Getbig2002 Olympia
Review & Reports

2002 Mr Olympia Review: Ronnie Coleman
Comments and Opinions by Various People

To add your comments, please email Ron at Ron@Getbig.com.


  1. Do you have an understanding of how a bodybuilding contest is judged? Let me explain to you why Ronnie won, in spite of having a distended midsection and not the most fascinating routine. The symmetry round isn't just about who has the best lines or the "prettiest" physique. It's about who has the best overall package in the four "relaxed" poses of that round (size, conditioning, proportion, etc.). Ronnie may have not been the biggest, or hardest, or whatever. But he had the best overall look in those four poses. You can make all of the arguments you want about so and so having better abs, or bigger calves, or whatever. No one brought it together like Ronnie at this show.

    For the 2nd round, no one touches Ronnie on back double biceps and back lat spread. On front double biceps and front lat spread, he is either 1st or 2nd. Kevin beat him on side chest and maybe side triceps (mainly because he knows how to pose better). As for abs/quads, he loses that one. So, he ends up being in the top two in six of the seven compulsory poses and thus takes the round. The 3rd round is about hiding your flaws and showcasing your strengths, not about who has the best "dance routine". It's an opportunity to display the best part of your physique. If you are bale to do that in a flowing manner, with good transitional poses and stage presence, then you've done your job. All other antics are for the crowd, not the judges. It never seizes to amaze me why bodybuilders at the pro level hit poses that they know they look like crap in during this round. Did you see Ronnie hitting ab shots during his posing routine? No! He was busy hitting back double biceps, lat spreads, front double biceps, etc. In this round, by hiding his weaknesses, Ronnie gave the appearance of having a nearly flawless physique, and thus took it.

    I consider the 4th round to be an extension of the 3rd. Same strategy. Show strengths, hide weaknesses. Of course, those with the least amount of flaws can hit more poses and give a better impression. Being formidable in any pose that does not focus on the abs, Ronnie had that luxury and thus took the round. Do you get it now? Now, if I may ask you to do us all a favor and please retire from posting meaningless and ignorant comments. That way, I won't feel compelled to waste my time with responses such as this.

  2. I think Coleman had a bright idea after last year's fiasco. He wanted to come in 15-20 lbs lighter thinking that, that would get rid of the much maligned gut. Unfortunately, even though the idea itself was good, the move backfired miserably. His gyno showed up, his gut remained, he was outmuscled in several muscle groups by a few bodybuilders. Luckily for him, and unfortunately for the fans and justice, Weider ensured his tenure at the top. Do the Weiders have some conflict with Levrone or Ray that they never wanted to give permission to the judges to grant them the Sandow?

  3. Exactly "Who Outmuscled Ronnie?" Bodypart for bodypart, he beat everyone. I bet you have never seen Ronnie up close, only from pictures that don't do justice in comparing competitors like when you are at the contest, so please shut it.

  4. I may not have seen Coleman up close, but I have seen him compared to the other more deserving participants on the Olympia stage. Your post is symptomatic of emotion-driven criticisms of my objective analyses of Coleman's physique and the damage he has done to the iron sport from the apogee of the golden Arnold-Oliva era. Coleman, coming in at a lighter 245-250 lbs was outmuscled by a host of competitors as a whole and "bodypart by bodypart". Who beat Coleman bodypart by bodypart? In chest, it was Gunther & Cormier. In legs, it was Paco & Gunther. In Delts, it was Levrone & Ruhl. In Triceps, it was Levrone. In Biceps, it was Cormier, Darrem & Gunther. In Abs, everyone beat him there. In Back, it was Gunther & Burke. In Conditioning, it was way too many to mention

    You overlook the unsightly physique he brings to stage, with which he gives bodybuilding a bad name, because of which the entire crowd except a handful walked out on him boo-ing him and the decision to award him the Sandow. You are one of those handful that remained behind to witness the disgrace, whilst the vast majority of the fans of the iron-sport deemed it a travesty of justice. Anybody whose gut protrudes further than his chest does not deserve to win a bodybuilding contest. That's a bodybuilding mantra, not a put-down.

  5. I've been a fan of BB for over 20 years, so I think I can intelligently evaluate a contest, however, I also think, sometimes, the novice or the new fan can be the best judge, because they're not clouded by past knowledge of the competitors or who's who. My wife, for instance, who doesn't follow the sport, watched the PPV with me and she was very awed by the bodies of Haidar, Horvath, Jackson, Levrone and Gunter. Granted most girls don't realize the importance of size and muscularity that the IFBB judges recognize, but she knew enough to realize that Coleman and Ruhl had serious flaws. I love Ronnie, but how can you be Mr. Olympia with a midsection that poor? Only Youngblood's was worse. If the majority of the fans disagree with the judges, then the sport is all but dead.

  6. His stomach was slightly down from last year but he didn't react too well to carb loading and he spilled over slightly. I think he will get it right next year - but with Gunter on his tail, watch out!! I can't wait to see the improvements that these two will make when they meet at the Show of Strength 3 weeks later. Will Gunther best Ronnie, or will Ronnie pack on 20 pounds of muscle, and awe everyone?

  7. I love it when Ronnie did Kevin's signature crab pose during comparison round of the top 6.

  8. How about Ronnie doing the splits and Flex pulling off his trunks to reveal the Stars & Stripes? The old switcheroo from past contests! Think they called each other? LOL!

  9. I agree, some competitors can hang with Ronnie from the front, but when he turns around, LIGHTS OUT! Nobody can compare with him from the back! Period

  10. Critique Ronnie all you want, but pound for pound, muscle for muscle, regardless of Ronnie's mild flaws, Ronnie was the best bodybuilder on stage in the prejudging. Kevin was better during the evening rounds, but count the points, and Ronnie won the show! Everyone seems to forget that there are four rounds in the contest, two in the morning, and two in the evening.

  11. Ronnie is the best! I dont think Kevin even comes close to Ronnie. His legs were so under developed. Kevin has a good looking physique, but nothing really stands out on him that blows everyone else away, at least in the prejudging.

  12. Ronnie did not look sharp. The only thing he has going for him is his back. His midsection is terrible, and he just looked big. not detailed.

  13. I'd have to agree that Ronnie doesn't look great from the front. The problem is, I would have everyone ahead of him by a slim margin. But when he turns around, it's all over with. Ronnie has the best back in the contest, hands down! I still believe you have to beat Ronnie on both fronts. In the end he can't do anything with those abs and that little extra bloat he has.

  14. I don't think that anyone has critiqued Ronnie more than I have in the past, but I must give props to the big man. He fixed all of the really serious flaws. Yeah, he could have been a hair sharper, but he kicked ass! The only guy to really bring the fight to Ronnie was Kevin, and you guys have picked him apart, so now who's left? No one! Coleman has reestablished himself as the true winner of the Olympia!

  15. Come on people! Open up your eyes! Ronnie looked terrible! No symmetry whatsoever. As a matter of fact, the only people with symmetry in the top 6 was Kevin, Chris, and Dexter. Flex looked great! Best symmetry in the show. Lee didn't have separation in his quads. This is bodybuilding. Ronnie's body is not pleasing to the eye at all. Gunter's even looks better.

    Complain, complain, complain. You love to say Ronnie did not look good, but I was there! In the morning and in the evening. Ronnie looked awesome in the morning. Kevin could not touch him, Chris could not touch him. Especially when you compare them side by side with all of the poses. Ok, Ronnie was a little off in the evening, and perhaps that is why many of you are complaining. That you feel that Ronnie took the win for granted in the evening, and did not come out in his best shape. How did Ronnie go from looking great in the morning, to so-so in the evening. And Kevin stepped it up. And so did Gunther.

  16. Everyone has their bodybuilder they like that they want to do better in the placings. From the pictures I saw, Ronnie seems to have reproduced his 2001 Arnold physique, which is what he needed to do to win. If he shows up in that shape every year, no one will touch him until he retires. His genetics make for a different type of ab structure, that's for sure. As the Mr. Olympia, Ronnie gets a few bonus points before he even steps on the stage. He did what he needed to do to win though.

  17. Ronnie has no symmetry? What are you talking about? Do you know what symmetry is? It is comparing the left side of his body with the right. as well as comparing every bodypart with each other to see if there is any very outstanding bodypart. And if you do that on Ronnie, he is very symmetrical! Maybe huge, but symmetrical none the less. If you say his left arm was 20 inches and the right 22 inches, then he is not very symmetrical but that is not the case. I thought he made all the improvements that people were fussing about last year. He can't help how his midsection is, that's genetics. But he has so much mass on his body and it still has some flow to it. Maybe a huge flow but it still flows, you people just love to rout for the underdog.

  18. Ronnie has the best guns in the biz. The only things not going for Ronnie is his mid section, quad separation and calves. Otherwise, he is the best. No one can compare to him as a whole.

  19. It does look like he does not have his high split in his bi's this year but I dont care. I thought he loooked awsome. People said no separation in his quads last year, and bam, he has it this year. Bloated stomach, gone! Well, almost gone. But Ronnie is so much improved either way.

  20. Ronnie's bi's are still killer! I think that the rest of his body has caught up. Ronnie has a short torso and only two huge ab rows, his linea alba (the gap between ab rows) is genetically huge, and there is nothing that he can do about it. I don't hold it against him, and no one should!

  21. That is what kills me about Ronnie. People say he "IMPROVED" over last year. Well, that term is being used in wrong context. Yes, he improved from last year but what about 1998 when he won. He is still behind that condition that he brought to the table. So he TRULY has not improved.

  22. I think it's just that his triceps are so huge that they overpower his biceps. His forearms are huge too. That kind of detail in his arms is amazing. Compare that to someone like, say, Chris Cormier, whose biceps looked like smooth softballs. Although Chris is a great bodybuilder, and I am just looking at the pictures. I'm sure in real life Ronnie's biceps are a lot bigger than they look in a faraway picture shot. But clearly his forearms and triceps are so gigantic that they overshadow his biceps. I think Ronnie should have lost last year, but hey, I give credit where its due, and he was on this year no question about it. Ronnie won the show!

  23. Ronnie's the man. Still got the belly. Cut quads, and separated, too. Looks a little smooth up top. He's not exactly on. Delts incredible. Doing lat spread. Good, but not detailed. Looks a little smooth to me. Yep, from the side, still has the belly. Vulnerable? Striated glutes, but not like last year. Ronnie ends his routine with a split all the way down to stage. Cutler should have shown up. It would have been incredible.

  24. Ronnie wins the show, but does not collapse on stage this time. It is amazing to hear the crowd doing some booing as Ronnie is the winner. Interesting to see them bring a Cadillac Escalade on stage, sponsored by Pinnacle, and giving the keys to Ronnie. Damn, Ronnie is so lucky!

  25. After the contest, Ronnie speaks to the audience, and he thanks the fans. "All praises to Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is working, and working hard on me. All praises to God." Says Vickie's mom (Rosie) was not able to make it. She passed away. "We won, Rosie. We won." "I've worked extremely hard. Had to come up with different package. Better, stronger, more complete." Ronnie Does not take this win for granted. "This is for y'all. God put me here. Let's go EAT. Thank you all, God Bless. Let's go EAT!"

  26. From the back the guy was unbeatable. He had the most developed back, and his conditioning was dead on. From the front, his conditioning is not as great, and of course he has the GH gut, but it's the IFBB, and his gut is improved. Half these guys would fall over if they had to suck their gut in for more than 20 seconds. His chest, shoulders, and arms are huge, and his proportions are excellent (nothing looks small on this guy). He really did deserve to win.

  27. Ronnie has amazing everything. I was there. I saw Kevin get killed from the back, and front. Levrone does have a wicked side chest and tri, but I feel he was LUCKY to be top 3. There are many guys that KILL him in the legs and back. I am not a blind Ronnie fan. In fact, I became more of a fan after seeing the awesome condition he was in this year. His quads were freaky shredded, and more striated than ever. Ronnie's biggest downfall, IMHO, is that he lacks great muscle control. When they were all hitting ab shots (Ronnie's weakest shot because of the way his abs are genetically), Ron wasn't flexing his quad! I stared at the big screen and saw his quad just sitting there. I think most people took that to mean it wasn't cut, but for a brief second he flexed it and BAM! Shit everywhere. If you blinked you missed it. I also want to reach out and adjust his body when he hits the side chest and tri. He could look so much better in those poses.

  28. Personally, I think Ronnie looked bad. He looked like he did when he used to place 9th. But being the current Mr. Olympia, we know how that goes. But with alll the booing he got who knows, next year might be an upset.

  29. If anyone besides Ronnie wins the symmetry round, then it should be Haider, followed by Jackson! These two, besides Ronnie, look fantastic!! They are smaller then most but that's what bodybuilding should be trying to get too! I Jackson ever wins the "O", I will be the first one for tickets to every pro show!!!!

  30. To all who complain who Ronnie's gyno. Ronnie can't have gyno beginning or whatever you want to call it. He had surgery to remove his gyno and the surgery removes the glands which produce gyno. Therefore he can never get gyno again. Ronnie had the best conditioning, that's why he won this year, unlike last. Period.

  31. Kevin had the best conditioning, but Ronnie does have excellent symmetry (his conditioning was off) and that is what carries him. Kamali was just about the only one who had a stand out posing routine, although it was not counted due to him not placing in the top 15 in the prejudging.

  32. Here is a definition of what Symmetry is. "Symmetry refers to the structural harmony of the physique relative to the size of various body parts. It can be defined as the proportional balance of opposite body parts. Symmetry does not refer to muscular mass but rather to a harmonious blend of all body parts to present a toal aesthetically proportional developed physique. The judges do not grant points based on potential." The symmetry round is supposed to judge both your symmetry and your proportion, i.e. the size/shape of each muscle relative to all others on your body. How does Ronnie get all firsts in that round? Ronnie may be massive, but the most proportioned guy on stage? No way!! His calves are too small, his waist / stomach too big, his biceps too big for his triceps. He's huge and should win the muscularity round, but straight firsts in the symmetry round!! That's mis-judging!

    Now here's the proof: If Ronnie gets judged correctly in that round, he'd probably be all 4's in that round (he's not the worst, but NOT the best in this round). That gives him 20 that round instead of 5. With that extra 15, he's in 2nd place, out of first - where he belongs. That's the RULES of IFBB Bodybuilding folks!! But they didn't follow their own rules.

  33. I'm afraid Ronnie is really gonna have people gunning for him. He's a champ with a good heart and a great physique, but for whatever reason the last couple times his conditioning has failed him. If Jay comes back next year (which I believe he plans to), the judges may have to concede to the obvious.

  34. During the off season and up to the week before the contest, Ronnie has a physique never seen before. Huge beyong huge with nice lines. Problem is, on the day the man can get ultra bone dry, Dorian dry. he gets fairly ripped but the stomach distends. This is the second year in a row he lost a couple of rounds. If Jay shows up and gets a really good posing routine happening, he gets 3 out of 4 rounds this year. I wish Dorian, injuries and all, would show up 1 last time. That guy hit it bang hard on game day. Ripped, bone dry, harder than nails and thicker than a bank vault at the same time. Dorian never lost rounds, even when Nasser was supposedly pushing him. Sure he had a gut but he knew how to suck it in on stage. Ronnie and Oville, they don't bother sucking it in half the time.

  35. I do not want to disappoint all of you, but none of those guys can beat Ronnie! You know what is his problem? The guy seems to be really lazy on the day of the show and does not practice his posing routine or nothing. He cruises by letting his muscularity take him through. If it was like last year and Jay was in front maybe he would have tried harder, but this year with perfect scores going into the evening show the guy just could not be bothered. Ronnie saw that he had perfect scores, and took it easy during the evening show. Big mistake.

  36. I really can't understand why everyone is so down on Ronnie. It doesn't seem to be as bad as last year but I think he deserves much more respect that what he gets. The guy is a certified freak in every sense of the word and although he might have flaws (just like everyone else), he deserved the top spot. I saw where someone here said his biceps were small. That is what he used to be known for. Have they shrunk? I don't think so! I will be the first to admit that his stomach was a little out of hand last year, but it was fine this year. I believe that he is a victim of the "champion can't lose" train of thought and people tend to judge him that way and dislike his physique because of that.

  37. Think of the big picture. Coleman doesn't really have an aesthetic physique. Big gut and stringy beef jerky muscles compounded by an ugly linea alba. He does not have mainstream appeal although many of the forefathers would have liked him for his legendary strength. If Haider had won, there'd be more coverage and more money pouring into bodybuilding and more new fans. Same for Ray or Levrone.

  38. Ronnie Coleman is the king. He is the best. And like it or not, Ronnie was the best man on stage at the Olympia. He is my idol, and from where he came from, 15th one year, 9th another year, he worked hard to make it to the top. No one can take it from him. Yes, a lot of you complain, but there is even a greater majority of us who know the truth. Ronnie was, is and will be the winner. Hands down. Great job done!

  39. I think that people went overboard with dissing Ronnie. He did not deserve the boo's and people walking out on him at the Olympia. He could have been harder - that's a fact. But people get so vicious - it's crazy. All anyone had to do was just lightly applause, especially with the way the whole arena chanted for Gunter. Ronnie got it, trust me. Afterward, he was pretty upset. He didn't really understand the hatred from the crowd. He's a pretty humble guy, unlike a lot in the sport and he really did give it his all. People act like just cause he was holding a little water, he didn't even try - that's ridiculous.

  40. Are you saying that Levrone's physique is far superior than Coleman's? What contest did you watch? Maybe you watched one of the pre 1998 Olympia's? Anyway, Levrone can't even touch Coleman's bicep split, back double bi's, back lat spread and front lat spread. Coleman may have a GH gut but he managed to bring it down since last year. What did Levrone do? He always looks the same, maybe change his posing trunks and his tan! Oh and don't let me forget. Levrone's legs are ridiculously small when compared to Coleman's. You want to tell me that Levrone's hams and glutes were more striated than Coleman's?? Don't make me laugh.

  41. Everyone is saying they would pick Gunter or Kevin over Coleman. Please explain why? Coleman absolutely kills Levrone, massacres him. His biceps, chest and the whole rear view, yes everything on the back of Coleman looks better than Kevin (except for the calves). As for Gunter, he was in amazing condition but the guy is like two bricks upon each other to me. His waist is so thick and his legs do not sweep until they reach around the knees. This throws him off big time. If Kevin quads, hams, glutes are on , then he would have a good chance but please guys, you cannot tell me he is going to win on traps, shoulders chest and tri's cause Ron has those as well but also has an amazing rear view.

  42. Ronnie deserved to win. His back is amazing, his waist was tighter, and his legs looked real good. He just has mounds and mounds of muscle that was well put together. Gunther looked great but probably deserved 3rd. As for Kamali, he looked like crap. Small and bad. Remember when he said Kevin let his fans down at the Arnold? Well King doubled that at the Olympia. Now he can keep his mouth shut. Flex Wheeler looked way too small. Marcus Ruhl was the coolest one to watch at the show. He deserved his placing, but he was just a freak. He's awesome. Overall it was a fun show to watch.

  43. It is so obvious that Ronnie got a gift this year, as nobody on the boards are raving about his physique. In fact, the hot topic is how others got robbed. The physique you presented this year was not worthy of the Mr. Olympia title. Please retire and give the other bodybuildingers a chance to win, because their physique is more deserving of the title than yours. And why, do you ask that I say you should retire? It's because as long as you are competing, the judges will rule in your favor regardless of whether you come to the contest in shape or not.

    Comments like asking Ronnie to retire is what really brings down the sport. Ronnie won his 5th title with a fresh set of judges, under some rather challenging circumstances. Now people are searching for other ways to discredit his achievements. All I can say to these people, train hard, and best of luck next year because they will all need it. Ronnie wins because he works hard and he is the overall best on that stage.

  44. Comparison of Levrone and Coleman at the 2002 Olympia: Kevin has a weak back compared to Ronnie and Cormier. His legs are too small. His arms, though very big, are nowhere near as well defined as Ronnie's arms. Granted, Ronnie's arms were smaller at this Olympia than last year's, but they still look more impresive than Kevin's. Although Ronnie and Kevin have great back width, Kevin lacks the detail and depth that Ronnie exhibits especially in the lower back area. Kevin's chest is flat and lacks depth when compared to Ronnie's chest. Although Kevin is known for the size of his delts and tris, Ronnie still beats him when it comes to detail and striations in those 2 areas. Ronnie also has fuller traps.

  45. I am amazed at the disrespectfull attitude that is displayed by those "fans", that criticize the Mr. Olympia, causes me to wonder why they are not competing, if they know so much. To do what Ronnie Coleman does, and others at his level is an accomplishment that bears respect, just on the sheer discipline of it.  Somehow it seems that those that"never played the game", act as if they have an obligation to say whatever they want,to whoever they want ,wherever they want. Being a respectful fan of bodybuilding is one thing, ripping Ronnie or others at the Olympia because one is unhappy with the placings is a sign of lack of maturity and judgement. Writing ones script in bodybuilding or lifting would be as a competitor. Then you can truly appreciate what you see on stage, and speak intelligently about it.