What was Ronnie Coleman's best physique? The answer can differ based on personal views. But the 8-time Mr. Olympia often shares glimpses of his old bodybuilding days, giving fans the chance to revisit the era when Coleman shocked nearly every judge and fan with his physique.

One such competition was the 2001 Arnold Classic. For many, Coleman appeared at the event with his all-time best combination of symmetry, conditioning, muscle density, separation, and size.

On July 3, Coleman shared a short, old clip from the 2001 Arnold Classic that showed how massive his look was at that time.

When Coleman appeared on stage and began flexing his body and holding his pose, the crowd's cheer made it clear why he is known as The King.

Apart from that, an article on Ronnie Coleman's signature series once revealed that in that year, a magazine had to alter his photoshoot to make him look smoother.

Even Coleman once said, “I remember doing the photo shoot afterward, and they told me they actually had to Photoshop me to make me look less hard because they were afraid it was too much for people.”

So, I guess I was the opposite of people today photoshopping themselves to look better. They had to make me look worse!”

Coleman demonstrated intense power and physical conditioning in the Mr. Olympia competitions. For many, his 2003 Mr. Olympia appearance is considered one of the best, when he competed at 287 lbs.

On the contrary, at the 2001 Arnold Classic, he appeared on stage weighing 247 lbs. But he was flawless and earned the title of that event.

Whether at Mr. Olympia, Arnold Classic, or any other competition, there is no doubt that whenever Coleman appeared on stage, he always delivered the best, which is why he is a legend.

Now, the question is: how was Coleman trained in 2001 to get into that shape?

Ronnie Coleman's 2001 workout routine

According to Generation Iron, Coleman once said, “I wanted to be the only person to win both the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia in the same year.”

And he fulfilled his dream in 2001. That year, Coleman did not win the Arnold Classic title, but he did win the Mr. Olympia title. So, how did he prepare?

Generation Iron revealed his daily workout at that time, which included:

1st day: shoulder, back, and biceps

• Deadlifts: 4× 6-12 reps
• Barbell Rows: 3× 10-12 reps
• T-Bar Rows: 3×10-12
• Dumbbell Rows: 3×10-12 reps
• Bicep Curls: 4×12 reps
• Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 3× 12 reps
• EZ-bar Bicep Curls: 3× 12 reps.

2nd day: legs

• Squats: 5× 6-12 reps
• Leg Presses: 4×12 reps
• Lunges: 2× 30 meters ea
• Deadlifts: 3×12 reps
• Leg Curls: 3× 12 reps.

3rd day: chest and triceps

• Bench Presses: 5× 12 reps
• Incline Bench Presses: 3× 12 reps
• Dumbbell Presses: 3× 12 reps
• Lateral Raises: 4× 12 reps
• EZ-bar Triceps Extensions: 3×12 reps

4th day: chest and triceps

• Barbell Rows: 5× 10-12 reps
• Low Pulley Rows: 4× 10-12 reps
• Close-Grip Lat Pulldowns: 3× 10-12 reps
• Wide-Grip Lat Pulldowns: 3× 10-12 reps
• Alternating Bicep Curls: 4× 12 reps
• Machine Bicep Curls: 3× 12 reps
• Barbell Bicep Curls: 3 × 12 reps
• Low Cable Bar Curls: 4× 12 reps

5th day: legs

• Leg Extensions: 4× 30 reps
• Front Squats: 4× 12-15 reps
• Hack Squats: 3× 12 reps
• Standing Leg Curls: 3× 12-15 reps
• Leg Curls: 4× 12-15 reps.

6th day: abs, calves, triceps and chest

• Dumbbell Incline Bench Presses: 4× 12 reps
• Decline Bench Presses: 3× 12 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Flys: 3× 12 reps
• Decline Dumbbell Flys: 3× 12 reps
• EZ-bar French Presses: 4× 12 reps
• Parallel Dip Bars: 4× 12 reps
• EZ-bar Triceps Extensions: 3× 12 reps.

7th day: Rest and recovery

So, with such intense training and exercise, Coleman had earned one of the best physiques in bodybuilding history.

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil