Flex

I bought the very first issue of Flex. For the record, Chris Dickerson was on the cover and wow has Flex evolved since that first issue.

And so has the sport of bodybuilding. Physiques have gotten bigger but I am not sure they have gotten better. In my mind, Arnold is still the greatest of all time based on size, symetry, shape and muscularity.

I enjoyed the piece on Lou Ferrigno as well. It is almost a shame that he got the role of the Incredible Hulk which curtailed his bodybuilding career but I am not sure that Big Lou would have gone much further than he did. Robby Robinson handily defeated Ferrigno at the MASTERS MR. O in 1993/1994 and would have taken Louie in the 70's. So would have Columbo and Zane.

In another regard, Serge Nubret is listed as a darkhorse and squeezed Lou into third place behind Arnold with the Black Panther Nubret a close second. Are the publishers aware that Serge Nubret won his height class in the 1960 IFBB Mr. Universe narrowly losing to the legendary Chuck Sipes and defeating AAU Mr. America/NABBA Mr. Universe Ray Schaeffer? Or that Nubret finished 2nd in the 1964 NABBA PRO Mr. Universe and third in the 1972 IFBB Mr. Olympia behind Arnold and Sergio but ahead of Franco Columbu and Frank Zane. Nubret could hardly be called a darkhorse---He had been competing at the highest level before Arnold, Oliva, Zane, Columbu or Ferrigno even started training!

Nubret ranks right up there with Arnold and Oliva. At his best he had muscularity and a aesthetic physique. He was sort of like a cross between Arnold and Zane. Aside from having a world class physique, Nubret was also a world class promoter/ambassador for the sport of bodybuilding and was primarily responsible for building the IFBB in Europe back in the 70's. Flex should do a article on this legend.

Other than that, Flex was a great issue and I am looking forward to being a reader for many years to come.


Get Huge!   September 13, 2005
Dissident Aggressor (Hot Air Balloon, Circling Earth)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful

So you want to get big. You want ladies to gaze approvingly at your body when you are at the beach, you want to make the football team and you want to be able to pummel the annoying nerds who yell out the answers in your math classes. Or you are approaching middle age, and you want to get those muscles back so you can feel like a kid again.

This is the magazine for you, my friend. Each issue is packed with advice on training and nutrition. There are articles by and about the top name bodybuilders. There are pictures that will inspire you to drop your copy of the magazine on the coffee table, hop in your car, put on some motivational music and drive to the gym. This is the best bodybuilding/weight-lifting magazine on the market today. Provided you are disciplined enough to follow the advice in the magazine, you will improve your appearance and you will feel more powerful. Men will look at you in awe, and women will look at you in lust.

Why do I only give this magazine 4 stars, then? Two reasons. First, I think there are too many advertisements in the magazine. It is annoying having to flip through them to find the articles. Second, I think that the magazine can get a bit repetitive. If you have read 15 issues of the magazine, you will start to see that the training articles are essentially the same. There is not that much difference between Chris Cormier's back workout and Kevin Levrone's back workout. These minor criticisms should in no way deter you from buying the magazine. It is worth reading because it will motivate you to go to the gym, watch your diet and stick to your workout regimen. I have been reading Flex for ten years, and I credit it for helping me develop discipline, and for improving my self-confidence (maybe it improved my self-confidence too much--look at how condescending some of my Amazon.com reviews are!). Anyway, buy this magazine, eat 200 grams of protein a day, and get huge! Good luck.









Better than I thought   September 24, 2004
Mercuron (Oregon)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

This magazine surprised me when I picked up the October 04 issue. I had expected it to be as bad, if not worse than Muscle and Fitness, a magazine of rehashed info. The issue I picked up, however, had articles on upcoming, and top bodybuilders.

Full of color photos, the magazine is great motivation, and the workout info is great as well. I do, however agree, that most of the guys in there are probably juiced so much, an average guy shouldn't think he'll get that physique.

All in all, good info, good motivation (images).


Cheap, valuable info   March 4, 2007
Franklin Delaney
For training, supplements and nutritional advice, you have to own this. The health care innovations in supplements and the testing behind them now change as quickly as technology does. Every three to six months Pinnacle and the big boys bring out next generation products, and there's really no other way to stay on top of the industry without Flex. Plus, in every issue pro weight lifters give your day to day workout regime, with photos and techniques. That's more valuable than 100 hours of a personal trainer.