Was Ronnie Coleman natural, or did he take steroids for his physique?

Was Ronnie Coleman natural? (Image via Google)

Many have asked this question: Was Ronnie Coleman natural? Well, it’s a valid question and is open to discussion, as Ronnie Coleman himself has discussed it openly.

Unless you’re new to the world of bodybuilding, you must have heard the name Ronnie Coleman. He’s one of the most dominant names in the industry and is a legendary bodybuilder. Even though he retired from professional bodybuilding competitions in 2007, he had won the Mr. Olympia eight times.

If someone secures that many victories at Mr. Olympia, it goes without saying that their physique had to be out of the world. Such was the case for peak Ronnie Coleaman.

During his peak, Coleman maintained a weight of 320 lbs but would drop almost 20 lbs during his competitions. He had 21 inch biceps, 58 inches chest, 36 inch waist and 36 inch thighs and had a body fat percentage ranging between 6-8%.

Given his unbelievable physique, many have wondered: "is Ronnie Coleman natural?" Let's find out.

What does “is Ronnie Coleman natural?” mean?

Usually, when you’re working on a dream physique, you mostly rely on diet, proper training, supplements like creatine, glutamine, protein powder, and sufficient rest and recovery.

However, when it comes to bodybuilding, taking steroids can mimic the effects of testosterone (an important hormone for growing muscles). Using steroids means allowing the body to move beyond its natural sources, and hence, accelerating the muscle growth process.

It must now be noted that using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs is illegal and can have serious health consequences if the doses aren’t moderated and controlled.

So, was Ronnie Coleman natural?

In all fairness, Ronnie Coleman has admitted to using steroids and discussed it on social media too. However, he didn’t admit to it for a long time, as he was also a police officer.

However, during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, the eight-time Mr. Olympia opened up about “is Ronnie Coleman natural?” He revealed that he did use performance enhancing drugs, but it was extremely moderated and controlled. After being in the industry for a while and not being able to rank higher than third, he decided to make the competition equal by using the same PEDs that gave his competitors the edge over him.

In fact, bodybuilding Flex Wheeler helped him secure the doses he needed to gain a competitive edge. However, Coleman always maintains that he didn't take an exorbitant amount of steroids. He took just enough that it would help him become shredded faster, but he had to train extremely hard and adhere to a strict diet to acquire the physique of a bodybuilder.

Was Ronnie Coleman's natural physique hindered by steroids? (Image via Pxfuel)

Furthermore, Ronnie Coleman's steroids use was capped during his competitive prep. Whenever he stepped into the off-season cycle, he would immediately stop taking steroids or any type of performance enhancing drugs. He would stop them cold-turkey and would not go on a cycle unless he entered prep.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that Coleman was particular about where he purchased the PEDs from. As per his comments on “is Ronnie Coleman natural?” during the Joe Rogan Experience, he revealed that he never purchased it in the black market. He would get a prescription from a doctor before making a purchase.

Some of the anabolic steroids he has admitted to using are testosterone, dianabol, equipoise, anadrol and even deca-duraboline. Furthermore, he has used growth hormones and insulin among PEDs.

It’s important to understand that Ronnie Coleman used PEDs to gain a competitive edge, but he also attributes good genes, proper training and a strict diet for his massive physique. In fact, natural Ronnie Coleman was just as strong. However, he has opened up about suffering health issues from using PEDs, steroids and old age.

Performance enhancing drugs aren’t recommended at all, but bodybuilders have to make decisions for themselves based on the type of competition they face and how much their body can handle. However, if you’re going to the gym to add some muscle and cut fat and have a lean physique, it’s not wise to use steroids or any type of PEDs.