Mr. Olympia was created in 1965 by the late Joe Weider, the father of bodybuilding, to determine who was the greatest bodybuilder on the planet. Since then, a total of only 14 bodybuilders have won the coveted Sandow trophy and earned the title of Mr. Olympia. Two of those bodybuilders, Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman, co-hold the record for the most victories at eight apiece.
01 of 06
1960s
California Governor, and former Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) talks with former Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva (R) while touring the trade show at Arnold Fitness Weekend March 7, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio. Mike Simons/Getty Images
Sergio Oliva, born in Cuba in 1941, fought against Castro with General Batista at the age of 16. After his military service, Oliva began lifting weights with friends and quickly became a competitive bodybuilder. In 1962, Oliva was chosen to represent Cuba at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Jamaica. There, he ran to the American consulate, where he requested asylum. He won the Mr. Olympia award three times in the 1960s, beating Arnold Schwarzenegger and earning himself the title “The Myth.”
Mr. Olympia I (1965, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia II (1966, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia III (1967, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia IV (1968, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia V (1969, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio Oliva
02 of 06
1970s
Austrian-born bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger flexes his muscles onstage, 1970s. Pictorial Parade/Getty Images
Born in Austria in 1947, Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at 15 years old. As a young man, he trained with Mr. Austria Kurt Marnu and during his military service, won the Mr. Universe title. He came to the United States in 1968, continued to train, and in 1970, won the first of seven Mr. Olympia titles. Schwarzenegger went on to become a movie star and governor of California, as well as the founder of the Arnold Sports Festival bodybuilding competition.
Mr. Olympia VI (1970, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VII (1971, Paris, France): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VIII (1972, Essen, West Germany): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia IX (1973, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia X (1974, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XI (1975, Pretoria, South Africa): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XII (1976, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XIII (1977, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XIV (1978, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XV (1979, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank Zane
03 of 06
1980s
Franco Columbu. rhodney carter (carter chronicles) / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
Lee Haney was the winner of eight Mr. Olympia medals in a row beginning in 1984. He served as the chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during Bill Clinton’s presidency, and now has his own radio program called “TotaLee Fit with Lee Haney.“
Mr. Olympia XV (1980, Sydney, Australia): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XVII (1981, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XVIII (1982, London, UK): Chris DickersonMr. Olympia XIX (1983, Munich, West Germany): Samir BannoutMr. Olympia XX (1984, New York City, New York, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXI (1985, Brussels, Belgium): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXII (1986, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIII (1987, Gothenburg, Sweden): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIV (1988, Los Angeles, California, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXV (1989, Rimini, Italy): Lee Haney
04 of 06
1990s
Ronnie Coleman began his run of eight Mr. Olympia titles in 1998. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
Dorian Yates, six-time Mr. Olympia winner, was born in England in 1962. He was one of the founders of “high-intensity training” and won many major bodybuilding contests before retiring due to injuries. He now owns several gyms as well as companies that produce bodybuilding equipment and supplements.
Mr. Olympia XXVI (1990, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVII (1991, Orlando, Florida, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVIII (1992, Helsinki, Finland): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXIX (1993, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXX (1994, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXI (1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXII (1996, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIII (1997, Los Angeles, California, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIV (1998, New York City, New York, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXV (1999, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie Coleman
05 of 06
2000s
Dexter Jackson of the USA strikes a pose during the 2007 IFBB Australian Bodybuilding Grand Prix VII at Dallas Brooks Hall on March 10, 2007 in Melbourne, Australia. Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
Ronnie Coleman is considered to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He played football in college, then became a police officer, and finally got into bodybuilding when a friend invited him to join his gym. He is an eight-time winner of the Mr. Olympia contest and won both the Canada Pro Cup and the Russian Grand Prix. After several major injuries, he left active bodybuilding, made several training videos, and currently does product promotions.
Mr. Olympia XXXVI(2000, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVII (2001, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVIII (2002, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXIX (2003, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XL (2004, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLI (2005, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLII(2006, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIII (2007, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIV (2008, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Dexter JacksonMr. Olympia XLV (2009, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay Cutler
06 of 06
2010s
Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
The most dominant bodybuilder of the 2010s, Phil Heath was born in 1979 and raised in Seattle. He attended the University of Denver where he played basketball and majored in accounting. He started bodybuilding in 2002 and began winning awards in 2005 including the NPC USA Championship, the Colorado Pro Championship, the New York Pro Championship, and the 2008 Iron Man. He went on to win Mr. Olympia seven times in a row, finally losing in 2018 to Shawn Rhoden.
Mr. Olympia XLVI (2010, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLVII (2011, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII (2012, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIV (2013, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXV(2014, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVI(2015, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) : Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVII(2016, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2018, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Shawn Rhoden
Mr. Olympia was created in 1965 by the late Joe Weider, the father of bodybuilding, to determine who was the greatest bodybuilder on the planet. Since then, a total of only 14 bodybuilders have won the coveted Sandow trophy and earned the title of Mr. Olympia. Two of those bodybuilders, Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman, co-hold the record for the most victories at eight apiece.
01 of 06
1960s
California Governor, and former Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) talks with former Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva (R) while touring the trade show at Arnold Fitness Weekend March 7, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio. Mike Simons/Getty Images
Sergio Oliva, born in Cuba in 1941, fought against Castro with General Batista at the age of 16. After his military service, Oliva began lifting weights with friends and quickly became a competitive bodybuilder. In 1962, Oliva was chosen to represent Cuba at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Jamaica. There, he ran to the American consulate, where he requested asylum. He won the Mr. Olympia award three times in the 1960s, beating Arnold Schwarzenegger and earning himself the title “The Myth.”
Mr. Olympia I (1965, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia II (1966, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia III (1967, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia IV (1968, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia V (1969, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio Oliva
02 of 06
1970s
Austrian-born bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger flexes his muscles onstage, 1970s. Pictorial Parade/Getty Images
Born in Austria in 1947, Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at 15 years old. As a young man, he trained with Mr. Austria Kurt Marnu and during his military service, won the Mr. Universe title. He came to the United States in 1968, continued to train, and in 1970, won the first of seven Mr. Olympia titles. Schwarzenegger went on to become a movie star and governor of California, as well as the founder of the Arnold Sports Festival bodybuilding competition.
Mr. Olympia VI (1970, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VII (1971, Paris, France): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VIII (1972, Essen, West Germany): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia IX (1973, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia X (1974, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XI (1975, Pretoria, South Africa): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XII (1976, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XIII (1977, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XIV (1978, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XV (1979, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank Zane
03 of 06
1980s
Franco Columbu. rhodney carter (carter chronicles) / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
Lee Haney was the winner of eight Mr. Olympia medals in a row beginning in 1984. He served as the chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during Bill Clinton’s presidency, and now has his own radio program called “TotaLee Fit with Lee Haney.“
Mr. Olympia XV (1980, Sydney, Australia): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XVII (1981, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XVIII (1982, London, UK): Chris DickersonMr. Olympia XIX (1983, Munich, West Germany): Samir BannoutMr. Olympia XX (1984, New York City, New York, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXI (1985, Brussels, Belgium): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXII (1986, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIII (1987, Gothenburg, Sweden): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIV (1988, Los Angeles, California, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXV (1989, Rimini, Italy): Lee Haney
04 of 06
1990s
Ronnie Coleman began his run of eight Mr. Olympia titles in 1998. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
Dorian Yates, six-time Mr. Olympia winner, was born in England in 1962. He was one of the founders of “high-intensity training” and won many major bodybuilding contests before retiring due to injuries. He now owns several gyms as well as companies that produce bodybuilding equipment and supplements.
Mr. Olympia XXVI (1990, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVII (1991, Orlando, Florida, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVIII (1992, Helsinki, Finland): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXIX (1993, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXX (1994, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXI (1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXII (1996, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIII (1997, Los Angeles, California, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIV (1998, New York City, New York, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXV (1999, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie Coleman
05 of 06
2000s
Dexter Jackson of the USA strikes a pose during the 2007 IFBB Australian Bodybuilding Grand Prix VII at Dallas Brooks Hall on March 10, 2007 in Melbourne, Australia. Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
Ronnie Coleman is considered to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He played football in college, then became a police officer, and finally got into bodybuilding when a friend invited him to join his gym. He is an eight-time winner of the Mr. Olympia contest and won both the Canada Pro Cup and the Russian Grand Prix. After several major injuries, he left active bodybuilding, made several training videos, and currently does product promotions.
Mr. Olympia XXXVI(2000, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVII (2001, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVIII (2002, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXIX (2003, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XL (2004, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLI (2005, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLII(2006, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIII (2007, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIV (2008, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Dexter JacksonMr. Olympia XLV (2009, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay Cutler
06 of 06
2010s
Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
The most dominant bodybuilder of the 2010s, Phil Heath was born in 1979 and raised in Seattle. He attended the University of Denver where he played basketball and majored in accounting. He started bodybuilding in 2002 and began winning awards in 2005 including the NPC USA Championship, the Colorado Pro Championship, the New York Pro Championship, and the 2008 Iron Man. He went on to win Mr. Olympia seven times in a row, finally losing in 2018 to Shawn Rhoden.
Mr. Olympia XLVI (2010, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLVII (2011, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII (2012, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIV (2013, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXV(2014, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVI(2015, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) : Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVII(2016, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2018, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Shawn Rhoden
Mr. Olympia was created in 1965 by the late Joe Weider, the father of bodybuilding, to determine who was the greatest bodybuilder on the planet. Since then, a total of only 14 bodybuilders have won the coveted Sandow trophy and earned the title of Mr. Olympia. Two of those bodybuilders, Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman, co-hold the record for the most victories at eight apiece.
01 of 06
1960s
California Governor, and former Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) talks with former Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva (R) while touring the trade show at Arnold Fitness Weekend March 7, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio. Mike Simons/Getty Images
Sergio Oliva, born in Cuba in 1941, fought against Castro with General Batista at the age of 16. After his military service, Oliva began lifting weights with friends and quickly became a competitive bodybuilder. In 1962, Oliva was chosen to represent Cuba at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Jamaica. There, he ran to the American consulate, where he requested asylum. He won the Mr. Olympia award three times in the 1960s, beating Arnold Schwarzenegger and earning himself the title “The Myth.”
Mr. Olympia I (1965, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia II (1966, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia III (1967, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia IV (1968, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia V (1969, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio Oliva
02 of 06
1970s
Austrian-born bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger flexes his muscles onstage, 1970s. Pictorial Parade/Getty Images
Born in Austria in 1947, Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at 15 years old. As a young man, he trained with Mr. Austria Kurt Marnu and during his military service, won the Mr. Universe title. He came to the United States in 1968, continued to train, and in 1970, won the first of seven Mr. Olympia titles. Schwarzenegger went on to become a movie star and governor of California, as well as the founder of the Arnold Sports Festival bodybuilding competition.
Mr. Olympia VI (1970, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VII (1971, Paris, France): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VIII (1972, Essen, West Germany): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia IX (1973, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia X (1974, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XI (1975, Pretoria, South Africa): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XII (1976, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XIII (1977, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XIV (1978, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XV (1979, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank Zane
03 of 06
1980s
Franco Columbu. rhodney carter (carter chronicles) / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
Lee Haney was the winner of eight Mr. Olympia medals in a row beginning in 1984. He served as the chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during Bill Clinton’s presidency, and now has his own radio program called “TotaLee Fit with Lee Haney.“
Mr. Olympia XV (1980, Sydney, Australia): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XVII (1981, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XVIII (1982, London, UK): Chris DickersonMr. Olympia XIX (1983, Munich, West Germany): Samir BannoutMr. Olympia XX (1984, New York City, New York, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXI (1985, Brussels, Belgium): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXII (1986, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIII (1987, Gothenburg, Sweden): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIV (1988, Los Angeles, California, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXV (1989, Rimini, Italy): Lee Haney
04 of 06
1990s
Ronnie Coleman began his run of eight Mr. Olympia titles in 1998. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
Dorian Yates, six-time Mr. Olympia winner, was born in England in 1962. He was one of the founders of “high-intensity training” and won many major bodybuilding contests before retiring due to injuries. He now owns several gyms as well as companies that produce bodybuilding equipment and supplements.
Mr. Olympia XXVI (1990, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVII (1991, Orlando, Florida, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVIII (1992, Helsinki, Finland): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXIX (1993, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXX (1994, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXI (1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXII (1996, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIII (1997, Los Angeles, California, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIV (1998, New York City, New York, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXV (1999, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie Coleman
05 of 06
2000s
Dexter Jackson of the USA strikes a pose during the 2007 IFBB Australian Bodybuilding Grand Prix VII at Dallas Brooks Hall on March 10, 2007 in Melbourne, Australia. Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
Ronnie Coleman is considered to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He played football in college, then became a police officer, and finally got into bodybuilding when a friend invited him to join his gym. He is an eight-time winner of the Mr. Olympia contest and won both the Canada Pro Cup and the Russian Grand Prix. After several major injuries, he left active bodybuilding, made several training videos, and currently does product promotions.
Mr. Olympia XXXVI(2000, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVII (2001, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVIII (2002, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXIX (2003, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XL (2004, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLI (2005, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLII(2006, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIII (2007, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIV (2008, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Dexter JacksonMr. Olympia XLV (2009, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay Cutler
06 of 06
2010s
Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
The most dominant bodybuilder of the 2010s, Phil Heath was born in 1979 and raised in Seattle. He attended the University of Denver where he played basketball and majored in accounting. He started bodybuilding in 2002 and began winning awards in 2005 including the NPC USA Championship, the Colorado Pro Championship, the New York Pro Championship, and the 2008 Iron Man. He went on to win Mr. Olympia seven times in a row, finally losing in 2018 to Shawn Rhoden.
Mr. Olympia XLVI (2010, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLVII (2011, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII (2012, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIV (2013, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXV(2014, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVI(2015, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) : Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVII(2016, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2018, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Shawn Rhoden
Mr. Olympia was created in 1965 by the late Joe Weider, the father of bodybuilding, to determine who was the greatest bodybuilder on the planet. Since then, a total of only 14 bodybuilders have won the coveted Sandow trophy and earned the title of Mr. Olympia. Two of those bodybuilders, Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman, co-hold the record for the most victories at eight apiece.
01 of 06
1960s
California Governor, and former Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) talks with former Mr. Olympia Sergio Oliva (R) while touring the trade show at Arnold Fitness Weekend March 7, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio. Mike Simons/Getty Images
Sergio Oliva, born in Cuba in 1941, fought against Castro with General Batista at the age of 16. After his military service, Oliva began lifting weights with friends and quickly became a competitive bodybuilder. In 1962, Oliva was chosen to represent Cuba at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Jamaica. There, he ran to the American consulate, where he requested asylum. He won the Mr. Olympia award three times in the 1960s, beating Arnold Schwarzenegger and earning himself the title “The Myth.”
Mr. Olympia I (1965, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia II (1966, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia III (1967, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia IV (1968, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia V (1969, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio Oliva
02 of 06
1970s
Austrian-born bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger flexes his muscles onstage, 1970s. Pictorial Parade/Getty Images
Born in Austria in 1947, Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at 15 years old. As a young man, he trained with Mr. Austria Kurt Marnu and during his military service, won the Mr. Universe title. He came to the United States in 1968, continued to train, and in 1970, won the first of seven Mr. Olympia titles. Schwarzenegger went on to become a movie star and governor of California, as well as the founder of the Arnold Sports Festival bodybuilding competition.
Mr. Olympia VI (1970, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VII (1971, Paris, France): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VIII (1972, Essen, West Germany): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia IX (1973, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia X (1974, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XI (1975, Pretoria, South Africa): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XII (1976, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XIII (1977, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XIV (1978, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XV (1979, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank Zane
03 of 06
1980s
Franco Columbu. rhodney carter (carter chronicles) / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
Lee Haney was the winner of eight Mr. Olympia medals in a row beginning in 1984. He served as the chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during Bill Clinton’s presidency, and now has his own radio program called “TotaLee Fit with Lee Haney.“
Mr. Olympia XV (1980, Sydney, Australia): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XVII (1981, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XVIII (1982, London, UK): Chris DickersonMr. Olympia XIX (1983, Munich, West Germany): Samir BannoutMr. Olympia XX (1984, New York City, New York, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXI (1985, Brussels, Belgium): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXII (1986, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIII (1987, Gothenburg, Sweden): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIV (1988, Los Angeles, California, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXV (1989, Rimini, Italy): Lee Haney
04 of 06
1990s
Ronnie Coleman began his run of eight Mr. Olympia titles in 1998. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
Dorian Yates, six-time Mr. Olympia winner, was born in England in 1962. He was one of the founders of “high-intensity training” and won many major bodybuilding contests before retiring due to injuries. He now owns several gyms as well as companies that produce bodybuilding equipment and supplements.
Mr. Olympia XXVI (1990, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVII (1991, Orlando, Florida, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVIII (1992, Helsinki, Finland): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXIX (1993, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXX (1994, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXI (1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXII (1996, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIII (1997, Los Angeles, California, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIV (1998, New York City, New York, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXV (1999, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie Coleman
05 of 06
2000s
Dexter Jackson of the USA strikes a pose during the 2007 IFBB Australian Bodybuilding Grand Prix VII at Dallas Brooks Hall on March 10, 2007 in Melbourne, Australia. Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
Ronnie Coleman is considered to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He played football in college, then became a police officer, and finally got into bodybuilding when a friend invited him to join his gym. He is an eight-time winner of the Mr. Olympia contest and won both the Canada Pro Cup and the Russian Grand Prix. After several major injuries, he left active bodybuilding, made several training videos, and currently does product promotions.
Mr. Olympia XXXVI(2000, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVII (2001, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVIII (2002, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXIX (2003, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XL (2004, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLI (2005, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLII(2006, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIII (2007, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIV (2008, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Dexter JacksonMr. Olympia XLV (2009, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay Cutler
06 of 06
2010s
Robert Cianflone / Getty Images
The most dominant bodybuilder of the 2010s, Phil Heath was born in 1979 and raised in Seattle. He attended the University of Denver where he played basketball and majored in accounting. He started bodybuilding in 2002 and began winning awards in 2005 including the NPC USA Championship, the Colorado Pro Championship, the New York Pro Championship, and the 2008 Iron Man. He went on to win Mr. Olympia seven times in a row, finally losing in 2018 to Shawn Rhoden.
Mr. Olympia XLVI (2010, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLVII (2011, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII (2012, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIV (2013, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXV(2014, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVI(2015, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) : Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVII(2016, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2018, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Shawn Rhoden
01 of 06
1960s
Sergio Oliva, born in Cuba in 1941, fought against Castro with General Batista at the age of 16. After his military service, Oliva began lifting weights with friends and quickly became a competitive bodybuilder. In 1962, Oliva was chosen to represent Cuba at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Jamaica. There, he ran to the American consulate, where he requested asylum. He won the Mr. Olympia award three times in the 1960s, beating Arnold Schwarzenegger and earning himself the title “The Myth.”
01 of 06
01
of 06
- Mr. Olympia I (1965, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia II (1966, New York City, New York, USA): Larry ScottMr. Olympia III (1967, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia IV (1968, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio OlivaMr. Olympia V (1969, New York City, New York, USA): Sergio Oliva
02 of 06
1970s
Born in Austria in 1947, Schwarzenegger began lifting weights at 15 years old. As a young man, he trained with Mr. Austria Kurt Marnu and during his military service, won the Mr. Universe title. He came to the United States in 1968, continued to train, and in 1970, won the first of seven Mr. Olympia titles. Schwarzenegger went on to become a movie star and governor of California, as well as the founder of the Arnold Sports Festival bodybuilding competition.
02 of 06
02
- Mr. Olympia VI (1970, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VII (1971, Paris, France): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia VIII (1972, Essen, West Germany): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia IX (1973, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia X (1974, New York City, New York, USA): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XI (1975, Pretoria, South Africa): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XII (1976, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XIII (1977, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XIV (1978, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank ZaneMr. Olympia XV (1979, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Frank Zane
03 of 06
1980s
Lee Haney was the winner of eight Mr. Olympia medals in a row beginning in 1984. He served as the chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during Bill Clinton’s presidency, and now has his own radio program called “TotaLee Fit with Lee Haney.“
03 of 06
03
- Mr. Olympia XV (1980, Sydney, Australia): Arnold SchwarzeneggerMr. Olympia XVII (1981, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Franco ColumbuMr. Olympia XVIII (1982, London, UK): Chris DickersonMr. Olympia XIX (1983, Munich, West Germany): Samir BannoutMr. Olympia XX (1984, New York City, New York, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXI (1985, Brussels, Belgium): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXII (1986, Columbus, Ohio, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIII (1987, Gothenburg, Sweden): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXIV (1988, Los Angeles, California, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXV (1989, Rimini, Italy): Lee Haney
04 of 06
1990s
Dorian Yates, six-time Mr. Olympia winner, was born in England in 1962. He was one of the founders of “high-intensity training” and won many major bodybuilding contests before retiring due to injuries. He now owns several gyms as well as companies that produce bodybuilding equipment and supplements.
04 of 06
04
- Mr. Olympia XXVI (1990, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVII (1991, Orlando, Florida, USA): Lee HaneyMr. Olympia XXVIII (1992, Helsinki, Finland): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXIX (1993, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXX (1994, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXI (1995, Atlanta, Georgia, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXII (1996, Chicago, Illinois, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIII (1997, Los Angeles, California, USA): Dorian YatesMr. Olympia XXXIV (1998, New York City, New York, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXV (1999, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie Coleman
05 of 06
2000s
Ronnie Coleman is considered to be one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time. He played football in college, then became a police officer, and finally got into bodybuilding when a friend invited him to join his gym. He is an eight-time winner of the Mr. Olympia contest and won both the Canada Pro Cup and the Russian Grand Prix. After several major injuries, he left active bodybuilding, made several training videos, and currently does product promotions.
05 of 06
05
- Mr. Olympia XXXVI(2000, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVII (2001, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXVIII (2002, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XXXIX (2003, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XL (2004, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLI (2005, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Ronnie ColemanMr. Olympia XLII(2006, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIII (2007, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLIV (2008, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Dexter JacksonMr. Olympia XLV (2009, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay Cutler
06 of 06
2010s
The most dominant bodybuilder of the 2010s, Phil Heath was born in 1979 and raised in Seattle. He attended the University of Denver where he played basketball and majored in accounting. He started bodybuilding in 2002 and began winning awards in 2005 including the NPC USA Championship, the Colorado Pro Championship, the New York Pro Championship, and the 2008 Iron Man. He went on to win Mr. Olympia seven times in a row, finally losing in 2018 to Shawn Rhoden.
06 of 06
06
- Mr. Olympia XLVI (2010, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Jay CutlerMr. Olympia XLVII (2011, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII (2012, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIV (2013, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXV(2014, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVI(2015, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) : Phil Heath Mr. Olympia XLXVII(2016, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA): Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2017, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Phil HeathMr. Olympia XLXIII: (2018, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) Shawn Rhoden
