There have been some surprises and some backlash over putting Kim Kardashian on the cover of the upcoming Muscle & Fitness Hers. Comments like "It's nothing personal against Kim Kardashian but she isn't a fitness model...she's skinny-fat. I just always held MFH to higher standards than this" , "I just want the cover models to be woman of sport, strong women with healthy lifestyles and the physique to prove it!" , "I don't really want to see any "celebs" on the cover unless they are fitness/sports related..."
Well, Chris Lockwood, the new Editor-in-Chief, did read your concerns and has responded. Here is his response...
As the new Editor-in-Chief, I assume I'm the "sell-out" so I guess it's only appropriate I respond.
As someone who's dedicated his entire adult life to this industry, successfully breathed new life in one of the most legitimage hardcore sports supplement companies this industry has known, took over and guided the diet division of the biggest retailer in the industry through the "end of days era" (ephedra ban), been behind the scenes as a brand consultant and formulator for some of the best known brands in our industry... and then threw it all away to go back and do clinical research to complete a dream of getting a PhD and spending time with my daughter and wife, I've been called a lot of things but a sell-out is definitely a new one.
In disgust of the time our society spends knowing their celebs, TV shows and sports teams over that of their own children's lives or the events that truly shape our world, my wife and I gave up TV back in 2003. Thus, when I was asked by our Editor-at-Large, Gunnar Peterson, CSCS, if I would consider putting Kim on the cover, one of my first questions was "Kim who?" Learning who she was aside, Gunnar wasn't asking to get her or himself publicity; instead, the question grew as he and I were discussing celebrities that defy the "Hollywood workout" persona. With Kim, he told me how hard she'd been training and how seriously she'd taken to our training lifestyle (even if her nutrition is still holding her back). Over the course of weeks, and many conversations and workout updates later, it became clear to me that Kim was clearly trying to give her physique critiques something less to criticize her about - flipping them the proverbial middle finger, really.
Is she our classic cover model? Absolutely not. Was why I wouldn't agree to the shoot unless it was done under Hers terms - absolutely not your pretty modeling photoshoot. I wouldn't agree to anything less than just shooting a seriously legitimate workout. Yes...it's the workout Gunnar designed for Kim. The shots aren't posed and the weights are her real training loads. It was a workout shoot; not a celebrity profile.
To those criticizing our using her physique on the cover, I would ask "does everyone we show in Hers have to be in perfect shape to be accepted into the fitness lifestyle?" I.E., nowhere are we saying that Kim IS the ideal Hers physique; she's work in progress, and for that we support her and EVERY woman that takes that journey in hopes of becoming a better physical representation of themselves. To me, that's real...even if the model is Hollywood. If supporting those on the journey isn't who we are, then yes, using Kim is an abomination.
Still, there will be critics. That, I'm certain of. Didn't assume I was venturing into this without there being landmines. However, I don't know about you, but I can't recall one client (when I was training clients all day to put myself through my Master's program) or one person that started life with a great set of abs, well-defined delts, beautifully shaped back and great hamstring-quad seperation. Instead, every subject I have ever ran through a clinical trial in the body composition and metabolic laboratory, or every women that first looks to our magazine for helping to become the woman they believe is waiting to come out typically starts as less than perfect. Work in progress.
Again, is Kim's physique a classic M&F cover? No. Has living the lifestyle we preach significantly changed her body...even if not at its final destination? Most definitely. That's what we're trying to show. Some hope that this very public figure is living our lifestyle. To hopefully get some people to pay attention and look at what she's been able to accomplish. Hopefully, inspiring others that may find it hard to relate to women at the top of the physique mountain. Instead, they may take that first step by seeing the progress of someone still climbing their way to the summit. Will Kim actually achieve it? Time will tell.
As for the feature, it isn't about the day spa and meditation; the lifestyle of the wanna-be physically fit of Hollywood. Make no bones about it, this feature provides a serious workout program designed by one of the best guys in the business - Gunnar. I guarantee many of you will find some cool, new training to incorporate into your own programs. Even if you still don't agree with our choice of model.
And lastly....the stones being thrown at Kim's celebrity. Well, I'm kind of a Billy Joel fan of 'Glass Houses' - I never make it a habit in my life to xeroscape my yard when building my home of glass. I.E., not every cover model in our industry would be mistaken for the Virgin Mary. We're in the business to promote fitness.
Not making a habit of forming an opinion of others until I've had an opportunity to meet them, I will say that I sincerely found Kim to be incredibly friendly and totally professional on set. She arrived straight from the airport and never once became anything other than totally friendly and full of energy. No matter what Gunnar and I asked her to do, she did and kept doing with 100% effort for the complete 8-hour day on set. If that's a personality that I'm supposed to dislike, then I guess I failed their too.
I really do hope you give this feature a read for what it is - an incredibly novel and cool, serious training piece; the fitness story being about a model working to overcome what the great majority of females in the developed world struggle to achieve (or need to begin working on).
In Strength - Chris (aka, the "sell-out" EIC)
http://boards.muscleandfitnesshers.com/ib/ikonboard.cgi?s=2c8f849259a2cd97395de43208cb3198;act=ST;f=5;t=6598;st=10
