Eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman has revealed the five bodybuilders he believes stand above the rest in the sport’s long and muscle-packed history — a “Mount Rushmore” of physique legends that have defined entire eras of bodybuilding.
Coleman, one of the most decorated athletes the sport has ever seen, shared his picks during an interview with NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, where the pair covered everything from Coleman’s training philosophy to the evolution of modern bodybuilding.
Asked to name his greatest of all time, Coleman didn’t hesitate — and even added a cheeky extra to make it a top five instead of four.
“We got Arnold at the top, got Lee Haney in second place. I want to say me third. I got eight Olympias. I’m gonna put old Phil in fourth place since he got seven Olympias. And I guess I’ll put Dorian in since he got six.”
That list — Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lee Haney, Ronnie Coleman, Phil Heath, and Dorian Yates — reads like a hall-of-fame roll call of bodybuilding’s most dominant champions, spanning five decades of competitive history.
Coleman’s choices reflect the sport’s golden lineage: from Arnold’s charisma and pioneering training style, through Haney’s unmatched symmetry, to the mass-monster era that Coleman himself helped define.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
No conversation about bodybuilding’s legacy begins without Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Austrian Oak’s combination of aesthetics, charisma, and ambition transformed bodybuilding from a niche pursuit into a global phenomenon.
Arnold won seven Mr. Olympia titles (1970–1975, 1980), captivating fans with his proportioned physique, flawless posing, and competitive mindset. Beyond the stage, his influence exploded — he brought bodybuilding into Hollywood through Pumping Iron, became an international film star, and later served as Governor of California.
Schwarzenegger’s legacy isn’t just about victories — it’s about how he made bodybuilding aspirational. Even today, his annual Arnold Sports Festival remains one of the biggest fitness events in the world.
Lee Haney
When Coleman puts Lee Haney second, it’s with good reason: both men share the record for the most Mr. Olympia wins — eight apiece. Haney’s dominance stretched from 1984 to 1991, an unprecedented run built on symmetry, conditioning, and professionalism.
Haney’s motto, “Stimulate, don’t annihilate,” reshaped training philosophy for generations to come. His balanced, aesthetic approach bridged the classic lines of Arnold’s era with the mass-focused future of modern bodybuilding.
Even after retiring, Haney has remained a respected mentor, author, and advocate for health-first fitness.
Ronnie Coleman
Third on his own list — though many fans might argue he deserves the top spot — Ronnie Coleman is synonymous with superhuman strength and otherworldly muscle mass.
Coleman turned pro in 1991, and after a slow start, he exploded into dominance by winning eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles (1998–2005). Known for his famous training catchphrases — “Yeah Buddy!” and “Light weight, baby!” — Coleman’s intensity redefined what was physically possible in bodybuilding.
His physique combined the size of a powerlifter with the conditioning of a seasoned pro, creating a standard many have chased but none have surpassed. Even in retirement, after multiple surgeries, Coleman remains one of the sport’s most beloved figures and an active presence in fitness culture.
Phil Heath
Nicknamed “The Gift,” Phil Heath carried the Olympia torch into the 2010s with a physique that blended fullness, symmetry, and surgical precision.
Heath won seven Mr. Olympia titles (2011–2017), placing him alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the sport’s record books. A former basketball player turned bodybuilder, Heath was known for his round muscle bellies, razor-sharp detail, and competitive confidence.
His dominance reignited debates over what bodybuilding should represent — artful aesthetics or sheer size — and his rivalry with Kai Greene became one of the sport’s most iconic storylines.
Even post-retirement, Heath continues to influence the next generation through his business ventures, media presence, and mentorship.
Dorian Yates
Rounding out Coleman’s all-time list is Dorian Yates, the British powerhouse who ushered in bodybuilding’s “mass monster” era during the 1990s.
Yates won six consecutive Mr. Olympia titles (1992–1997) with a physique that shocked judges and fans alike — dense, grainy, and brutally conditioned. His revolutionary high-intensity, low-volume training style inspired countless athletes and changed how elite competitors prepared for the Olympia stage.
Behind his quiet demeanor was a relentless worker who popularised the “Blood and Guts” training philosophy and paved the way for bodybuilders like Coleman to push muscularity to even greater extremes.
Ronnie Coleman’s “Mount Rushmore” of bodybuilding covers half a century of evolution: from classical lines to mass and modern perfection.
It’s a list that’s bound to spark debate, as all great rankings do. But coming from a man who’s shared the stage, sweat, and legacy with nearly all of them, it carries weight.
As Coleman himself once put it, “Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but don’t nobody wanna lift no heavy-ass weight.” And if you’ve ever watched Ronnie in his prime, you know exactly what he means.
Featured image credit: YouTube/Club Shay Shay/RonnieColeman (Screenshot)
