There’s only one king in the bodybuilding world, and that is Ronnie Coleman. His name is a huge one when it comes to bodybuilding. It’s so popular that it is difficult to imagine him as being anything else besides a bodybuilder. So it might come as a shock to some people, but Coleman used to be a cop back in the day. And even as a cop, he was gigantic.

It’s comforting to know that someone like Ronnie Coleman was protecting the law. And when he was a cop, Coleman had no plans to become a professional bodybuilder. But things changed for the 8-time Mr. Olympia winner.

Ronnie Coleman reminisces about his old-self

As the winner of 26 IFBB titles, Coleman is regarded to be one of the most decorated bodybuilders. He won the Mr. Olympia title for eight consecutive years from 1998 to 2005. He is a popular figure amongst his fans. And recently, as a treat for his following, he posted an interesting video on his YouTube channel, where he recalled his journey from being a cop to being a bodybuilder.

The video contained footage from his olden days when he used to work in the police force. Even as a policeman, he was popular among the masses. This was probably due to his big guns. Not the literal ones, the muscle guns. In an interview, Coleman described his physique, saying, “Don’t think I am some superhuman, I’m better than anybody else. This is really… a god-given thing.” But what made Coleman become a cop in the first place?

Ronnie Coleman studied B.Sc. Accounting in college. After he graduated, he moved to Arlington, Texas in search of a suitable job. After trying many careers, he finally came across a newspaper advertisement for vacancies in the police force. The job required no specific qualification, and Coleman jumped at the chance. Except, a career in the police force was not what he was going to do for the rest of his life. He just didn’t know it yet.

Read more: Eight-Time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman Once Explained the Importance of Having 24-Inch Arms and Muscle Thickness in Bodybuilding- “I Trained It Very Heavily”

From cop to IFBB champion: here’s all you need to know

When he joined his new job as a cop, he made a friend. His friend was Gustavo Arlotta, and he convinced Coleman to work out at a nearby gym, MetroFlex. The gym was owned by a bodybuilder himself, Brian Dobson. When Dobson laid eyes on him, he thought Coleman was perfect for the bodybuilding world. Dobson gave Coleman many incentives to participate in the 1990 Mr. Texas competition, and Ronnie Coleman reluctantly agreed. Therefore, a legend was born.

Both Dobson and Coleman competed at the 1990 Mr. Texas. However, Coleman beat his own teacher. He then went on to win the Canada Pro Cup in the year 1995. And, in the year 1998, he won his first Mr. Olympia title. From there, he was on a mad streak and he won every Mr. Olympia title till 2005. This is one of the reasons he is regarded amongst the best bodybuilders to ever grace the Mr. Olympia stage. He is even likened to the legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Coleman shuffled between his cop career and his bodybuilding career till 2003, but finally quit being a cop and dedicated his life to bodybuilding.

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