Ronnie Coleman is a retired professional bodybuilder who is regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders in history.
In this article we will discuss exactly how much dedication it takes to become one of the masters of bodybuilding. It will include Ronnie Coleman’s Workout Program, his diet plan and what supplementation he used when at the peak of his career.
Before I dive into training programs and diet plans I am going to tell you bit a background information about the man himself.
Introduction to Ronnie Coleman: The GOAT
Ronnie Coleman was born on May 13, 1963, in Monroe, Louisiana, USA. Ronnie is an inspiration to all bodybuilders of any experience and has his name listed on the wall of fame with bodybuilding greats such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dorian Yates, and Jay Cutler.
Ronnie Coleman is a retired American bodybuilder and one of the most successful and well-known figures in the sport after winning Mr. Olympia eight times in a row from 1998 to 2005.
The only other man that has won eight titles in this prestigious bodybuilding competition is fellow bodybuilder Lee Haney.
Ronnie also has the most wins as an IFBB athlete with 26 titles. He is renowned for his incredible strength and huge physique, often competing at over 300 pounds throughout his career.
He is regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, earning him the nickname ‘GOAT’ which means ‘Greatest Of All Time’.
Before beginning bodybuilding Ronnie got a job as a police officer. A fellow officer suggested that he should join a gym owned by amateur bodybuilder Brian Dobson.
Ronnie agreed to a lifetime membership in the gym under the condition that he was to be trained by Brian himself.
After retiring from professional bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman has faced health challenges but still remains an influential figure in the fitness and bodybuilding community.
So, what does it take to become “The GOAT” and get to the top of the bodybuilding industry? Let’s take a look at Ronnie Coleman’s workout program and find out.
Ronnie Coleman’s Workout Program
Ronnie Coleman followed a fairly typical workout split but trained with a huge volume.
A typical Ronnie Coleman workout program would look like this:
- Monday – Back, Biceps and Shoulders
- Tuesday – Legs
- Wednesday – Chest and Triceps
- Thursday– Back, Biceps and Shoulders
- Friday – Legs
- Saturday – Chest and Triceps
- Sunday – Rest and Recovery
Monday: Back, Biceps and Shoulders
| Exercise | Sets | Repetitions | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadlifts | 4 | 6-12 | Lower Back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads, Traps |
| Barbell Rows | 3 | 10-12 | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Rear Shoulders |
| T-Bar Rows | 3 | 10-12 | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Rear Shoulders |
| One-Arm Dumbbell Rows | 3 | 10-12 | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Rear Shoulders |
| Barbell Curls | 4 | 12 | Biceps, Forearms |
| Seated Alternating Dumbbell Curls | 4 | 12 | Biceps, Forearms |
| Preacher Curls | 4 | 12 | Biceps, Forearms |
| Cable Curls | 4 | 12 | Biceps, Forearms |
| Military Presses | 4 | 10-12 | Shoulders, Triceps |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 4 | 12 | Shoulders, Triceps |
| Front Dumbbell Press (Superset with Seated Dumbbell Press) | 4 | 12 | Shoulders, Triceps |
Tuesday: Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Repetitions/Distance | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squats | 5 | 6-12 | Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back |
| Leg Presses | 4 | 12 | Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes |
| Lunges | 2 | 100 yards | Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes |
| Stiff-Leg Deadlifts | 3 | 12 | Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back |
| Seated Hamstring Curls | 3 | 12 | Hamstrings |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 12 | Calves |
Wednesday: Chest and Triceps
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press | 5 | 12 | Chest, Triceps, Shoulders |
| Incline Barbell Press | 3 | 12 | Upper Chest, Shoulders, Triceps |
| Flat Bench Dumbbell Press | 3 | 12 | Chest, Triceps, Shoulders |
| Flat Bench Flyes | 4 | 12 | Chest |
| Seated Cambered-Bar Extensions | 3 | 12 | Triceps |
| Seated Dumbbell Extensions | 4 | 12 | Triceps |
| Close-Grip Bench Press | 4 | 12 | Triceps, Chest |
Thursday: Back, Biceps and Shoulders
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell Rows | 5 | 10-12 | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps, Lower Back |
| Low Pulley Rows | 4 | 10-12 | Upper Back, Lats, Biceps |
| Lat Machine Pulldowns | 3 | 10-12 | Lats, Biceps |
| Front Lat Pulldowns | 3 | 10-12 | Lats, Biceps |
| Incline Alternating Dumbbell Curls | 4 | 12 | Biceps, Forearms |
| Machine Curls | 3 | 12 | Biceps |
| Standing Cable Curls | 4 | 12 | Biceps, Forearms |
| Seated Dumbbell Press | 4 | 12 | Shoulders, Triceps |
| Front Lateral Dumbbell Raises | 3 | 8-25 | Shoulders |
| Machine Raises | 3 | 8-25 | Shoulders |
Friday: Legs
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leg Extensions | 4 | 30 | Quadriceps |
| Front Squats | 4 | 12-15 | Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings |
| Hack Squats | 3 | 12 | Quadriceps |
| Standing Leg Curls | 3 | 12-15 | Hamstrings |
| Lying Leg Curls | 4 | 12-15 | Hamstrings |
| Seated Calf Raises | 3 | 12-15 | Calves |
Saturday: Chest, Triceps and Calves
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Muscles Worked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 4 | 12 | Chest, Shoulders, Triceps |
| Decline Barbell Press | 3 | 12 | Lower Chest, Triceps |
| Incline Dumbbell Flyes | 3 | 12 | Chest |
| Decline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 12 | Lower Chest, Triceps |
| Skullcrushers | 4 | 12 | Triceps |
| Machine Pressdown Dips | 4 | 12 | Triceps |
| Seated Tricep Extensions | 4 | 12 | Triceps |
| Donkey Raises | 4 | 12 | Calves |
| Seated Raises | 4 | 12 | Shoulders |
| Crunches | 3 | Failure | Abdominals |
Sunday: Rest and Recovery
So, what does Ronnie eat to fuel such an intense workout program? Let’s have a look into Ronnie Coleman’s meal plan and find out.
Ronnie Coleman’s Meal Plan: Fuelling the Beast
Ronnie Coleman’s meal plan contained a huge daily calorie intake of 5562 calories, which included 546g protein, 474g carbs and 150g fat. His diet consisted of chicken, lean beef, eggs, potatoes, rice, vegetables and beans.
Here is what Ronnie Coleman’s meal plan would look like:
| Meal/Food or Supplement | Details |
|---|---|
| Meal 1 | Grits with Cheese (3/4 cup), Egg Whites (2 cups), Coffee |
| Pre Workout Supplements | 1 Serving Pre Workout Supplement, 1 Serving Post Workout Supplement, L-Arginine (3-5 grams) |
| Meal 2 | Chicken Breasts (16 oz), Red Beans (1 ½ cups), Brown Rice (1 ½ cups), Cornbread (2 Pieces), L-Arginine (3-5 grams) |
| Meal 3 | Chicken Breasts (16 oz), Baked Potato (1 medium) |
| Meal 4 | Filet Mignon (9 oz), Chicken Breasts (5 oz), Baked Potato (1 medium), French Fries, Pink Lemonade |
| Post Workout Supplement | 1 Serving Whey Protein Powder |
As you can see above Ronnie’s diet contains a huge amount of protein, 546g to be exact. He says “The most important thing about nutrition is protein because protein is what builds muscle.”
546g is a huge protein intake, but Ronnie was a huge man. This amount of food is not suitable for an average bodybuilder.
Ronnie Coleman’s Supplements
Ronnie owns his own supplement brand known as Ronnie Coleman Signature Series, in the USA, but he also takes other supplements as well as these.
Ronnie would only ever use top of the range supplements. Here are some of the supplements he used:
Pre Workout: Ronnie Coleman’s ‘Yeah Buddy’ pre workout is an explosive pre workout that is popular in the bodybuilding circuit. It contains L-citrulline which converts to L- arginine, to enhance nitric oxide in the body. This nitric oxide promotes muscle building.
Post Workout: Post workout Ronnie would take a supplement containing maltodextrin and dextrose to help to restore glycogen supply, as well as electrolytes to stay hydrated.
Whey Protein: Ronnie used his own brand ‘Ronnie Coleman Signature Series King Whey’ protein powder. He used this because it is free of additives.
BCAAS: Branched Chained Amino Acids (BCAAs): Our body can produce 10 out of the 20 amino acids required to build muscle. We can get the remaining 10 amino acids from supplements.
Multivitamin: Multivitamins reduce the risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency and ensure he had adequate nutrient intake.
Chromium: Chromium can help to manage diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and blood cholesterol levels.
CoQ10: CoQ10 may help support the skin, brain, and lungs, as well as protect against chronic diseases.
Joint Capsules: Joint capsules help to increase and maintain joint health and strength.
Omega Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fats are essential fats that have important benefits for your heart, brain, and metabolism.
I don’t know the exact brand of the supplements that Zane used but I have some recommendations for you. I have done a lot of research and testing on some of the supplements that Ronnie used and written a review on the best product for each supplement.
Here are the best products based on my studies:
Best Pre-Workout: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre Workout Powder
Best Post-Workout: Warrior Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder
Whey Protein: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Pre Workout Powder
Best BCAA’s: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard BCAA Train + Sustain
Best Multivitamins: Centrum Advance 50+ Multivitamin & Mineral Tablets
Omega Fatty Acids: Nutravita Omega 3 2000mg Capsules
Conclusion: Ronnie Coleman’s Impact on Bodybuilding
Ronnie Coleman is one of the most successful bodybuilders of all time having won Mr Olympia eight times, for eight consecutive years., which is matched only by fellow bodybuilder Lee Haney.
Ronnie followed a fairly typical bodybuilding split, where he would train different muscles on different days. To maintain his huge physique, he had a huge daily calorie intake of 5562 calories, which included 546g protein, 474g carbs and 150g fat.
Despite being retired from bodybuilding and facing many health challenges, he still remains an influential figure in the fitness and bodybuilding community to this day.
If you have been training for a while and are not seeing your desired results, there is no better time to kickstart your bodybuilding journey. Try out Ronnie’s training program for 12 weeks and really test your strength and endurance.
If you feel like you have hit a plateau in your training, you now have all the tools you need to take your training and physique to the next level, provided to you by the ‘GOAT’ of bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman.
If you have any question, leave a comment in the comments section below and I will reply as soon as possible.