Revisiting Ronnie Coleman’s Legendary 495-Pound Entrance Squat
Earlier than selfie sticks and temper lighting, the gymnasium was a spot to place 100% into any raise with out caring about likes or subscribers. Happily, the cameras nonetheless rolled nevertheless, as Ronnie Coleman just lately shared one of the vital retro clips you’ll see for some time, repping 495 kilos with an unbelievable show on the entrance squat.
The 12 months was 2000, and Coleman was capturing his legendary coaching DVD, The Unbelievable. Within the DVD itself, we see the massive man headed to the gymnasium in his Dodge Viper, donning vibrant yellow tights and a “Shut Up and Squat” T-shirt — simply to make his intentions abundantly clear. The gymnasium in query was the Metroflex Gymnasium in Arlington, TX, the place Coleman crushed a herculean exercise together with hack squats and barbell weighted lunges, however this explicit entrance squat clip retains going viral, as a result of it has every thing {that a} classic coaching video ought to should make it a traditional. Grunting? Verify! Questionable wardrobe? Verify? Proof that old-school bodybuilding will not be for the faint of coronary heart? Verify!
Ronnie Coleman’s Viral 495-Pound Entrance Squat Nonetheless Shocks Lifters
As Coleman reached for the Barbell, we meet Metroflex gymnasium proprietor, Brian Dobson, who’s sporting a camouflage stringer and a pair of excessive reduce denim shorts. “There’s no man who trains tougher, wherever,” mentioned Dobson on the DVD itself. Time would show that he wasn’t incorrect.
After warming up, Coleman might be seen gripping the bar and attending to work. “I’ve the sunshine weight on it now,” jokes The King, with 5 45 kilos plates on both facet of the bar. After some encouraging “Yeah!” motivation from Dobson, Coleman cranks out ten stable reps earlier than re-racking the bar. And, since a regular Olympic barbell weighs 45 kilos, this locations the entire load at 495 kilos.
Regardless of how surreal the clip seems in 2026, entrance squats are nonetheless a staple for individuals who want to construct greater quads, glutes, hips, and hamstrings. However relating to bodybuilder’s who raise heavy, Coleman was typically in a league of his personal. Within the “Unbelievable” DVD, Coleman deadlifted 800 kilos for 2 reps, and later upped his entrance squat weight to 585 kilos for 4 reps.
“Subsequent technology will say it’s AI,” wrote one amazed Instagram viewer. “Goosebumps,” wrote one other. “These denim shorts are legendary,” concluded the feedback.
To observe Ronnie Coleman on Instagram, click on right here.
