My Encounter with Kenneth "Flex" Wheeler
By Ron Cecchini
I met Flex Wheeler last Thursday, January 7th at the World Gym in Brockton Mass. They gym was celebrating their 3rd anniversay, complete with 2 hour party before hand (with many kegs of beer on tap, ironic, eh?), Flex guest posing and stuff, and a "fashion" show afterwards.
Flex was signing pictures for about an hour and talking to people. I figured that since it cost me $10 to get into the place, I'd splurge and spend another $10 to have Flex autograph an awesome picture of himself.
At the table, I told him that I was a big fan of his and of his rival Kevin Levrone, both of whom possess very similar physiques, with their classic lines and full muscle bellies. "Thank you, and you're right. We are similar. But soon Kevin and I will meet!" And I predict Flex will absolutely blow him away. Kevin is lagging in his chest, and his legs may actually overpower his upper body. But after seeing Flex up close, I can't find a single flaw!
After the picture signing, he got on stage and answered questions for an hour. He is 5'9.5'' and is currently 247lbs., though he plans to compete this year at 237 (a little heavier than when he won this year's Mr. USA).
I thought I knew what big was, as I've seen some really huge guys in our gym. But unless you've seen a pro bodybuilder up close, you really can't imagine what they look like. And being that Flex has been one of my top 3 favorites since I first saw his picture, I just sat there in awe. This guy has the absolute best arms in all of bodybuilding. They are so perfectly shaped, its sick. And when he was sitting down, a time when most of us have our guts hanging over our pants, the only thing you could see was the huge ridges of his abs poking through his tanktop.
Of course, I thought it was kind of weird to have a few hundred people standing around drinking beer gaping at this behemoth seated behind a table, but anyways...
Flex is a genuinely cool guy - and he really does talk very quietly like the mags say. He had to be asked to speak up a few times, even with the microphone. I seemed to be the one asking the most questions, and Flex was really cool, but he got really bizarre at one point, reciting one of those muscle-mantras or something:
ME: "What, if any, were your weak bodyparts and what did you do to bring them up?"
FLEX: (in paraphrase) "My legs, my calves and my chest."
At this point, Flex is speaking in a monotone, and then, all of a sudden, his gaze become very fixed - as if he were in a trance or something.
FLEX: (in paraphrase) "I concentrate on the bodypart as I mentally masturbate imagining my competitors watching me. This inspires me even more, as the masturbation having taken effect makes me work the muscle even more..."
The above isn't an exact quote, but it does get the gist of what he said. It was weird, and he did say "mentally masturbate" or "mental masturbation" as "his competitors watched". But at this point, I was just thinking to myself "O-o-o-k Flex... whatever." So, of course, I just nodded my head and let him go on to someone else.
One lady also asked him about girlfriends and stuff, and if he wouldn't in fact like a romp with her, at which he responds "I can get that *any* time, *any* where." Needless to say, all us guys were like "ooooooohh".
He talked about Shawn Ray for a little bit as well. He said because Shawn was a friend of his, he felt like he was able to tell people that "Yeah, Shawn can be an asshole" and that Shawn is the way he is because he was born into money and always had it and has always been cocky.
Oh yeah, get this, Flex claims that he sleeps *16* HOURS A DAY! And what does he do during the 8 hours that he's actually awake? Well, not only does he train (6 on, 1 off), but he eats *7* TIMES A DAY! "When I'm not training or sleeping, I'm eating. Yeah, I admit it, I'm a bum!"
"What do you do on your day off?" -> "I like to drive my car around."
"What do you do for fun?" -> "I don't have fun. I don't have time for it."
[Side note, though no one asked it, I'm sure he doesn't eat those 7 meals during the 8 hours he's awake. He *must* wake up periodically to eat - and then go back to sleep.]
Finally, someone asked "What supplements do you take, you know, vitamins and stuff?" "I take a good multivitamin and mineral pack every time I eat," he says, "I use some aminos and, of course, I use Joe Weider products." At this point, everyone laughs, but he goes "No, really. I'm not being paid to say this. I really like Weider products." [As a side note, I don't believe he is under Weider contract, just as he says.]
Then someone must've said something like: "Is that all?", because the next thing I heard him say was: "No, thats really about it. But are you alluding to something else?" At this point, he turns to the crowd and says: "Look people. You can ask me *anything* you want. I'm not afraid to answer any question."
So, someone with balls much larger than mine yells out: "Are you all natural?" And, in a slow and deliberate manner he says: "Of *course* I'm *not* all natural!" He then goes on "I won't tell you what I'm doing, but no, I'm not all natural. But let me tell you: no bodybuilder or professional athlete at this level of competition is all natural. Whether it be football, or baseball or race car driving - in any sport where theres big money at stake and where size, strength and agility are needed, you're going to find "sports medicine". You don't think race car drivers take anything to get them psyched to drive that long at those speeds? They all do."
And instead of there being hushed "oh-my-gods" and stuff, the crowd went wild and heavily applauded his very candid answer. Good PR for Flex!
Someone then asked "But aren't you nervous?" and he says: "No. I don't smoke or drink" as he waves his hand over the beer-guzzling crowd, "I don't use recreational drugs. I eat and sleep very well. And I know what I'm doing." Hmm... Interesting, to say the least.
So, before I left, I went up to him once again, and as I was shaking his hand I said "I just wanted to thank you once again, especially for being so candid." "Thank you" he says. I then told him that I was strongly rooting for him and good luck, and he said "Thank you, thank you very much."
Cool guy.....but.....16 hours sleep a day? and wtf is "mental masturbation"
