Bodybuilding icon Ronnie Coleman has revealed the three essential pillars that made him one of the greatest to ever do it — and when “The King” shares bodybuilding advice, we listen!
The eight-time Mr. Olympia champion joined fitness star Bradley Martyn for a workout and sit-down chat, featured on Martyn’s YouTube channel. Martyn, who has built a huge online following for his gym videos and training philosophy, admitted it was a surreal moment getting to meet one of his all-time heroes.
In the video, Martyn explained how he grew up watching Coleman dominate the bodybuilding world – so to get some first-hand advice from the best to ever do it was integral.
As they started training together, Martyn asked what it really takes to be great in bodybuilding. Coleman didn’t hesitate. His first rule? Always lift heavy.
Coleman said: “I was always lifting heavy — always going as heavy as I could. No matter what, every single day I was doing something heavy. When I bench pressed, I always went up to [400] or [500]. When I used dumbbells, I always went up to 200 — every single workout, 200, no matter what. When I was squatting, I always went up to 600, every time I squatted. Unless I was doing front squats — then I’d go up to [400]… sometimes [500]. …I did [600] for 10 [reps] one time. There was never a day where I was like, ‘Okay, today is a light day.’”
Check out the full video below:
Coleman, now 61, earned his legendary status by redefining what strength looked like on the bodybuilding stage. Known for his record-setting lifts and freakish conditioning, he built his physique while still working as a police officer in Arlington, Texas — a story that’s become part of bodybuilding folklore.
The truth is, as well as being on the Mount Rushmore of bodybuilding, Coleman was also one of the strongest men on the planet in his prime.
Next up, Coleman said, is consistency — the quality that kept him at the top for nearly a decade. “Consistency — I worked out every day except Sunday. I trained six days a week my entire career, no matter what. No matter what,” he revealed.
That level of dedication defined his Mr. Olympia reign from 1998 to 2005, a stretch where few could touch his size, symmetry, and relentless work ethic.
Finally, Coleman talked about purpose — or as he put it, the love that fuels all the hard work. “Hard work and dedication. But the most important thing is passion — you’ve got to love it,” Coleman explained.
“When you love it, you look forward to it every single day. You can’t wait to get to the gym. Working out was a hobby for me. And when your hobby is something you get to do every day—life doesn’t get any better than that.”
For Martyn, whose own YouTube channel, “Raw Talk” podcast, and ZOO Culture Gym have become cornerstones of modern fitness culture, it was a rare opportunity to learn directly from the legend himself.
The video, shared to Martyn’s channel, has since drawn huge attention online — a mix of nostalgia for the Coleman era and motivation for anyone chasing their own goals in the gym.
And if there’s one thing to take from Coleman’s advice, it’s that success in bodybuilding isn’t about shortcuts or secrets. It’s about showing up, lifting heavy, staying consistent, and loving every second of it.
After all, as Ronnie would say: yeah buddy.
Featured image credit: YouTube/Bradley Martyn (screenshots)
