For eight-time Mr. Olympia champion Ronnie Coleman, stepping back into Metroflex felt like flipping through some of his favorite chapters of a book. The weights may have remained the same over the years, but every visit brings back legendary memories for him.

In a recent Instagram video, Coleman highlighted the energy-packed session he had at the gym with fitness influencers Luke Elsman and Brodie Falgoust at Metroflex Gym. The video features the trio enjoying an intense strength training session. They cheer each other on as they perform chest presses with heavy dumbbells, clearly strained under the weight but never giving up.

“The energy was off the chain when @luke_elsman & @brodieshredz came through to train at Metroflex!” he captioned the video.

Coleman, now in his 60s, continues to train at intensities that rival athletes decades younger.

The hardcore atmosphere and energy levels at the gym are iconic. The Instagram video clearly shows the high energy levels the three of them share during their intense workout.

Coleman’s reunion at Metroflex gym felt even more special because of his history attached to it. It was here that he designed his relentless, intense routines that he swears by even today.

The Metroflex method: Ronnie Coleman's training blueprint

Long before social media trends and documenting every workout online, Coleman was busy setting the gold standard for brutal training at Metroflex.

As per Muscle & Fitness, Coleman explained how his regular training focused on controlled bodybuilding principles rather than max-effort lifting. He reminded everyone how his record lifts, like his 805-lb deadlift or 800-lb squat, were exceptional feats, not how he trained regularly.

Instead, he prioritized 10-12 controlled reps, only choosing to increase the weight if he was able to comfortably exceed the range. However, if he could manage more than 12 reps, he considered the weight to be too light, increasing it for the next set.

“I go for 10 reps per set,” he said. “Sometimes I might only get eight or nine, but I was going for 10. Missing 10 doesn’t happen very often, though – maybe just the last couple sets of a workout. If I can keep going at 10, I do, but if I get more than 12, the weight was too light, and I’ll use more next time.”

He also stated that he preferred sticking to free weights instead of using machines. “I don’t have anything against machines; I just like free weights better,” he revealed.

The results speak for themselves, as everyone can see the iconic chest that he built with just free-weight presses.

For Coleman, Metroflex will always be the place where champions are built. Which of Coleman’s iconic workouts is your favorite?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi