Lee Marvin Haney (Born November 11, 1959, South Carolina) is one of the most legendary bodybuilders in the history of bodybuilding. For eight consecutive years he won the title “Mr. Olympia”, surpassing the achievements of Arnold Schwarzenegger, seven times the owner of this title. Many people consider him to be by far the best bodybuilder of that era. Lee Haney personified a harmonious combination of proportions and mass. It ended the era of aesthetic bodybuilding, in the wake of which came the era of monsters of mass, which was discovered by Dorian Yates.
Lee Haney since childhood was fond to football. At the age of 12 he first took dumbbells in his hands. At 19 years he won his first tournament, “Mr. America” among oys. According to Lee himself, he was born in a religious family and finally believed in the existence of higher forces at 17 years. At that time, he concluded with God something like a contract: God helps him to win, and Lee will put all his success in his service. After that, miracles started to happen in his life: in just one year he won the teenage championship of America, the championship of America among juniors, the national championship of the USA and was awarded the title “Mr. Universe”. Since then, Lee has become serious about religion and tried to lead the life of an exemplary Christian.
In 1983, Lee received the status of a professional, and for the first time performing at Olympia took the third place there. Since 1984 he began a win-win procession for the tournaments “Mr. Olympia.” After receiving the seventh statue of Sandow, Haney wanted to stop, he was afraid to encroach on the glory of Arnold and cross out his record. But, according to him, the eighth victory was given to him surprisingly easily.
After completing his competitive career at age 32, Lee Haney took up business, became the owner of a fitness center, and later for a second one. Apparently, the business went well. When he was hinted at participation in the Olympia in 1995, he replied that he did not see much sense in this. Another victory will not add anything to his fame, and 100-150 thousand dollars for him is not money, business brings more. Less than 400-500 thousand dollars for the first place did not interest him. Most of the money he earns is spent on his brainchild – a village for children abandoned by their parents. Children live in cottages, eat, learn and play sports on time. They have caring teachers, their doctors are watching their health. The life of these children is no different from life in a normal family.
Lee Haney is a follower of the high-volume training system. In his youth, having tested various training systems, he found it most suitable for himself a multi-set system. Unlike Dorian Yates, Lee did not work to the point of rejection in every approach, believing that abusing work before failure quickly “burns” muscles. Its expression: muscles need to be stimulated, not destroyed. Haney preference for work is on simulators and blocks, believing that they have some advantages over free weights. However, I used both in training. Performed a large number of sets (up to 35 sets for some muscle groups) for 8-10 repetitions in each, rest between sets was 45-60 seconds. In some exercises in which it was required to work with submaximal scales, I used the pyramid system, smoothly approaching warm-up to working weights. Thanks to this approach to training, Lee Haney has not received a single serious injury in his entire career. The training schedule was based on a three-day split: three days of training, a day of rest. Much attention was paid to work on the press, where the main exercise was lifting the legs in the vise, Lee performed it all year round. This allowed him in the offseason with a weight over 118 kg look fried. Exercises Haney performed, maximally mentally concentrating on the work of the target muscles.
Having finished the performance, Lee Haney continues training and even at an age well beyond 50 has an excellent physical shape. Lee Haney, the famous leader of the Christian channel “Trinity”, conducts the popular show “TotaLee Fit with Lee Haney.” He conducts coaching activities, trains world-class athletes. Conducts seminars that promote a healthy lifestyle. Trainers and professional bodybuilders consider it a “walking encyclopedia” for training and nutrition. Lee Haney is the head of the scientific bodybuilding of the International Association of Sports Sciences (IASS).
In 1998, US President Bill Clinton appointed Lee Haney chairman of the presidential council for physical culture and sports. Lee Haney is a member of the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB).
