In 1989, following his graduation from Grambling State University, Coleman packed his bags and moved to Texas. During Coleman's time in Arlington, he visited the Metroflex gym, which was a decision that changed his life forever.

Yet, bodybuilding wasn't his first calling.

In Texas, Ronnie Coleman first joined law enforcement under the Arlington Police Department, a role that he considers to be his dream. It was while trying to enhance his fitness levels for the job that Coleman realized his bodybuilding potential.

The then-gym owner, Brian Dobson, witnessed immense potential in Coleman and asked the police officer to step on the stage. That push started a journey that led him to the 1998 Mr. Olympia and seven more consecutive titles.

Despite rising to global prominence in bodybuilding, Ronnie Coleman continued serving as a police officer until 2001(remained as a reserve till 2003). Even while training and competing at the highest professional level, he maintained his law-enforcement duties, balancing both careers with exceptional discipline.

So, what were his thoughts on balancing life as a police officer and a bodybuilder? By his own account, he genuinely enjoyed that phase of his life.

Ronnie Coleman’s thoughts on being an officer

In a Netflix Documentary back in 2018, Ronnie Coleman expressed his true thoughts on being an officer, “I loved being a police officer. It was my dream job.”

“I had so much passion working for the police department that I would have done it for free," Coleman said on his YouTube handle.

Well, guess what, being a cop was his real dream, and bodybuilding was just a hobby, “Bodybuilding was a hobby — being a cop was what I did," he said back in his conversation with Muscle & Fitness.

Now, the obvious question arises: why did he retire from the police force before stepping away from bodybuilding? Well, that’s because his body couldn’t take the load of being an officer, “I didn’t quit being a cop because of bodybuilding. I just couldn’t physically do both anymore.”

Even after becoming Mr Olympia, Coleman stayed humble and interacted with his team with utmost respect.

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi