Lee Haney Reveals Why He Retired after 8th Olympia Win: ‘I Thought of Stopping at 7’

Bodybuilding legend Lee Haney moved on from professional competition at the top as an eight-time Mr. Olympia champion. In a recent appearance on The Lee Labrada Show, Haney shared his origins in bodybuilding, dealing with the pressure of being a victor, and his motivations for chasing eight Olympia titles.

Lee Haney is widely recognized as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He made a name for himself with an impressive balance of muscle mass, detail, and stellar conditioning in the IFBB Pro League Men’s Open class.

During his days of competing on stage, Haney battled it out with the likes of six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, three-time champion Frank Zane, Shawn Ray, and Lee Labrada. He secured his first Sandow trophy by dethroning Samir Bannout in 1984 and proved to be a commanding champion as he successfully defended the title seven years in a row.

The landscape of the Men’s Open division has evolved drastically since Haney hung up his posing trunks. Haney fired shots at the modern competitors for weighing muscle size too heavily and sacrificing muscle quality. He pinned the blame on athletes using coaches that never competed professionally themselves.

A few days later, Haney took issue with the changes in the process of turning Pro. He argued the quality of competitors got diluted due to a drop in standards.

Following the passing of IFBB Pro Luke Sandoe, Haney issued a passionate message calling on people to open up about their mental health struggles. He stressed the importance of supporting each other through such challenges to handle the pressures that come with being an athlete.

Lee Haney opens up on his start in bodybuilding

In a recent YouTube video, Lee Haney revealed how he developed a passion for working out and got started in bodybuilding.

“When I was 9-10 years old I always fantasized of growing up to be Hercules or Sampson,” said Haney. “I recall at an early age when we would go to the grocery store, first thing I’d do is run to the newsstand tot take out the magazines. It was there I saw pictures of people like Arnold, Robbie Robinson, and the other bodybuilding legends. I wanted to be like these guys. That’s where I sort of cut my teeth.

“I asked my parents for a set of weights when I was around 11 years old. They got them for me for Christmas. With it came the Charles Atlas course. I’d read and study as much as I could and read about nutrition, starting to put little plans together.”

Although Haney stepped away from competing in 1991, he has no doubts he could’ve extended his lead had he continued competing. He retired at the height of his powers and left the sport without any major injuries or health problems, unlike many modern mass monsters.

Haney reveals why he retired after 8 Olympia titles

Lee Haney talked about the mental stress that comes with being at the top of the game.

“When we on top there’s nowhere else to go but down,” said Haney. “So, the pressure of how do I stay here? What can I do different 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. One of the things that helped me a lot, maintain my sanity, was the fact my wife Shirley was there with me.

“And 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.”

The 63-year-old revealed his motivations for chasing 8 Mr. Olympia titles and why he chose to retire once he accomplished the goal.

“Initially, I’d set out, you know, if I could win the Olympia three times, that’d be great. But three came around so fast. When I got the three, I said maybe I can do five and then fifth came around so fast. The years go by so quick. Then when I got to seventh, I thought to myself, seven is a record. Arnold didn’t do seven in a row but he did do overall. 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?’

“So that’s when Shirley came out which was somewhat embarrassing to me that I was even thinking of just stopping at seven. I had to push on if I wanted to stay on her good side.”

“When I hit the eighth one, I was able to exhale like whew!” continued Haney. “Not that I was in fear of what would come next. I just felt in my heart that I achieved what I wanted to accomplish. It was time to use that faith and what I’d accomplished in other areas. I was looking forward to what else was out there. You can only stay for so long in a particular area.”

“I never regretted having not competing again, matter of fact, I never gave it another thought.”

Lee Haney regularly offers his insight into the game. Last month, he shared some tips for safe contest prep and warned bodybuilders against the dangers of dehydration and utilizing inexperienced coaches without merit. He later urged the athletes and judges to reassess the need for extreme conditioning levels.

Earlier this month, Haney advised bodybuilders and fitness fans to take the advice they get online with a grain of salt due to unreliable sources.

You can watch the full video below.

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