Joe Rogan Had a Revelatory Moment Regarding Ronnie Coleman’s Contribution to Bodybuilding: “People Didn’t Really Figure Out Until…”

Ronnie Coleman has achieved almost everything there is to achieve in the bodybuilding world. His dedication to lifting weights, building muscles, and achieving a near-perfect size and symmetry, inspired generations to come. And now, UFC commentator and famed podcaster Joe Rogan credits Coleman for building a kind of body that never existed before. In his new episode with comedian Stavros Halkias, let’s dive into his opinion about the King and the change in bodybuilding.

The perfection of Ronnie Coleman’s physical characteristics could easily be attributed to the 8 consecutive Mr. Olympia titles that he won. Right from fitness, insane training and diet, to the extent of muscles and body that can be built, bodybuilding was never the same again.

The evolution of bodybuilding as per Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan also touches down on the stark difference in bodybuilding between then and now. He said, “We are talking about decades of difference between Frank Zane and what they do today”. Zane was one of the first, who brought along the conscious attempt to aspire for a symmetrical body. It was then taken to another level by Coleman.

Furthering his trajectory, Joe Rogan added, “No one looked like Ronnie Coleman until Ronnie Coleman came along”, focusing on the fact that Coleman changed everything about bodybuilding with his arrival.

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Joe started this discussion thread with Stavros Halkias about Katie Sandwina, an Austrian-American circus strongwoman who could lift 3-4 performing men with her arms all by herself. He also asked Stavros, “How much did they know about lifting weights and getting bigger?”, figuring out if it was always a well-known pursuit. He said, “People didn’t really figure it out until what, a couple of hundred years ago?” Rogan and Stavros looked inquisitive about the time when bodybuilding started becoming a real thing.

Setting context to Rogan’s comments: Ronnie Coleman’s impact and the shift in bodybuilding

It is often said that retaining a crown is even more daunting than earning it in the first place. Coleman didn’t mind gaining mass and building muscles to the point, where it was beyond what anyone dreamed of till then. Aided by his genetics, he built a stout figure without compromising his waistline.

Starting during the 70s, Coleman took the focus on ‘symmetry’ and ‘shapely’ to another, almost unattainable level. He generated muscles where it seemed impossible to and attained a body mass with almost no body fat. That sort of freakish display was never put on before and everyone started to emulate him since.

Although Coleman’s unassailable run came to an end in 2006 when US bodybuilder Jay Cutler beat him in Mr. Olympia, his impact and legacy on the sport were already beyond measure. In fact, bodybuilding started to see a shift for some time before Coleman arrived. It was during the late 1960s and the 70s when both the spectators and bodybuilders started taking it seriously. It started creating rivalries and bodybuilders started to be heroes and celebs in the public eye.

Joe Rogan prescribes this revolution to the disciplinary changes brought about by the bodybuilders of the 70s generation, i.e. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, etc. The Arnold Schwarzenegger vs Frank Zane rivalry created so much hype that it took care of the promotional activities for the sport in itself. After Arnold’s retirement, the public turned towards Zane vs Franco Columbo rivalry.

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While bodybuilding has seen leaps and bounds in changes over the years, bodybuilders still look up to veterans for inspiration. They also pit themselves against some of the best, in a manner to generate more interest in themselves. Look at how Big Ramy and Nick Walker compared their body to Ronnie Coleman just before Mr. Olympia 2022. Do you think either of them will ever be able to emulate Coleman’s feats?