“You’ll Never Be the Same”: Ronnie Coleman’s Close Friend Warned Him About His Body’s Deterioration Due to the Surgeries He Spent Millions On, Revealed Bodybuilding Legend in 2018

The King of the bodybuilding world, Ronnie Coleman, didn’t give up even after suffering from a back injury. His willingness to dominate the sport and become the best in it, was way beyond everything else. From 1990 to 2007, Coleman dedicated himself to bodybuilding despite several hurdles in his way. 

While the bodybuilder could’ve opted for surgery, he decided to try a chiropractor after he herniated his disc. The reason behind this is one of his friends who once warned him about how surgery can change his life. 

Ronnie Coleman was against the idea of surgery

No route to success is effortless. It requires hard work, concentration, patience, and the right mindset to reach the peak. Ronnie Coleman had each of the ingredients and thus won the Mr. Olympia title eight times in total. Nevertheless, his victories brought along pain and suffering.

It was before his first Arnold Classic in December 1996, when he was training hard for the tournament. He kept working out and spent more than half of the day in the gym. However, he ended up hurting his back while squatting and later found out that he slipped his disc. 

Following this, he had two options. One, go for surgery, and two, temporarily heal it by a chiro practitioner. Ronnie being Ronnie chose the second option as he remembered one of his friends’ advice.

The bodybuilder revealed this in an interview and said, “Surgery’s out because I had a buddy that said ‘man hey, whatever you do, don’t have back surgery because once you do, it’s over. You’ll never be the same.”

READ MORE: “It Shattered My Whole Body”: Ronnie Coleman Recalls Unbearable Four Times the Screws Broke Inside His Body Despite Spending Over 2 Million on His Surgery

Coleman continued his bodybuilding career with such injuries that didn’t get a proper chance to recover. Therefore, after his retirement in 2007, the muscleman underwent 13 surgeries involving his back, neck, and hips. 

Coleman’s speech at the award show

Given his iconic journey, Ronnie Coleman received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Arnold Classic in 2021. A part of his emotional speech during the award ceremony mentioned how important his family is to him. 

“Bodybuilding is not an individual sport,” said the bodybuilding champ. “Because, without the help and support of family, there’s no way in hell I could have won eight Mr. Olympia, probably not even one, but of course, I am blessed.”

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It is inspirational how Coleman managed everything even after facing so many roadblocks.