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TODAY’S TRAINING INSPIRATION:
RONNIE COLEMAN

For inspiration in the gym today, we look to none other than the record-setting eight-time Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman. In addition to this all-time record streak (he owns the same number of titles as Lee Haney and one more than Arnold Schwarzenegger himself), Coleman also holds the record for most IFBB competition victories with 26.

Many enthusiasts blame Coleman for the rise of “mass monsters” in bodybuilding and the destruction of the “esthetic” physique. One look at Coleman in competition will undoubtedly show that he reached previously unseen levels of muscle mass. However, with Coleman’s victories and the pressure they placed on the competition, gone were the streamlined physiques of the Schwarzenegger or Frank Zane.

Recent years have seen the pendulum swing back toward the esthetic look, with Coleman (in his early 40s) losing the Mr. Olympia title for the first time a couple seasons ago. However, even if one does not subscribe to the “mass monster” philosophy of bodybuilding, one must still recognize and admire the dedication and focus required for Coleman to achieve the levels of mass and definition that characterized his reign over the bodybuilding world. Given the goals and physical ideal he set for himself, he undeniably achieved them.

Having graduated with a degree in accounting, Ronnie Coleman is also one of the many bodybuilders (such as Arnold, Zane, Bob Cicherillo and Franco Columbu) who have demonstrated that muscle growth does not go hand-in-hand with brain atrophy.

In Coleman’s training videos, he can be seen lifting, curling and pressing some virtually unfathomable weights, including 800 pound squats, 495 pound bench presses (x5) and 495 pound bent-over rows (x5). And the list goes on, but I am going to stop because it makes my workout look pretty feeble.

REBUILDING THE MACHINE…

Well, if there is a theme to the Discipline of Steel, it is rebuilding the legs. Also, to get the most out of today, I am doing tempo training. Very slow reps. Five count on effort, hold the finished position for five, then five count for return to the start. Every time. Let’s get down to business.

After a couple hours rest, I got motivated again and went back to do shoulders. This will permit me to make tomorrow a fully legitimate and unconditional rest day, something I could definitely use (and should really be doing more often). But hey man, it’s Ronnie Coleman day. Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder but ain’t nobody want to lift no heavy ass weight!

TODAY: LEGS and SHOULDERS… (all 5-count tempo)

SEATED CALF RAISE (5 sets)
135 x 10
180 x 10
180 x 10
205 x 10
230 x 6 / 205 x 2 / 180 x 4

SEATED LEG PRESS (5 sets)
350 x 10
420 x 8
420 x 9
460 x 7
500 x 5 / 450 x 2

STRAIGHT-LEG CALF PRESS (5 sets)
200 x 8
200 x 7
200 x 7
200 x 6
240 x 6 / 200 x 3

SEATED HAMSTRING CURLS (5 sets)
150 x 7
120 x 7
120 x 7
120 x 6
120 x 7

QUAD EXTENSIONS (5 sets)
150 x 7
120 x 8
120 x 7
120 x 7
150 x 8

ARNOLD PRESS (5 sets)
40 x 9
40 x 7
40 x 5
35 x 6
35 x 6

SHOULDER PRESS (MACHINE) (3 sets) (per arm)
60 x 5
60 x 6
60 x 6

DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISES (3 sets)
15 x 6
10 x 8
10 x 6

DUMBBELL FORWARD RAISES (3 sets)
15 x 4
10 x 5
10 x 5

VERTICAL GRIP BACK FLYES (PEC DECK) (3 sets)
130 x 5
100 x 5
100 x 5

HORIZONTAL GRIP BACK FLYES (PEC DECK) (3 sets)
100 x 6
100 x 5
100 x 5

TRAINING NOTES

Supersetted Quad Extensions and Hamstring Curls.
Supersetted Lateral and Forward Dumbbell Raises.
Supersetted Horizontal and Vertical Grip Back Flyes.

Again, everything was 5-count tempo training.

Total Sets (Legs): 25
Total Sets (Shoulders): 20

Today was serious. Definitely felt it everywhere. If I had been putting in this kind of focus all along, I wouldn’t have to be “rebuilding” anything.

The amount of weight has gone down a bit with the long tempo count, but that is to be expected and doesn’t concern me in the least. Naturally, a five count on full extension for lateral or forward raises is going to really affect the amount of weight you can do on those exercises. But damn, I was lifting puny ass weights for the fifteen counts and I’m sore like I was lateral raising some Firestone tires.

TODAY’S INSPIRATIONAL CLIP

Here is Ronnie Coleman in action on the leg press. I think my program is going okay so far, but let’s just say I won’t be pushing this much weight any time soon.