If you are a fan of bodybuilding, you more than likely have heard the name “Ronnie Coleman” before. While searching for motivation to get big and strong, you may have watched Ronnie’s videos of him lifting or prepping meals. Ronnie Coleman is an internationally known bodybuilder and celebrity. So you may as yourself, “Where is Ronnie Coleman Now?” or “What is Ronnie Coleman doing now that he isn’t bodybuilding?” or even more importantly “How can I meet Ronnie Coleman?”
Well we are here to tell you this passed weekend was your chance to meet Ronnie Coleman face to face at House of Gains in Lancaster Pennsylvania. House of Gains is a sports nutrition store located in Central Pennsylvania. They carry a wide variety of protein powders, pre workouts, vitamins, gym equipment and various other items. House of Gains is the leading sports nutrition store in Central Pennsylvania and they had Ronnie Coleman out on June 15th for a meet and greet with his fans and bodybuilding enthusiasts.
The day started out with fans lining up in front of the store at 6AM. By 9am the line was growing significantly. The owner of the House of Gains, Matt Lane, came out with several others to hype the crowd up. With a megaphone in hand, Matt Lane started chants such as “Lets Go Ronnie” and shouting “Are you ready to meet the KING of Bodybuilding!!” It truly was an exciting moment for Lancaster gym rats. By 1015 am the crowd had grown to several hundred people, and Ronnie Coleman was arriving via convertible. Cameras were everywhere and people were screaming at the top of their lungs. The KING had arrived at House of Gains. He even got out of the car to greet his fans with his catch phrase “Yeah Buddy!!!”
At about 1030am the VIP ticket holders started funneling in and the day was off to the races. It took about an hour and a half to flow through them and on to general admission. There was one problem though, the line kept growing and people kept showing up to see what the former Olympian was doing at a retail supplement store. Nonetheless, the staff and vendors had everything under control. It was hot outside and even though everyone was under the awning, Matt and his team sprung into action and started having people hand out water, pizza, chicken and rice, and other beverages to keep people hydrated and fed while they waited to meet their hero. It was a collaborative effort and well received by the line outside this local sports nutrition store.
The line really never died down at all until about 4pm. For roughly 8 hours straight the wait was about an hour and a half long. The total guest count for the day was a little bit over one THOUSAND people showed up at this retail store to meet Ronnie Coleman in person. This was the biggest event House of Gains has ever put on and, according to vendors, one of the biggest store events they had ever been to. The crowd was enormous.
After 5pm the 8x Mr Olympia was done and needed to get to the airport for his flight home. The crowd was gone and everyone got to meet their hero face to face. Autographs were signed, memories were made, and House of Gains was the first to bring the legend to the area. Truly this was a lifetime experience for many who would have never got to meet Ronnie Coleman otherwise.
Why was Ronnie Coleman at House of Gains and how did he get here?
Ronnie Coleman is a retired bodybuilder. He grew up in the south and has had a very long career filled with achievements. He graduated from college in 1984 with an accounting degree and after a few years decided to become a police officer in Arlington Texas. In Arlington he started working out in a gym called “Metroflex” owned by Brian Dobson. Metroflex is a hardcore gym and has produced many top Olympia competitors such as Branch Warren and Ronnie Jackson. These are true hardcore bodybuilders working out in a hardcore bodybuilding gym. Metroflex is where Ronnie Coleman got his start.
A few years later Ronnie started competing in bodybuilding shows. He was still an active duty police officer at the time. He went on to win Mr. Texas in 1990 and in 1998 won his first Mr. Olympia title. He then went on to defend his title 8 straight times until 2005. Ronnie Coleman was the most dominant bodybuilder in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He won events all over the world including the Arnold Classic in 2001. He later retired in 2007 after being usurped by the up and coming Jay Cutler, a professional bodybuilder from Las Vegas.
Ronnie was always being flown all over the world to meet with fans and do expos. Before social media the only way you could interact with any of these athletes was to go to an expo center event. Events such as the Arnold Classic, FIBO, and other international bodybuilding competitions were known to be hot spots where you could meet celebrities. Now things are a little different. After retiring, Ronnie Coleman became a viral sensation on social media. His catch phrases are intoxicating. Anywhere you mention him you’ll get one of many responses such as shouting “Yeah Buddy” or “Lightweight baby”. He has become an icon to the sport known by many.
Now that Ronnie Coleman is retired, he still goes all over the world to meet with fans. Some of these fans are older and just now getting to meet him. However with the rise of his social media celebrity status, he has enlisted a new generation of fans. Young people find his old lifts on Tik Tok and Instagram and share them with friends for good laughs and motivation. House of Gains was lucky enough to come into contact with a friend who introduced them a few months back at at the Arnold Classic. Matt Lane knew this was a chance of a lifetime. Getting Ronnie to come to his retail store was going to be a huge opportunity, and a legendary achievement for his team.
Now the event is over and Ronnie Coleman is already prepping for his next meet and greet in Mexico City. He may be retired from competing, but he is far from retired entirely. He spends his weeks at home and his weekends flying around the world to excite crowds. There will never be another Ronnie Coleman, but his legacy will live on forever. House of Gains is proud to have brought many peoples hero to Lancaster PA. The event was huge, the work was hard, but in the spirit of Coleman we all know its just “Light weight baby!”
