by Christian Duque

I think where I stand politically, is pretty much well known throughout the fitness industry. I don’t like boxes – so I’m not a “Democrat” or a “Republican.” I don’t like Big Government, but I do believe in social welfare. I believe in the 2nd Amendment but I’m also hawkishly on guard with anything that deals with the 4th, 5th, & 6th Amendments. I believe in personal freedoms, but I also believe government’s duties aren’t limited simply to national security and maintaining a solid currency. I also do believe that the well being of the people is important, provided there’s strict oversight. I don’t like when government is dictates morality.

by Matt Weik

When you think back, Lou Ferrigno and Arnold Schwarzenegger were doing battle for as far back as we can remember. It started on a bodybuilding stage and then moved onto the acting stage. Yet, it seems as if their legacies are moving in different directions, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing for one of the two.

by Christian Duque

The single biggest thing that I believe has held bodybuilding back from becoming a mainstream sport, is that most people in the mainstream don’t want to look like that. I love bodybuilding; you love bodybuilding; but we’re a small community – very small! If the sport had continued on, without changing, arguably since even before the introduction of fitness and/or figure, it’s highly unlikely we’d be where we are today. For all the complaining from critics who say shows take too long and there are too many classes, it’s that which they protest, that’s created more opportunities for all parties involved.

by Matt Weik

If you follow my work, you know I’ve been critical of fitness and bodybuilding expos for quite some time. I hated them when I worked for a supplement company and to this day I still hate them. However, this article is a little different from my previous and it seems like my point of view is now aligned with many brands’ positioning as well. As a result, could it mean that the era of the expo is dead?

by Matt Weik

I was outside getting some work done a little bit ago and I saw a FedEx truck making a delivery to my neighbor’s house. I wondered what all they got so I went and opened the boxes. Just kidding. But, seeing the FedEx truck made me think about brand loyalty. Personally, for me, I’m a UPS guy. Not that I have some great relationship with people there or anything – it comes down to its who I’ve always used, they made deliveries on time, and when I needed to contact their customer service I always got good service.

by Matt Weik

I was reading an article the other day and while it brought up some good points, many of them I thought were far-fetched. In a nutshell, the FDA would like to see media outlets protect the customer by policing the information they give the public about dietary supplements. My first question would be, “how would writers or journalists who are not part of our industry (or who don’t have any educational background on the subject) know what is real and what is fake?” I mean, do we really think they are going to spend hours doing research on every article to ensure everything is scientifically factual? Have you read the newspaper lately or anything from the media? Not exactly what I would call 100% truthful. “Fake news” is thrown around all over the place these days.

by Christian Duque

Whenever I watch Blood And Guts, I always remember the line where 6x Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates suggests that 8x Mr. Olympia Lee Haney saw some kind of writing on the wall at the 1991 Mr. Olympia, that he took such notice of Yates, that, arguably, the greatest bodybuilder of all time, decided it was nice time to hang ‘em up, to retire. That seems like a stretch, even if we’re talking about The Shadow himself. Haney, unlike most retiring Mr. Olympias, ended his career at a very young age, without any major injuries, and could have easily continued his reign by as much 2-3 more years.

by Matt Weik

I can only speak from my own experience, but in my opinion, the 2018 Olympia was the best we have seen in a long time. I felt like the judges were 100% fair and accurate, Steve didn’t allow the athletes to get carried away on stage and made them pose when he asked, and we had some amazing records being broken. More specifically, two Flex(s) had their sights set on making history – Shawn “Flexatron” Rhoden and James “Flex” Lewis.

by Christian Duque

The supplement industry has always been one where new products are said to be better than the old. It’s a world dominated by innovation, but often times plagued by unoriginality. Given the numerous regulations, the vast competition, and the small-niche market of physique and strength-based athletes, companies definitely have their work cut out for them. Whether we’re talking about sports supplements or nutritional ones (e.g. vitamins, minerals), there have been few studies, almost nothing can be asserted with certainty, and the fine print of possible side effects and liability-shifting lingo can seem endless, particularly with many of the products put into the market by Big Pharma.

by Christian Duque

Protein powder is the foundation of every supplement company – or is it? Why not start this article by questioning one of the most basic premises in our industry? Customers love protein, they swear by it, and everyone wants to have their own brand, with all its flashy labels, and all the fun that comes with bragging about which brand, flavor, and type you like. There’s whey protein – splitting off into concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates. There’s casein – which some believe is garbage and others believe to be “time released”; then there’s egg. Old school guys love egg protein – real old school guys love milk & egg protein. Vegans have their own split.