Love him or hate him, Lee Priest always tries to tell it the way it is...

After his shock withdrawal from this years Mr. Olympia, the man many call the Blond Myth, Lee Priest, says he is far from hanging up his trunks. With the 2006 Arnold Classic looming large, Lee feels a spot in the top five will help to secure him notoriety as one of the most consistent, and well respected, professional bodybuilders of all time, though his more modest side would be happy with any kind of acknowledgement.

Indeed, it is Lee's self effacing view of himself in the grand scheme of things that has helped secure him the unofficial title of "People's Champion". Lee's many fans would love to see him triumph at the Arnold this time around, as they feel he has many of the qualities - physical and otherwise - that make a worthy spokesperson for a sport that is often in the press for all the wrong reasons.

Love him or hate him, as a bodybuilder Lee Priest always tries to tell it the way it is, and is not afraid to voice his opinion to assist any cause he feels is in need of support.

Lee's perspective on competitive bodybuilding is refreshing in that he feels winning a show is in the hands of the judges, and he will be the first to congratulate anyone who beats him.

Bitching and backstabbing are not his strong points. Physically, Lee is one bodybuilder who commands respect. Rather than an assemblage of assorted freaky body-parts (indeed, his critics would say this of him), Lee's physique fits the new IFBB criteria for symmetry and proportion as much as it impresses with freaky size.

Arms, legs and shoulders any bodybuilder on the planet would be proud of coupled with a small waist and tiny joints lends a much sought after combination of mass with class. His other body parts flow nicely into this package, providing for the judges, and the fans, anxiety and motivation respectively.

A role model in more ways than one, Lee has shown that there is more to life than bodybuilding, and that two careers can be balanced with neither overpowering the other. As well as bodybuilding, Lee, with the backing of companies such as Bodybuilding.com, Twinlab and Muscular Development, has managed to successfully compete in drag car racing, this year winning Rookie of the Year and placing third in his first major championship.
Next year, Lee is making the progression to Jet Cars. He feels these faster vehicles will add to his increasingly expanding repertoire of racing skills, and make him a more complete racer - similar goals to the ones he has as a bodybuilder. Good placing's at the 2006 Arnold Classic and on the track will surely keep Lee busy next year.

Plying his trade at the Arnold is something Lee has done on five occasions, gradually placing higher as his physique has matured and improved (from seventh and ninth placing's in 1994 and 1995 respectively, to fourth place this year).

A high placement in 2006 would be a fitting, and justified, reward for a man who consistently brings to the stage an impressively packaged, well-conditioned, physique.

In fact, when Lee is on, few people can match him pound for pound, as exemplified by his win against the amazing Chris Cormier in Australia earlier this year. Watch for Lee Priest on stage and on the track in 2006.

David Robson