Bodybuilding legend Ronnie Coleman left an indelible mark on the sport with his reign of dominance in the Men’s Open division. Besides his monstrous physique, he was renowned for his insane feats of strength in the training room. In a recent video uploaded on YouTube, Coleman teamed up with fitness influencer Jesse James West to put him through his most intense chest workout yet.
Ronnie Coleman first gained attention for his freaky muscle mass, size, and conditioning as a Men’s Open competitor in the late 90s. He secured his maiden Sandow trophy by beating the likes of Flex Wheeler, Chris Cormier, and Lee Priest at the 1998 Mr. Olympia. He proved to be a dominant champion who defended the title successfully and retired with eight Mr. Olympia titles under his belt.
Coleman separated himself from the pack with his insanely heavy lifts in training. He pulled off massive feats, such as the 800-lb squat for two reps and the 2,300-lb leg press. ‘The King’ carried his passion for bodybuilding after stepping away from professional competition.
He recently backed former 212 Olympia champion Derek Lunsford to dethrone 2022 Mr. Olympia Hadi Choopan at the upcoming edition of the event later this year. He also ranked reigning four-time Classic Physique Olympia winner Chris Bumstead’s physique as the best he’s ever seen three months ago.
Ronnie Coleman praised Lunsford as his favorite bodybuilder of the modern era last month. Along with Lunsford, he extended his support for the 2023 Arnold Classic winner Samson Dauda as one of his two top two contenders.
Coleman picked up several injuries over the years due to his intense training methods. He’s gotten stem cell therapy and reported positive results in terms of pain management. He shared that the numbness in his arms and legs went away and expected his nerve damage to heal in about two years. Coleman revealed his mobility hadn’t improved much from the stem cell treatment over three weeks ago. He reported some of his muscles were not being stimulated and expressed concerns about atrophy in his lower body.
Legendary bodybuilder Jay Cutler, who developed a fierce onstage rivalry with Coleman, praised his former foe for his contributions to the Open class. The four-time Mr. Olympia believes no competitor has been able to reach the gold standard Coleman set for the division since his departure.
Fitness sensation Jesse James West joined forces with Coleman for a training session earlier this year. Coleman was under the impression he’d motivate West to record some new PRs but West pranked him by using fake weights to score 700-lb squats and more massive lifts. West pulled the same trick on iconic Strongman Eddie Hall when he crushed a 675-lb deadlift using fake weights two months ago.
Ronnie Coleman Puts Jesse James West Through His Most Intense Chest Workout
In a recent YouTube video, Ronnie Coleman mentored Jesse James West through his most intense chest workout five days out of West’s bodybuilding contest.
“Today, we’re going to see if I could survive his most intense chest workout,” said West. “What’s the secret to a big chest?”
“Heavy lifting,” said Coleman.
The chest workout included:
- Flat Bench Press
- Incline Bench Press/Barbell
- Dumbbell Chest Press
- Dumbbell Chest Fly
- Seated dumbbell curls
They trained at Coleman’s famous gym where he’s trained for over 33 years. Coleman recalled the 800-lb deadlift he recorded as the most memorable lift from his days of competition.
Coleman revealed he’d train lighter one week out from a contest. He’d use both barbells and dumbbells, reserving a day for each. He listed the flat bench as his favorite chest exercise. He trains for 45 minutes every day. Also, Coleman carb-depleted and carb-ed up for Mr. Olympia contests and ate 600 grams of protein a day.
West is gearing up for a bodybuilding contest. He partnered with four-time Men’s Physique Olympia champion Jeremy Buendia for a brutal shoulders workout to get ready for the show last week. Meanwhile, Ronnie Coleman announced his partnership with Panatta Gym Equipment to build a unique gym earlier this week.
Being under a week away from his bodybuilding show, West couldn’t have asked for a better mentor than Coleman to get him ready for contest day.
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