Frank Zane

Bodybuilding career Zane is a three-time Mr. Olympia (1977 to 1979). His reign represented a shift in emphasis from mass to aesthetics. Zane's physique featured the second-thinnest waistline of all the Mr. Olympias (after Sergio Oliva), with his wide shoulders making for a distinctive V-taper. He stood at and had a competition weight of less than 190 pounds when he won all three of his Mr. Olympias. He was given the nickname "The Chemist" for his Bachelor of Science degree and, as he puts it: "Back in the day I took a lot of supplements and tons of amino acids. Still do. But back then it was pretty unusual. That's how I got the nickname The Chemist."

He famously trained with light weights, which saw him to many victories, but Joe Weider urged him to train with heavier weights. Zane then found the size necessary for success at the Olympia. After his three consecutive Mr. Olympia titles came the 1980 Mr. Olympia. Shortly before the competition he suffered a poolside accident in his home and lost of muscle mass. This ended his reign. Arnold Schwarzenegger came out of retirement and won, with Zane in third;

Zane is one of only three men to have defeated Schwarzenegger (with Chester Yorton and Sergio Oliva) in a bodybuilding contest and one of the very few Mr. Olympia winners under . Overall, he competed for over 20 years (retiring after the 1983 Mr. Olympia) and won Mr. America, Mr. Universe, Mr. World, and Mr. Olympia during his career.

In 1985, Frank and his wife Christine owned and operated "Zane Haven" in Palm Springs, California where they conducted one-on-one sessions with clients who wished to possess a symmetrical physique. Today, the Zanes live in San Diego, California, and his learning center is now called "Zane Experience".

In 2005, Zane played the IFBB Announcer and worked as the consulting producer in the movie "See Arnold Run". , Zane runs his own website, and appears at seminars and book signings. In 2011, Frank Zane appeared in the documentary Challenging Impossibility describing the weightlifting odyssey of spiritual teacher and peace advocate Sri Chinmoy. The film was an official selection of the 2011 Tribeca Festival.

In June 2020, Frank Zane began filming a feature documentary on his life directed and produced by filmmaker Alex Ardenti.

Bodybuilding titles 1961 Mr. Pennsylvania (17th place) 1962 Mr. Keystone (Winner) 1963 Mr. Keystone (2nd) 1965 Mr. Sunshine State (Winner) 1965 IFBB Mr. Universe (1st, Medium Height category) 1966 IFBB Mr. America (1st, Medium) 1967 IFBB Mr. America (1st, Medium) 1967 IFBB Mr. Universe (3rd, Tall) 1968 IFBB Mr. America (Winner) 1968 IFBB Mr. Universe (Winner) 1970 NABBA Mr. Universe (Winner) 1971 NABBA Pro Mr. Universe (1st, Short) 1972 NABBA Pro Mr. Universe (Winner) 1972 IFBB Mr. Olympia (Under 200 lbs, 4th) 1973 IFBB Mr. Olympia (Under 200 lbs, did not place) 1974 IFBB Mr. Olympia (Under 200 lbs, 2nd) 1975 IFBB Mr. Olympia (Under 200 lbs, 4th) 1976 IFBB Mr. Olympia (Under 200 lbs, 2nd) 1977 IFBB Mr. Olympia (Under 200 lbs & Overall Winner) 1978 IFBB Mr. Olympia (Under 200 lbs & Overall Winner) 1979 IFBB Mr. Olympia (Under 200 lbs & Overall Winner) 1980 IFBB Mr. Olympia (3rd, after suffering a near-fatal injury at his home, requiring lengthy hospitalization) 1981 IFBB Mr. Olympia – did not compete (boycotted the Mr Olympia contest after the controversial 1980 contest) 1982 IFBB Mr. Olympia (2nd) 1983 IFBB Mr. Olympia (4th), after suffering another accident on his bicycle, requiring extensive shoulder surgery shortly after the contest)

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