Mr. Olympia
 | The neutrality of this article is disputed. |
Mr. Olympia is an international bodybuilding competition which is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB). Winning is considered to be the highest accolade in the professional bodybuilding field. The competiton was invented by Joe Weider to allow the Mr. Universe winners to continue competing and to earn money. The first Mr. Olympia was held on September 18, 1965 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City.
The record number of wins is eight, held by Lee Haney (1984-1991) and Ronnie Coleman (1998-2005).
The date and location of the 2006 Mr. Olympia have not yet been announced.
The film Pumping Iron (1977), featured the build up to the 1975 Mr. Olympia and helped launch the acting careers of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno.
There is a parallel female contest Ms. Olympia for female bodybuilders.
History
1960s
The 1965 and 1966 Mr Olympia were won by Larry Scott the superstar bodybuilder of the time. Scott displayed a physique with quite superb muscle shape his biceps, triceps shoulders and chest were all massive, rounded and fully shaped. His upper arms in particular were at the time the biggest and best bodybuilding competition had ever seen, they measured well over 20 inches. He retired after his 1966 victory.
The 1967 Mr Olympia heralded a new era in bodybuilding competition. Sergio Oliva nicknamed "The Myth" won the next 3 Mr Olympia competitions. At 5ft 9ins and 240lb in bodyweight no bodybuilder ever had displayed such astonishing muscle mass and such a V shape. His upper arms measured almost 22 inches, his chest 56 inches and all tapering down to an incredible 29 inch waist and then his musculature flaring out again with huge legs. Sergio Olivia destroyed his opponents until the appearance in 1969 of a young Austrian Arnold Schwarzenegger.
1970s
Arnold Schwarzenegger dethroned Sergio Olivia at the 1970 Mr Olympia after coming second the year before. At 6ft 1in and 240lb he matched Sergio Olivia for size, his upper arms, chest and back enormous yet it was his extra definition and muscularity over Sergio Olivia that won him the title. In terms of mass there was nothing between them. Arnold defended his title once then in 1972 Sergio Olivia returned and in the best shape of his life equalling Arnold for definition and muscularity. Arnold won but with great controversy, to this day arguments rage to who was the best on that day. Sergio Olivia then retired from the IFBB. Arnold would defend his title a further 3 times and continue to improve. By the time of the 1974 and 1975 Mr Olympia competitions Arnold’s physique would eclipse anything seen on a bodybuilding stage before. He was massive with a 58 inch chest and 22.5 inch arms yet displaying incredible muscularity and he had improved his once weak point legs dramatically. His thighs were now cut to ribbons and his calves massive, yet the victories didn't come with out fine opposition. There was the enormous Lou Ferrigno at 6ft 5ins and 275lbs, the wonderfully sculptured Serge Nubret and the extremely muscular Franco Columbu to contend with. Arnold then retired from competitive bodybuilding.
1976 saw the smaller bodybuilder win the overall Mr Olympia for the first time. Franco columbo packed an enormous amount of muscle on his 5ft 5in frame to take the title.
The following 3 years would see the highly experienced Frank Zane dominate the Mr Olympia. Frank Zane had been competing since the sixties but it wasn’t till the late seventies did he peak. Frank Zane brought symmetry, aesthetics and definition to a new level. nowhere near the size of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sergio Olivia before him yet his physique was poetry to the eye, all beautiful lines and contours.
1980s
1980 saw Arnold Schwarzenegger return for a come back and a hugely controversial victory. He was nowhere near the condition of his previous victories but victory was his. Although a lot of experts believe he was still good enough to beat his opposition that day many feel second or third place would have been more agreeable.
Franco Columbo made a equally controversial victorious comeback the following year.
Chris Dickerson took his only Mr Olympia victory in 1982, cut to ribbons with a fantastic back and wonderful legs.
1983 saw the wonderfully symmetrical and aesthetic Samir Bannout take the title. He combined great muscle mass with his symmetry and aesthetics yet was ripped to shreds for a fabulous physique.
1984 saw a young Lee Haney take the title and, just like Olivia and Schwarzenegger before him, he had an incredible aura about his physique. At 5ft 11ins and 250lb he was massive, his chest and back destroyed the opposition yet he had a symmetry, aesthetics and muscle seperation that was wonderful for a man of his size. He was so good just standing in the relaxed rounds he looked like the winner. Haney went on to win the Mr Olympia an incredible 8 times beating Arnold Schwarzenegger’s record.
1990s
Haney’s last victory in 1991 saw a young Dorian Yates come second. Yates would return the following year with Haney now retired to take the title and then defend it a further five times. During this time bodybuilding competition reached a new level of muscle mass. Yates would compete at 260lbs at 5ft 11ins, his back and leg development was massive beyond anything seen before and many of his competitors were almost as massive. Many bodybuilding traditionalists commented that muscle mass had now become the most important winning factor to the detriment of symmetry, aesthetics and proportion.
2000s
Ronnie Coleman, the current Mr. Olympia, has now won the title eight times in a row since Yates retired in 1997. Coleman has continued were Yates has left off in terms of muscle mass with arms measuring 23inches a 60inch chest and 34inch thighs at 5ft 11ins and 280lbs. He is now equal to Lee Haney’s record of 8 Mr Olympia titles.
Qualifying
In order to keep Mr. Olympia a high quality event, all competitors must meet the qualifying criteria. Possible methods of qualifying are:
- Previous Mr. Olympia winner (but if more than 5 years have passed IFBB approval is required).
- Top 6 finalist from previous year's Mr. Olympia.
- Top 6 finalist from same year's Arnold Classic
- Top 5 finalist from same year's New York Men’s Professional (previously the Night of the Champions)
- Top 3 finalist from any other competition in the I.F.B.B professional tour held during the subsequent year prior to the Mr. Olympia.
On top of this the event organizer can nominate one competitor, as a “special invitee”, who has not qualified by other means.
Winners
Number of wins
| Wins | Names | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Lee Haney | 1984-1991 |
| Ronnie Coleman | 1998-2005 | |
| 7 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | 1970-1975, 1980 |
| 6 | Dorian Yates | 1992-1997 |
| 3 | Sergio Oliva | 1967-1969 |
| Frank Zane | 1977-1979 | |
| 2 | Franco Columbu | 1976, 1981 |
| Larry Scott | 1965-1966 | |
| 1 | Chris Dickerson | 1982 |
| Samir Bannout | 1983 |