I think it is an excellent BODYBUILDING cover. My take on MD is that for most of the past year or so it is the best mag overall on avg each month. The covers are real bodybuilders and I like that.
Ok here is my 2 cents on MD overall as 47 yr old fart and physics teacher.
Pro/ thumbs up aspects
1. Articles by John Ramano. Seriously, I enjoy his style and topics.He is one of the people in the sport I would like to meet and never had the chance.
2. MD covers the sports "as is".
3. Actual scientific articles on nutrition and training excerpted from various journals.
4. Great pics of many top pros.
5. A variety of pros columns with intersting topics in them.
6. Does mostly pro and some NPC contest coverage. The contests are the competetive end of the sport and MD seems to understand that.
7. While I was bummed out that MD had to scrap the "All Natural MD" format in the mid 90's. I don't blame them. The natural end of bodybuilding, never really took off and is just "there" in limbo withot much hype or excitement. I actually got to ask the man himself , Steve Bleckman, about that former natural MD format at the recent NPC nationals. He said what I already figured, that the natural thing just never took off despite their efforts. They cover the sport as is.Steve has been around in this game, ya gotta respect his judgement and experience.
8. Huge mag that is thick with actual bodybuilding related content.
9. Lee Priests column and features. the guys has gained fans and respect for his no holds barred style.
Like it or not Lee just puts it out there and does not mince words. I like that.
10. No lame swimsuit or lingerie bimbo feaures. If I want to look at jack off pics, I can do that outside the bodybuilding mags. I read bodybuilding mags for bodybuilding and enjoy other sites for the fun pics hehe.
Con/ thumbs down
1. "The ramblin' freak ",I have nothing against Greg V, but cringe at the idea that this kind of thinking and physique distortion is part of the current bodybuilding landscape. I sometimes skim his column, and even chuckle a bit at times. I have mixed feelings on just how serious Gregg V takes himself or his image.
Overall, he is not hurting anyone and seems like a funny dude, etc. If he has fans that read his column I guess it serves a purpose. However, since the guy never really won any major show and has such a distorted body, I don't see the need for his column in MD.
2. The endless pages of ads. Not a big deal and hey they gotta pay the rent. Some f the more way out supplements ads are good for a laugh. As a person that has read lots of scientific journals over the years, the "scientific theories and facts" in some of these supplement ads are more like wacky science FICTION.
3. In my opinion MD needs more pics of guys training in the gym, doing actual workouts. I think a lot of folks would like to see this kind of thing more.
4. MD can give in to a bit of the thug side of the sport at times. I am glad they are so damn honest and candid about the drug issue in bodybuilding. But it seems to me they tend to glorify that "lifestyle" a tad too much at times. C'mon MD, with Titus, Martinez and Palumbo, you have 3 regulars that spent time in the slammer. While I don't mind them being a given a chance to write for the mag, I do mind it when Palumbo or others give so many shout outs to the bros in the joint.I wonder what Titus will do now?
Instead of the MD Titus talks he could start doing " Titus Squeals" , and feature tales of prison rape and sodomy
Ok so overall if you are a musclehead like moi, MD is a decent mag. I will subscribe again this month.
FLEX has some great contest coverage , but I cringe when they attempt to "sanitize" the image of current bodybuilding.
5. Sriously RE-consider your stance on NOt covering female bodybuilding. At least cover the contests and include one female bodybuilding training article. New Pro and NPC national womans champ Mimi Jabalee would be a good choice.
Howard
