuilding as a Career in 2002–2003

Ronnie Coleman inspired many. But little did he know that of the many souls who would pursue their dreams and follow in his footsteps, the one name that would stand out would be another great Mr. Olympia, Phil Heath. But the latest revelation of the 7x Mr. Olympia has stunned bodybuilding enthusiasts, including Coleman himself. The power bodybuilders recently came together for a workout session and took fans through the golden age of bodybuilding. 

In a snippet shared by King Coleman on Instagram, Heath was seen recounting an incident from 2002-2003 that became the genesis of his brilliant athletic career.

Phil Heath’s life-changing IT moment

Heath and Coleman candidly discussed their training life in college during a recent gym session. Without the equipment and the science of today, Coleman had to take his sweet time lifting weights and sculpting his body. Also, at the time very few people actually worked out, and fewer were even interested in bodybuilding. So Coleman was the only bodybuilder training in his college.

This was a contrast to how Phil Heath started. He had someone to look up to. But it wasn’t like today, with social media reels. He had the luxury of a coach, of course. But as good as Heath was, he still needed a little ‘Yeah buddy’ shoutout from the back. 

The Gift was in college and he was lucky enough to have a chance encounter with a Ronnie Coleman picture that changed his life forever.

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“I majored in business and IT, and the guy I was sitting next to in the programming class happened to have your picture on his laptop screen,” Heath revealed to King Coleman. It was 2002-2003 and Heath was paired with benchmate, who had had his laptop open. Heath managed to take a little sneak peek and voila, there was Ronnie Coleman, in all his unadulterated glory!

 “I said, that’s what I wanna do,” Heath told himself after looking at the picture. And the rest, as they say, is history. 

What started as an inspiration is now a brotherhood

Heath and Coleman shared a bond like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. It’s a brotherhood. The duo never fails to express their affection to one another publicly, and social media has only made them more vocal. Despite retiring from the competitive arena, the bodybuilding icons of different eras often gather at elite bodybuilding events like the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia. 

Ronnie Coleman loves bumping into Phil Heath on such occasions. Why not, Heath and Coleman had become thick as thieves, even before the former made his place at the Mr. Olympia. Heath even says that Coleman is the only one he would be running to grab a picture with. “You have been my goal. Not just the muscles but the Man you are,” Heath once candidly confessed on one of Coleman’s social media posts.

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While the legends entertained the bodybuilding fans with their top-notch physiques during their prime, post-retirement they are captivating their followers with their bromance. But in both ways, they are leaving a profound impact on sports audiences.