Arnold Schwarzenegger may have won 7 Mr. Olympia titles, but just like every mortal, Lee Haney replaced him after he went out of his prime with time.

After earning his 6th Mr. Olympia title in 1975, the legend retired from the sport and began focusing on acting. However, after 5 years, he returned to claim his 7th title at the 1980 Mr. Olympia, making him the record-holder for most Mr. Olympia titles.

Lee Haney entered the scene in 1984 with his well-built physique. Haney won the Olympia titles from 1984 to 1991, 8 consecutive years, breaking Arnold Schwarzenegger’s record and ushering in a new era.

During one of his public appearances in March 2019, Schwarzenegger shared his thoughts on how he felt after Haney broke his record. 'The Shadow' was also present on the same stage.

He said, "You have two feelings. One of them is, you feel like ok, someone has broken your record." However, his other side was totally upset. That's why he further explained, "there’s a part that says, s*** what the h*** just happened here?"

Later, Arnold also praised and admired Haney’s journey and struggle. He explained, "The better side of me was that I was very happy that he won the eighth Mr. Olympia, and I said, you know, it could easily be that he goes to ten because there was no stopping him at that point. But then he retired”.

So, after winning his 8th title, Haney retired from professional bodybuilding, and he himself explained why he made the decision.

What led to Lee Haney’s retirement when Arnold Schwarzenegger thought he could continue

Lee Haney appeared on the March 29, 2023, episode of The Lee Labrada Show, where he explained the pressure of continuing his glorious run in the sport.

Haney said, "When we’re on top, there’s nowhere else to go but down…. So, the pressure of how do I stay here? What can I do differently to bring a better package? All those things run through your mind and, if you don’t keep it together, that can really create a lot of stress."

He also revealed that he thought of retirement after his 7th Mr. Olympia win. However, his wife, Shirley, pushed him to go for his eighth title. He said, "I had a conversation with Shirley, and she was like, 'What are you talking about, quit? You gotta do eight. What’s the matter with you?'"

After achieving his eighth title, Haney didn't see a clear reason to continue in the sport. He clarified his narrative, saying, "I looked at bodybuilding in such a way that it’s my job. I didn’t worship the craft, although I wanted to be the best at it. It wasn’t the end of the world as the way I looked at it."

But like Schwarzenegger, do you also think that Haney could've bagged more Mr. Olympia titles if he continued?

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Souvik Roy