Lee Labrada (born 8 March 1960 in Havana, Cuba) is a former IFBB professional bodybuilder, published author and current CEO of Labrada Nutrition. Labrada was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2004.
Labrada holds 22 professional bodybuilding titles, including the IFBB Mr. Universe. He is one of the few pro bodybuilders in history to consistently have placed in the top four at the Mr. Olympia competition (the “Super Bowl†of bodybuilding) for seven consecutive years; a feat he shares with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He has appeared on the covers of more than 100 bodybuilding and fitness magazines and has been featured on CNBC, FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and ESPN as a fitness and nutrition expert.
Labrada's desire to help others reach their health and nutrition goals inspired him to found Labrada Nutrition in 1995, and create his line of award-winning sports nutrition and supplement products. Equally successful in business as he is in the gym, Labrada led Labrada Nutrition to become one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S.â€"earning Inc. 500 statusâ€"in only 6 years.
In 2002, Labrada was appointed the first Fitness Czar for the City of Houston by Mayor Lee Brown, where he helped launch “Get Lean Houston!â€, a health and fitness initiative designed to get the city’s residents into better shape. Labrada embarked on a massive public relations campaign that led to national TV appearances on CNBC, FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, ESPN, and CNN’s Crossfire. Labrada is credited with helping Houstonians shed the title of the “Fattest City in America†in 2003. Labrada appeared on MSNBC’s Today Show with Matt Lauer when the announcement was made.
In 2004, Labrada was inducted into the IFBB Pro-Bodybuilding Hall of Fame.
In 2005, Labrada's nutrition and exercise book, The Lean Body Promise, was published by Harper Collins. It became a Barnes & Noble.com Best Seller. Labrada brings real-life experience to the nutrition and exercise techniques presented in his book, which speaks to anyone interested in making positive physical changes in their body.
In 2004 and 2008, Labrada was a finalist in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition.
Labrada attended Northwestern University and holds a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Houston. He lives in Houston, Texas with his wife Robin and three sons, Hunter, Blade and Pierce.
Competitive history
Labrada is one of the few men in history to place among the top four contestants in seven consecutive Mr. Olympia shows, although the first-place title itself eluded him during his highly successful professional career.
- 1982 National Physique Committee [NPC] Texas Collegiate Championships (1st Place)
- 1982 NPC Junior Gulf Coast Championships (1st Place)
- 1983 NPC Texas Championships, 1st Middleweight and Overall
- 1984 NPC USA Bodybuilding Championships (2nd Place, Light Heavyweight)
- 1984 NPC National Bodybuilding Championships (5th Place, Middleweight)
- 1985 NPC National Bodybuilding Championships (1st Place, Middleweight)
- 1985 IFBB Mr. Universe (1st Place)
- 1986 IFBB Night of Champions (1st Place)
- 1987 IFBB Pro World Cup (2nd Place)
- 1987 IFBB Mr. Olympia (3rd Place)
- 1987 IFBB Pro German Grand Prix (3rd Place)
- 1987 IFBB Pro French Grand Prix (3rd Place)
- 1988 IFBB Mr. Olympia (4th Place)
- 1988 IFBB Pro German Grand Prix (3rd Place)
- 1988 IFBB Pro Greek Grand Prix (1st Place)
- 1988 IFBB Pro British Grand Prix (1st Place)
- 1988 IFBB Pro Spanish Grand Prix, Madrid (1st Place)
- 1988 IFBB Pro Italian Grand Prix (2nd Place)
- 1988 IFBB Pro French Grand Prix (2nd Place)
- 1988 IFBB Pro Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona (1st Place)
- 1989 IFBB Mr. Olympia (2nd Place)
- 1989 IFBB Pro Dutch Grand Prix (1st Place)
- 1989 IFBB Pro Finnish Grand Prix (1st Place)
- 1990 IFBB Mr. Olympia (2nd Place)
- 1991 IFBB Mr. Olympia (4th Place)
- 1992 IFBB Mr. Olympia (3rd Place)
- 1992 IFBB Pro World Cup (1st Place)
- 1993 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational (2nd Place)
- 1993 IFBB Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic (2nd Place)
- 1993 IFBB Mr. Olympia (4th Place)
- 1995 IFBB Arnold Classic (5th Place)
Books
Labrada, Lee. The Lean Body Promise. Burn Away Fat and Release the Leaner, Stronger Body Inside You HarperCollins, 2005. (ISBN 0-06-059371-7)
See also
- List of male professional bodybuilders
- List of female professional bodybuilders
- Bill Phillips (author)
External links
- Labrada Nutrition Official website