Iron sharpens iron; game recognizes game. Those phrases apply across many spectrums, as elite athletes in any sport know what it takes to be the best. In the ultra-competitive world of professional bodybuilding, perhaps no one understands that better than Ronnie Coleman.
After all, one doesn’t earn the nickname “The King” without capturing a few crowns. Coleman won eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles, the highlight of his illustrious career on the competitive stage.
On Sept. 20, 2024, Coleman sat down with NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe to discuss Coleman’s heaviest lifts ever and who belongs on The King’s Mount Rushmore of bodybuilding legends.
[Related: 11 Best Whey Protein Powders]
Ronnie Coleman’s Top 5 Bodybuilders of All Time
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Lee Haney
- Ronnie Coleman
- Phil Heath
- Dorian Yates
None of those names should surprise you. That quintet dominated the Men’s Open division over a five-decade stretch, combining for 36 Mr. Olympia titles between 1970 and 2017.
Unsurprisingly, Coleman didn’t hesitate to put Schwarzenegger “right at the top.” Despite winning one fewer Olympia than Coleman and Haney, Schwarzenegger is arguably the most recognizable bodybuilder in modern history. Schwarzenegger’s accolades include:
- Winning Mr. Universe at the age of 20
- Deadlifting 683 pounds
- Bench pressing 520 pounds
- Capturing six straight Olympia titles from ‘70-’75
Coleman paid homage to his predecessor by slotting Haney in the second spot. Before Coleman ripped off his run of eight titles starting in 1998, Haney set the standard by capturing the Olympia crown every year from 1984 to 91.
[Related: The Best Chest Exercises and Workouts for Building Muscle]
While Coleman wasted no time naming Heath — a seven-time Olympia winner — as the fourth member of his Mount Rushmore, Sharpe pumped the brakes on his attempt to add six-time winner Dorian Yates. A Mount Rushmore comprises four names, not five, but Coleman knew who earned entry into his bodybuilding pantheon.
More Bodybuilding Content
- Chris Bumstead’s “Essential” Chest Exercise
- Dorian Yates Still Has Shredded Abs at Age 62
- 2024 Men’s Physique Olympia Preview
Featured image: @ronniecoleman8 on Instagram
