Like all other sports, bodybuilding is not easy. While the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger may have made it look like child’s play, he had to work hard. Hours of exercising and enduring relentless pain are just two aspects of the sport. It requires a lot more sacrifice and discipline to become a champion bodybuilder. The ‘Austrian Oak’ set the bar for physical fitness by pushing the limits.

8x Mr. Olympia champion, Ronnie Coleman, was another bodybuilder to push his limits to the extreme. But while it reaped glorious rewards, the extreme methods were sometimes also potentially fatal.

Ronnie Coleman recalls a near death experience

After Arnold Schwarzenegger revolutionized the sport, many legendary athletes came forth. One of the most significant athletes to have graced the sport was America’s Ronnie Coleman. Famously known as ‘The King,’ Ronnie scripted history by becoming only the second man to win eight Mr. Olympia titles. While Ronnie has some fond memories of being a professional bodybuilder, he also has some worrying recollections.

During an interview, Ronnie once recalled a near-death experience whilst competing on stage. Right before leaving for the hospital, Chad Nicholls reminded him of something that helped save Ronnie’s life. Coleman said, “The one that stands out the most to me is ’01, where I was totally dehydrated the day of the show, and I was thinking I was going to die.” Ronnie said this show stands out to him more than any other because he was on his way to the hospital. But Chad called him and said, “Don’t do that!”

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Nicholls reminded Coleman to drink some water to hydrate himself. Ronnie recalled feeling relieved afterward, but the hydration led to his physique messing up on stage.

Arnold Schwarzenegger called out bodybuilders’ priorities

As the man solely responsible for popularizing bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger regularly talks about the sport. After seeing the recent trends in the sport, Schwarzenegger blasted the priorities of most new-age bodybuilders.

In a recent interview, Arnold talked about the obsession of bodybuilders with bulking up. He said, “They have taken it, in my opinion, too far.” Arnold added, “They’re gonna take more and more stuff that they’re not supposed to, and sometimes it kills people.” Many bodybuilders have experienced grave health problems in recent years. Commenting on the same, Arnold said, “The more extreme it gets and the more competitive the top athletes get,” and as a result, they lift heavier weights than they should.

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Arnold is one of the few bodybuilders who continue to remain fit even decades after their retirement. Thanks to his healthy diet and justifiable workout regime, the 75-year-old, Schwarzenegger, is still an example of peak physical fitness.