Can you imagine putting prime Ronnie Coleman down in terms of weightlifting? Even today, that sounds too farfetched even for most of the bodybuilders out there. But it’s an uncertain world we live in and anything can happen. Coleman once maxed his bench press to a monstrous 557 lbs. And as bizarre as that number is, most people can’t even fathom touching that height, let alone beat it. However, that’s not the reality of the UFC legend, David Lee Abbott a.k.a the “Tank”. Although “Tank” comes from a different background—such as fighting—it is impressive to see him being able to pull such a thing off. He most definitely merited the moniker “Tank”. And given the fact that he defeated prime Ronnie Coleman in his own game, speaks volumes.
Abbott shattered Ronnie Coleman’s bench press record
In a relatively older video on YouTube, David Abbott can be seen benching with some absurd weights. As the video suggests, the “Tank” was able to hit 6 repetitions of 505 lbs, 3 repetitions with 555 lbs, and maxed at 605 lbs. Which is substantially higher than Ronnie Coleman‘s best effort.
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The “Tank” competed in the UFC from 1995 to 2013 and held a record of 10-15-0. Although his run in the UFC may have been decent, he certainly compensated for that by besting the eight-time Mr. Olympia in the bench press.
Abbott also outperformed Arnold Schwarzenegger in his record by benching 605 pounds at his finest. However, defeating Ronnie Coleman was unquestionably noteworthy in its own right. Meanwhile, Coleman has taken a beating from life, too, given all the health issues he has incurred over the years, following his stellar bodybuilding career.
The many health issues of Ronnie Coleman
Back in the day, Ronnie Coleman was regarded as the apex of bodybuilding. And rightfully so. There’s a reason he sustained the Mr. Olympia title for eight consecutive years. But it all comes with a price. And in Coleman‘s case, a rather hefty one. The once King of Bodybuilding has undergone a number of surgeries in the past few years, given the toll all the heavy lifting took on his body.
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The 58-year-old has undergone 13 surgeries to fix his spine. And along with that, he sustains some serious injuries in his neck, back, and hips. However, as of now, Coleman is in stable condition now after numerous surgery. But there was a time when the bodybuilding legend thought he’d never be able to walk again.
He was the face of bodybuilding in his heyday, but putting his body through all the grind to be the best reduced him to a wheelchair at one point. Coleman is doing good as of now and still continues working out. It seems that the spirit of a bodybuilder never dims, no matter what.
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