Training with a partner has long been known to elevate performance, and science backs it. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that individuals exercising with a more capable partner increased their workout duration by up to 24%. However, not everyone could keep up with The King, Ronnie Coleman.

None of his contemporaries could match the 800 lb squat and deadlifts that Coleman did. In fact, even his biggest rival, Jay Cutler, has admitted that no one worked harder in the gym than Coleman. Yet, that didn't discourage Coleman's rivals from trying, as The King revealed on social media.

What Does Ronnie’s Instagram Post Tell Us?

Four days ago, Ronnie Coleman spilled the beans about training with his fellow pros on Instagram: “Did you ever train with any of your competitors?” Ronnie answered with a laugh.

“Yep, yep. Me and Jay train together all the time, at least when we go to the gym show. So we train together on the road," the 8x Mr. Olympia explained. He then joked about another '90s icon, and Coleman's earliest rival, Flex Wheeler, struggling to hang with him.

“Flex, not so much. He came to Metroflex and tried to work out... did one set. He was like, ‘Man, it’s too hot in here and you lifting too much weight. I know what I’m getting myself into, and I ain’t about to do it.’” Ronnie said with a laugh. However, Jay Cutler never backed off so easily.

“Jay was the only one who would try to work out with me and keep up with me. But you know, I was killing him too," Ronnie Coleman said, while explaining that even Cutler couldn't keep up "once I put them five plates on that squat. He was done.”

So it's safe to say that Jay Culter didn't just try to surpass Ronnie Coleman on the Olympia stage. The 4x Mr. Olympia pushed himself, and in turn pushed Coleman to break their limits on the gym floor too. Today, that rivalry has blossomed into a lifelong friendship.

Cutler and Coleman continue to appear together at events, laugh about their gruelling training days, and uplift the fitness community. Their friendship, built on respect, rivalry, and shared suffering under heavy iron, has become one of the most iconic relationships in bodybuilding history.

Decades after their Olympia battles, they still stand as an example of how competition can create not just champions, but lifelong brothers in iron. But what about you? Do you work out with a gym partner? Tell us in the comments section. 

Written by

Amanjeet Singh

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi