I’m the most decorated Mr. Olympia of all time having won the bodybuilder title 8 times – I’m unrecognizable from my ‘Hercules’ days

A FORMER Mr. Olympia winner looks unrecognizable in a series of snaps – years after retiring from professional bodybuilding competitions.

South Carolina’s Lee Haney clinched the gong a whopping eight times and shares the record for most wins in the famous competition with Ronnie Coleman.

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The bodybuilder’s winning streak began in competition in 1984 and his record remained unblemished after trumping in his eighth competition in 1991.

Last month, the ex-athlete, nicknamed “Hercules,” shared a picture of himself posing proudly next to a military official.

Sharing a scripture, he said, “Wellbeing goes beyond the body. Experiencing peace of mind is just as important, if not more so.”

Haney continued, “What I know for sure from my life’s experiences is that God is true to his word.”

Fans struggled to recognize the ex-athlete when one asked quizzically, “Is that you Lee?”

Haney has shared a number of snaps, including one of herself next to legendary bodybuilding promoter Jim Lorimer.

And he has posted several heartwarming photos and clips of himself cradling young family members.

Haney captioned a post: “What a great birthday gift. arms full of love Blessed am I.”

In May, he shared with his wife Shirley on their 39th birthday^th anniversary wedding day.

Haney wore an elegant black tuxedo while his then-bride stunned in a long, elegant wedding dress.

He captioned the post, “The man who finds a woman finds treasure and receives favor from the Lord.”

Haney’s recent social media snaps are a far cry from his bodybuilding career, which saw him pose and flex his muscles.

The eight-time Mr. Olympia champion is the founder of the National Physique Committee competition, The Lee Haney Games.

And he’s spoken openly about how he’s managed to stay in shape.

Haney told Muscle and Fitness, “Every muscle in your body needs to stand on its own, bold and bursting.

“That, you might think, is the definition of ‘definition’. That’s not true. Definition doesn’t stand out unless it’s big enough to grab your attention.

“Otherwise it’s just threads and threads. Conversely, muscle mass alone is an unstructured lump.”

The US Sun told how Mr. Olympia finalist Derek Lunsford looks unrecognizable compared to his days as a high school soccer protégé.

The 29-year-old bodybuilder took second place in the men’s open division behind Hadi Choopan at this year’s glitter competition.

Lunsford, from Indiana, excelled on the soccer team and was also a promising amateur wrestler.

He shared an incredible throwback picture of his youth with his thousands of Instagram fans.

His body looked wiry and trim before a wrestling match.

He captioned the pics: “Hard work pays off… and it IS POSSIBLE!!

“Yes. I had luxurious hair back then, lmao.”

Lunsford didn’t have a wrestling program available at his chosen college, so he had to get creative.

He challenged himself with heavier weights and developed a passion for bodybuilding.

The strongman turned pro in 2017 and competed in his first Mr. Olympia competition a year later.

And bodybuilder Greg Doucette, who holds a Guinness World Record, looked unrecognizable after a three-year absence from the sport.

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