More than a dozen men have held the Mr. Olympia title, but only two of them sit at the top of the heap with eight consecutive wins. One is Ronnie Coleman, who had an unbeaten streak from 1998 through 2005. The other is a man Coleman called his idol, Lee Haney, who won every year from 1984 through 1991. The joint record still stands today.
Haney was the most dominant bodybuilder of the 1980s and early ‘90s, and he helped elevate the sport to mainstream status by appearing on countless magazine covers and starring in his own workout-focused TV show on ESPN.
In the 30-plus years since his last contest, fans and athletes alike still view the South Carolina native as the epitome of how the sport should be represented both on stage and off. Here’s a look back at how Haney created such a legacy.
[Related: 8-Time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney’s Back Workout Explained]
Early Life and Amateur Career
Lee Haney was born on November 11, 1959, and he got into bodybuilding while he was a teenager. As an amateur, he won the 1979 AAU Teen Mr. America Tall and Overall titles, and he continued competing as an amateur until 1982.
Following his wins at the inaugural NPC Junior Nationals and National championships, he placed first in the Heavyweight category at that year’s IFBB World Amateur Championships, becoming an IFBB Pro in 1983.
Lee Haney’s Pro Career and Bodybuilding Contest History
Haney competed in 16 pro shows from 1983 to 1991, never placing lower than third in any of them. He has 11 pro wins to his credit, including the eight Mr. Olympia championships that he has become synonymous with. He also won the 1983 Grand Prix Las Vegas, the 1983 Night of Champions, and the 1987 Grand Prix Germany.
Haney retired in 1991, following his eighth Olympia win, which broke Arnold Schwarzenegger’s then-record of seven. His full contest history is below, as documented by Muscle Memory.
1983
- Grand Prix England IFBB — 2nd place
- Grand Prix Las Vegas IFBB — 1st place
- Grand Prix Sweden IFBB — 2nd place
- Grand Prix Switzerland IFBB — 3rd place
- Night of Champions IFBB — 1st place
- Mr. Olympia — 3rd place
- World Pro Championships IFBB — 3rd place
1984
- Mr. Olympia — 1st place
1985
- Mr. Olympia — 1st place
1986
- Mr. Olympia — 1st place
1987
- Mr. Olympia — 1st place
1988
- Mr. Olympia — 1st place
- Grand Prix Germany IFBB — 1st place
1989
- Mr. Olympia — 1st place
1990
- Mr. Olympia — 1st place
1991
- Mr. Olympia — 1st place
Lee Haney’s Workouts and Training Style
One of Haney’s most famous quotes is, “Stimulate, don’t annihilate,” which essentially meant that he never lifted heavy weights at the expense of his form or overall health.
Throughout his career, he followed a high-volume training approach, but he slowly ramped up the intensity as he got closer to a contest. He would do this in three phases over the course of his year.
[Related: The Best Bodybuilding Programs for All Experience Levels]
Lee Haney’s Mr. Olympia Shoulder Workout
In one of his columns for Muscle & Fitness, Haney shared the three-phase shoulder workout that he utilized during his career. He noted that he used the first phase for building mass, the second was for adding definition, and the third — which he used eight to 10 weeks before a show — was all about intensity. Here’s how it breaks down:
Lee Haney’s Age, Height, and Weight
Lee Haney will turn 64 years old on November 11, 2023. Throughout his bodybuilding career, Haney stood at 5’11” and weighed around 250 pounds, according to a 1988 profile from The Los Angeles Times. He debuted at the Mr. Olympia in 1983 and won his first Sandow Trophy the following year at 24. He officially retired from the sport for good in 1991 after his final Olympia victory at 31 years old.
Business Ventures
During his reign as Mr. Olympia, Haney could be seen on numerous magazine covers and TV shows. He even had his own workout television show on ESPN, where he trained with fellow bodybuilders and celebrities, such as professional wrestlers from the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE). Haney also sold training videos with workouts and tips for the viewers to reach their own fitness goals and endorsed products for Weider Supplements and Twinlab.
[Related: Build a Titanic Torso With These Bodybuilding Chest & Back Workouts]
Following his retirement from the stage, Haney starred in another fitness show on Trinity Broadcast Network called TotaLee Fit with Lee Haney. In 1999, President Bill Clinton appointed Haney to the position of chairman for the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Haney served in this role from 1999 to 2002, making him the second Mr. Olympia to be involved in the council. From 1990 to 1992, Schwarzenegger held the chairman position under President George H.W. Bush.
Today, Haney promotes his own supplement line, Lee Haney Nutrition, and runs a personal training certification called the International Association of Fitness Sciences (IAFS). He also wrote two books and has been promoting the Lee Haney Games, an NPC bodybuilding show and fitness event in the Atlanta, GA, area, since 2015.
Total-Lee Awesome
Haney can still be seen making appearances at major bodybuilding shows and posting occasionally on Instagram to connect with his 234,000 followers. Even in his 60s, he still trains regularly and lives a fit lifestyle while trying to find different ways to contribute to the sport that he credits for changing his life.
Featured Image: @lee_haney_official on Instagram
