Ask ten gym members who the best bodybuilder in the world is and you will hear ten answers. The fairest way to settle it is the stage that matters most: Mr. Olympia, the top professional bodybuilding title since 1965. Every name below won it, most of them again and again.
Here are the 10 greatest bodybuilders of all time, in order of when they ruled, with one lesson from each that you can use in your own training.
1. Larry Scott: the first Mr. Olympia
Larry Scott won the very first Mr. Olympia in 1965 and won again in 1966, then retired at the top. He was famous for his arms, and the curl he made popular on an angled pad is still called the "Scott curl". Today most gyms call it the preacher curl.
Lesson: pick a weakness and give it real attention. Scott was not born with big arms; he built them.
2. Sergio Oliva: "The Myth"
Sergio Oliva won Mr. Olympia three times in a row (1967 to 1969). His huge back and tiny waist looked unreal for the time, which is how he got his nickname. In 1969 he beat a young Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Lesson: a small waist makes everything else look bigger. Train your core and keep your diet clean.
3. Arnold Schwarzenegger: the most famous of all
Arnold won Mr. Olympia seven times: six in a row from 1970 to 1975, and again in 1980. The 1977 film Pumping Iron made him a star and brought gyms into the mainstream. He later became a Hollywood actor and Governor of California.
Lesson: train with a goal you can see. Arnold famously pictured the body he wanted before every workout. Basic lifts like the bench press, back squat and deadlift were the base of his training.
4. Frank Zane: shape over size
Frank Zane won three Mr. Olympia titles (1977 to 1979) while being much lighter than his rivals. He won with symmetry, small joints and a sharp waist. Many people still call his physique the most beautiful ever.
Lesson: balance matters. Train every muscle group, not just the ones you see in the mirror.
5. Lee Haney: eight in a row
Lee Haney won eight Mr. Olympia titles in a row, from 1984 to 1991, a record that has been equalled but never beaten. His training motto was "stimulate, don't annihilate": work the muscle hard, then let it recover.
Lesson: more is not always better. Recovery is where muscle actually grows.
6. Dorian Yates: short and brutal
The British champion won six titles from 1992 to 1997. He trained at Temple Gym in Birmingham with short workouts: few sets, each one pushed extremely hard. His thick back changed what judges expected.
Lesson: one truly hard set beats three easy ones. Write down your weights and beat them.
7. Ronnie Coleman: "Light weight, baby!"
Ronnie Coleman matched Lee Haney with eight straight titles, from 1998 to 2005. He worked as a police officer in Texas while competing, and his videos of huge squats and deadlifts, shouting "Yeah buddy!", are still watched by millions.
Lesson: love the work. Ronnie trained heavy for years because he enjoyed it, not because he had to. Heavy lifting also has a cost: he later needed many surgeries, so learn good form before you add weight.
8. Jay Cutler: the comeback
Jay Cutler finished second to Ronnie Coleman four times before he finally beat him in 2006. He won four titles (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010) and became the first man to win the title back after losing it.
Lesson: losing is part of the plan. Keep showing up.
9. Phil Heath: "The Gift"
Phil Heath played college basketball and only started bodybuilding in his twenties. He then won seven Mr. Olympia titles in a row, from 2011 to 2017, one short of the record, with full, round muscles and great detail.
Lesson: it is never too late to start.
10. Chris Bumstead: the modern classic
Chris Bumstead competes in Classic Physique, a newer division with weight limits that rewards the old-school look of Zane and Arnold. The Canadian won it six times in a row, from 2019 to 2024, then retired. He is one of the most followed bodybuilders of his generation.
Lesson: consistency over years beats any shortcut.
So who is the best bodybuilder of all time?
By titles, Lee Haney and Ronnie Coleman share the record with eight each. By fame and impact, Arnold Schwarzenegger is in a class of his own. By shape, many fans still choose Frank Zane. There is no single right answer, and that is part of the fun.
What every champion had in common
- Years of steady training. None of them got there in months.
- Basic lifts first: squats, presses, rows and deadlifts.
- Enough food and sleep to recover and grow.
- Tracking: they knew their weights and tried to beat them.
You don't need to stand on the Olympia stage to use these lessons. Start with good form on the basics, add a little weight or a rep each week, and stay consistent. For a simple plan, read our guide on how to build muscle fast.
Titles are as listed by the Olympia. For the full history, see the Mr. Olympia page on Wikipedia.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, check with a doctor before starting a new workout or diet.