What Was Ronnie Coleman’s Workout Split and Routine for Bodybuilding?

Who is Ronnie Coleman?

Ronnie Coleman is a name that is synonymous with success in the world of professional bodybuilding. Born in Louisiana in 1964, Coleman began his lifting career while working as a police officer.

He quickly rose through the ranks of amateur competitions, and in 1998, he won his first Mr. Olympia title. Over the next decade, Coleman won eight consecutive Mr. Olympia titles, solidifying his place as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.

Coleman retired from competition but remains active in the bodybuilding community today. He runs his own supplement company, hosts a popular podcast, and continues to inspire new generations of lifters to chase their dreams.

He is a true legend in bodybuilding, and his impact will be felt for generations. Ronnie Coleman is one of the most successful bodybuilders of all time, with eight Mr. Olympia titles. So, what was his secret to success?

What Was Ronnie Coleman’s Workout Split and Routine?

For Ronnie Coleman, success in bodybuilding was all about hard work, discipline, and consistency. He typically trained six days a week, dedicating each day to a specific muscle group. His routine was carefully structured to allow maximum focus on individual muscle groups and ensure balanced development.

He would begin the week with chest and triceps, followed by back and biceps. After a rest day, he would focus on his legs, hitting them twice in a row. On leg days, he would start with quads, and then move on to hamstrings and calves. This approach allowed him to give each muscle group the attention it needed while maintaining a solid training schedule.

In addition to his split, Coleman incorporated a variety of exercises into his routine. He typically performed three to four sets of each exercise, with 8 to 12 reps per set. By constantly changing up his exercises and pushing his muscles to the limit, he was able to consistently make progress and avoid plateaus.

Coleman’s dedication to mixing up his routine and continuously challenging his body is one of the reasons behind his immense success. His training method remains a cornerstone of bodybuilding excellence, contributing to his legacy as one of the greatest of all time.

In addition to his split, Coleman also made sure to include a variety of exercises in his routine. He would typically do three or four sets of each exercise, with eight to 12 reps per set. Coleman made incredible gains by mixing up his routine and constantly challenging his muscles.

Undoubtedly, his approach worked – he’s one of the most successful bodybuilders in history!

A Ronnie Coleman-Inspired Workout Routine for You

This Ronnie Coleman-inspired workout plan closely follows his training split and routine, but with a few adjustments to fit your needs. While it draws inspiration from his methods, it's not exact replica, so expect some modifications to tailor the workout for a more well-rounded approach.

Day 1: Targeted Leg Day Workout (Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves)

To build well-rounded legs, Day 1 of this workout focuses on your quads, hamstrings, and calves, targeting all major leg muscles for maximum growth and strength. The following exercises will ensure you hit each muscle group effectively.

• Barbell Squat (3 sets, 15 reps): A classic compound exercise that targets the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. The barbell squat is essential for building overall leg strength and mass.
• Barbell Hack Squat (3 sets, 15 reps): This movement emphasizes the quads while also engaging the hamstrings and glutes. It’s a great alternative to the traditional squat, offering a slightly different angle and variation.
• Leg Extensions (3 sets, 15 reps): Focuses primarily on the quads, helping to isolate and strengthen this muscle group. This exercise is perfect for muscle definition and improving knee stability.
• Leg Curls (Standing, Lying, and Seated – 3 sets, 15 reps each): These variations of leg curls focus on the hamstrings, giving you a full range of motion and targeting the muscles from different angles for balanced development.
• Seated Single-Leg Curl (3 sets, 15 reps per leg): This unilateral exercise isolates the hamstrings on each leg, ensuring balanced strength and preventing muscle imbalances.
• Seated Calf Raise (3 sets, 15 reps): Focuses on the calves, targeting both the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles to help you build stronger, more defined calves.

This leg workout is designed to challenge you and maximize leg growth by incorporating a variety of exercises that hit each muscle from different angles. Don't forget to check out the detailed pages for each exercise to ensure proper form and technique.

Day 2: Back and Triceps – Strength and Definition

This workout focuses on building a strong back and well-defined triceps, targeting all the key muscles for a balanced, powerful physique. The following exercises will help you achieve a sculpted upper body.

• Bent-Over Dumbbell Row (3 sets, 15-20 reps): This exercise works the upper back, lats, and rear delts. It's perfect for building thickness and strength in the back while also engaging the biceps.
• T-Bar Row (3 sets, 15-20 reps): The T-Bar row is another great compound movement that targets the middle of the back, especially the rhomboids and lats, helping to create that wide, thick back look.
• One-Arm Dumbbell Row (3 sets, 15-20 reps): This unilateral exercise ensures that each side of your back is worked evenly, promoting balanced muscle development and helping to correct any imbalances.
• Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown (3 sets, 15-20 reps): This movement targets the lats, helping to widen the back and build those sought-after V-shaped proportions. It's great for improving overall back width.
• Triceps Dips (3 sets, 15-20 reps): A highly effective exercise for building triceps strength and size. By adjusting your body angle, you can emphasize different parts of the triceps, including the long head.
• Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension (3 sets, 15-20 reps): This exercise isolates the triceps, helping to add definition and strength, particularly targeting the long head for a more complete tricep development.
• Lying Triceps Press (3 sets, 15-20 reps): This move effectively targets the triceps while minimizing shoulder involvement, helping to isolate and strengthen the triceps muscles for better definition.

This back and triceps workout is designed to help you build mass, strength, and definition. Be sure to check out the detailed pages for each exercise to perfect your form and technique for maximum results.

Day 3: Shoulders – Build Strength and Definition

This workout targets the shoulders, focusing on all three deltoid heads to build strength, size, and definition. The exercises in this routine are designed to provide complete shoulder development and improve overall upper body strength.

• Overhead Shoulder Press (3 sets, 15 reps): This classic exercise is a powerhouse for building overall shoulder strength. It primarily targets the deltoids, engaging all three heads (front, middle, and rear) for a balanced development.
• Side Lateral Raise (3 sets, 15 reps): A fantastic isolation exercise for targeting the lateral deltoids. This move helps to broaden the shoulders, creating the sought-after "capped" look.
• Front Dumbbell Raise (3 sets, 15 reps): Focuses on the front deltoids, helping to add size and strength to the front of the shoulders. This exercise is great for improving shoulder definition and shoulder press performance.
• Seated Bent-Over Dumbbell Rear Deltoid Raise (3 sets, 15 reps): Targets the rear deltoids, an often neglected part of shoulder training. This exercise improves shoulder stability, posture, and overall shoulder development, helping to create a more balanced and defined look.

This shoulder workout is designed to give you comprehensive shoulder development by targeting all three heads of the deltoid. Be sure to check out the detailed pages for each exercise to master proper form and technique for optimal results.

Day 4: Chest and Biceps

This workout focuses on building strength and definition in the chest and biceps. By targeting these two muscle groups, you'll work towards a more balanced upper body with improved muscle mass and definition.

• Medium Grip Barbell Bench Press (3 sets, 15-20 reps): A fundamental chest exercise that targets the pectorals, shoulders, and triceps. The medium grip variation ensures optimal muscle engagement while maintaining shoulder health.
• Medium Grip Barbell Incline Bench Press (3 sets, 15-20 reps): This exercise targets the upper part of the chest and engages the deltoids and triceps. The incline angle places more emphasis on the upper pecs, helping to build a fuller chest.
• Decline Barbell Bench Press (3 sets, 15-20 reps): Focuses on the lower chest, helping to create a balanced chest development. It also targets the triceps and shoulders for overall upper-body strength.
• Barbell Curls (3 sets, 15-20 reps): A classic biceps exercise that isolates the biceps for growth. This movement helps to add mass to the upper arm and strengthen the muscles of the forearms.
• One-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl (3 sets, 15-20 reps): Focuses on isolating the biceps, allowing for a greater range of motion and peak contraction. It also helps improve muscle symmetry by working each arm individually.
• Alternate Hammer Curl (3 sets, 15-20 reps): Targets both the biceps and forearms, focusing on the brachialis muscle to help increase overall arm thickness and definition.

Day 5: Leg Day (Quads, Hams, and Calves)

This day is dedicated to building strong legs, focusing on the quads, hamstrings, and calves. It includes both compound and isolation exercises to hit all areas of your lower body for balanced development.

• Barbell Squat (3 sets, 15 reps): A key exercise for overall leg development, targeting the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. The squat is essential for building mass and strength in the lower body.
• Barbell Hack Squat (3 sets, 15 reps): This variation emphasizes the quads while also working the hamstrings and glutes. It’s an excellent alternative for building leg strength and size.
• Leg Extensions (3 sets, 15 reps): Focuses on isolating the quads, helping to define and sculpt the front of your thighs. It’s a great exercise for targeting the quadriceps with a full range of motion.
• Leg Curls (Standing, Lying, and Seated – 3 sets, 15 reps each): These variations isolate the hamstrings, promoting balanced development between the quads and hamstrings for more aesthetically pleasing and functional legs.
• Seated Single-Leg Curl (3 sets, 15 reps per leg): A unilateral exercise targeting the hamstrings to help prevent muscle imbalances and promote balanced strength development.
• Seated Calf Raise (3 sets, 15 reps): Focuses on the calves, targeting both the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles for a more complete calf development and stronger lower legs.

Day 6: Chest, Triceps, and Abs

This workout targets the chest, triceps, and abs, incorporating both compound and isolation exercises to build strength, muscle mass, and definition in the upper body and core. Additionally, the workout includes exercises to engage the calves for a well-rounded session.

• Incline Dumbbell Press (3-4 sets, 12 reps): This exercise focuses on the upper chest and engages the shoulders and triceps. It's essential for adding size to the upper pectorals and improving overall chest development.
• Decline Bench Press (3-4 sets, 12 reps): Targets the lower chest while also working the triceps and shoulders. The decline angle helps to develop the lower portion of the pectorals for a fuller chest appearance.
• Incline Dumbbell Flyes (3-4 sets, 12 reps): This isolation movement targets the upper chest, stretching and contracting the pecs for improved muscle definition and growth.
• Decline Dumbbell Press (3-4 sets, 12 reps): Focuses on the lower chest, helping to add thickness and mass to the lower part of the pectorals. This movement also engages the triceps for added arm strength.
• Cambered-Bar Triceps Extensions (Lying and Seated) (3-4 sets, 12 reps): A triceps isolation exercise that targets the long head of the triceps. Both lying and seated variations help to build tricep strength and definition.
• Triceps Dips (3-4 sets, 12 reps): A compound exercise that targets the triceps while also engaging the chest and shoulders. Dips are a great way to build overall upper-body strength and mass.
• Donkey Calf Raises (3-4 sets, 12 reps): A highly effective calf exercise that focuses on the gastrocnemius muscle for fuller calf development. This move also provides a great stretch for the calves.
• Seated Calf Raise (3-4 sets, 12 reps): Targets the soleus muscle of the calves, helping to build more defined and sculpted lower legs. It's a great exercise for calf isolation.
• Crunches (3-4 sets, 12 reps): A classic ab exercise that targets the upper abdominal muscles. Crunches are great for building core strength and muscle definition in the midsection.

This chest, triceps, and abs workout is designed to hit multiple muscle groups with high-intensity exercises, ensuring you build strength, size, and definition. Don't forget to check out the detailed pages for each exercise to perfect your form and maximize results.

Day 7: Rest

Rest is an essential part of any workout program. Taking a rest day allows your body to recover, repair, and build muscle, ensuring that you're ready to tackle your next training session stronger than before. Remember, progress happens during rest, not just in the gym!

Related Article: Full Body Torcher – 12 Week Full Body Fat Loss Workout

Ronnie Coleman’s Diet

Ronnie Coleman is a world-renowned bodybuilder who has claimed the Mr. Olympia title an impressive eight times. Given his success, it's no surprise that many are curious about his diet and workout routine. Coleman follows a strict diet regimen, consuming approximately 6,000 calories per day to fuel his intense workouts and maintain his muscular physique.

To support his rigorous training, Coleman incorporates a variety of nutrient-dense meals throughout the day. His diet includes frequent servings of protein powders and whole foods such as chicken, lean beef, eggs, potatoes, beans, rice, and vegetables. His daily nutrition plan consists of 546g of protein, 474g of carbs, and 150g of fat, resulting in a total calorie intake of 5,562 calories.

While this high-calorie diet may not be suitable for everyone, it’s evident that it plays a key role in Coleman's success and physique.

Ronnie Coleman Inspired Diet Chart

• 10:00 a.m. – 3 to 5 grams of L-Arginine supplement.
• 10:30 a.m. – ¾ cup grits with cheese, 2 cups egg whites, 1 cup coffee.
• 12:30 p.m. – 1 serving of pre-workout supplements, 3-5 grams of L-Arginine.
• Post-workout – 1 serving of BCAA.
• 4:00 p.m. – Two 8oz chicken breasts, 1 ½ cups brown rice, 1 ½ cups red beans, 2 pieces of cornbread.
• 6:30 p.m. – 3 to 5 grams of L-Arginine.
• 7:00 p.m. – Two 8oz chicken breasts, 1 medium-sized baked potato.
• 10:00 p.m. – 9oz filet mignon, 5oz chicken breasts, 1 medium-sized baked potato, French fries, 8oz pink lemonade.
• 12:00 a.m. – 1 serving of BCAA.
• 1:30 a.m. – 1 scoop of DMoose Whey Protein.

FAQs

1. How many times a day did Ronnie Coleman train?

Ronnie Coleman typically trained twice a day, focusing on different muscle groups in each session. He emphasized free-weight exercises in his routine, incorporating compound movements like flat, incline, and decline barbell presses in one session, followed by dumbbell presses in the next. This varied approach helped target different areas of his body and build balanced strength.

2. How much can Ronnie Coleman bench?

Renowned for his impressive chest strength, Ronnie Coleman could bench press an astounding 500 pounds for 5 reps at his peak. Additionally, he was known for pressing 200-pound dumbbells more than 15 times, showcasing his incredible upper-body power.

3. What was Ronnie Coleman's max squat?

One of Ronnie Coleman's most legendary lifts was his 800-pound squat. Known for his tremendous strength and dominant presence on stage, this squat is just one example of the impressive feats of strength that helped him secure eight Mr. Olympia titles.

4. Is it OK to lift every day?

While it's possible to lift weights every day, it's important to allow different muscle groups time to recover. Split routines, where you work different muscle groups on separate days, are ideal for avoiding overtraining. Without proper rest, you risk injury and could hit a plateau in your progress.

Summary

If you’re looking for a workout and diet plan to help you build serious muscle mass, look no further than the Ronnie Coleman-inspired workout and diet. This routine is based on what Coleman himself did to become one of the most successful bodybuilders in history. Give it a try and see how quickly you start seeing results!

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