Eight-time winner Lee haney scheduled to be special guest at Washington fitness festival
Lee Haney actually terminated Arnold Schwarzenegger's bodybuilding record.
In 1991 Haney won his eighth straight Mr. Olympia title. Schwarzenegger won the title seven times, six in a row from 1970-75. The Austrian Oak came back and won another in 1980.
Ronnie Coleman has since tied Haney, reaching the pinnacle of the sport eight times from 1998-2005.
Haney, 48, will be part of the 2008 NGA Heart of America J.T. Natural Classic bodybuilding, figure and pro-figure championships Saturday starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Five Points Auditorium in Washington.
General admission tickets are $25 for reserved seating and includes both the prejudging and the evening show.
People can meet and greet Haney for the first time on Friday from 3-5 p.m. at Worlds Gym on University Street.
Haney got interested in bodybuilding at age 12. At 24, he was the youngest Mr. Olympia to ever capture the coveted sandow, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
"I fantasized about being Hercules and being a strong man," Haney said. "At the age of 12 I bought myself a set of weights and a Charles Atlas book and started educating myself. I'd rush to the drug store to buy muscle books. They grasped my attention and gave me a good foundation and taught me about the value of good nutrition."
Haney, who eats six or seven small meals a day to keep is metabolism burning, has long been recognized for his nutritional approach to bodybuilding. And Living a healthy lifestyle is something Haney will emphasize this Saturday.
"Smaller meals are better assimilated by your body," said Haney, who snacks on sweet potatoes or apples as one of his daily meals. "A 1,000-calorie meal robs you of your energy. You burn calories doing nothing other than breaking down your meal. We each need five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables."
As for his duties this weekend, Haney will "be talking about health, nutrition, and be handing out trophies."
His first major success came when Haney won the Mr. Universe title (the amateur equivalent of Mr. Olympia) in Belgium in 1982. He had already won the World Bodybuilding Championships.
"I knew I had made the big time when a German promoter asked me to come and take my shirt off for $1,000," he said.
He went pro and was under contract with promoter Joe Weider, who was responsible for bringing Schwarzenegger (from Austria) and Franco Columbo (Italy) to the United States.
"Weider was the pioneer or father of bodybuilding," Haney said. "On a one-on-one basis, he taught me training techniques. He published four magazines that promoted health and fitness."
Haney is retired from professional competition. His son Joshua Lee starts as a wide receiver for the Citadel and his daughter Olympia will be playing volleyball at Auburn next year.
"My whole thing now is to help people take better care of themselves," Haney said. "I'm currently writing a book on age management."
He has already authored two exercise books and chaired the President's Council on Physical Fitness during the Clinton Administration.
"I look at the body as physical art," Haney said. "Bodybuilding events are muscular ballet. There is emphasis on presentation, symmetry, with different areas to be judged."
Don Baker can be reached at 686-3214 or dbaker@pjstar.com
