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WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ — David J. Pecker, Chairman and CEO of American Media, Inc.(AMI), today announced that Chris Lockwood, Mike Carlson, and Allan Donnelly have joined the editorial staffs at Muscle & Fitness, Flex and Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines, reporting to Laya Clark and Chris Scardino, Executive Vice Presidents & Co-Publishing Directors of AMI’s Enthusiast Group. The Group includes these three publications, their web sites, Mr. Olympia, and other related events and brand extensions. In making the announcement, Mr. Pecker said, “One week after naming Laya Clark and Chris Scardino to head our Enthusiast group, we’ve completed our team by bringing in Chris Lockwood as editor-in-chief of Muscle & Fitness with Mike Carlson as his #2, and promoting Allan Donnelly to be executive editor of Flex. This gives us the most forward thinking, authoritative editorial staff of any publication that targets serious fitness enthusiasts.” Mr. Clark said, “Chris is one of the most knowledgeable writers on the planet on the subject of fitness and nutrition and his vision for Muscle & Fitness will make it the primary source for cutting edge information in these areas. With Mike Carlson as executive editor, we now have two of…

Many of us are coming in to see the biggest NPC show of the year, with a ton of IFBB pro cards given out to the top class placers in bodybuilding and figure. It is going to be a great contest in Atlanta at November 21-22, at the Grand Ballroom Hyatt Regency. Mens and Womens bodybuilding prejuding starts at 4:30pm on Friday, while figure begings at Saturday at 8am. All finals will starts at 6:40pm on Saturday. You can call Pam Betz for tickets at 407-876-4467, or email her at pambetz@aol.com

The 2009 Ironman Pro is moving its date, from two week before the Arnold Classic, to six weeks before the Arnold Classic, on January 24-25, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  Here is a video of LT interviewing Ironman Magazine owner John Balik and promoter of the contest explaining the move. LT interviews John Balik

The new came fast and furious Friday morning over this announcement in which Laya Clark and Chris Scardino were being promoted to the top positions. What is going on with Peter McGough, who has been an icon at the Weider offices, running Flex and Muscle & Fitness for a long time now. Peter was on of the most informative and knowlegable people in bodybuilding circles. As Friday rolled along, it seems that Peter had resigned, and will be taking a lesser role as an editorial consultant, and that a few other people will also be promoted to run Flex and M&F seperately. Here is the press release that came out late Thursday, and tune in for additional information next week. American Media Inc. Names Laya Clark and Chris Scardino Executive Vice Presidents & Co-Publishing Directors of AMI’s Enthusiast Group of Fitness Titles NEW YORK, Oct 23, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — David J. Pecker, Chairman and CEO of American Media Inc. (AMI), today announced that Laya Clark and Chris Scardino, currently Group Publishers of Muscle & Fitness, Flex and Muscle & Fitness Hers magazines, have been named Executive Vice Presidents & Co-Publishing Directors of the AMI Enthusiast Group. The Group…

Toney Freeman finished the 2008 competitive season with a 5th place finish at the Mr. Olympia contest. The X-man can now add another notch in his belt of accomplishments by inking a multi-year deal with Team Muscletech. “Toney has been a fan of Muscletech products for years and we have been big fans of Toney since he earned his pro card at the 2002 NPC Nationals” notes Dave Conlon, Manager of Talent Relations at Team Muscletech Headquarters. “We have had Toney on our radar for quite some time and his impressive showing at this years Mr. Olympia competition, on top of his consistent placings in 2008 instantly confirmed that we had to add him to our already stacked roster of the worlds greatest bodybuilders, we couldn’t be happier to have him on the team.” When asked how it feels to be a member of Team Muscletech, Toney said… “It gives me great pleasure and it is also an honor to finally become a part of Team Muscletech.  My goal is to live up to and exceed all expectations. This is a very special time for me and I will continue the great tradition established by the great champions before me. …

Supplement industry guru Mel Rich passed away on Octover 18, 2008, after a long battle with cancer. He was 64 years old. Mel was born on November 29, 1944 in New York. Mel was married to Ronnie, and has two daughters, Hallie and Barrie. Mel always believed that science should be at the root of all dietary supplement formulations and he always valued efficacy over marketability. As a child, Mel used to do work for his father, Sidney Rich, founder of Phoenix Laboratories Inc., stuffing cotton in bottles. After graduation, Mel began working the family business, but was drawn to the dietary supplement side of manufacturing and soon became the industry’s “go-to” person for any company who wanted to develop unique and credible products. Mel began to formulate and manufacture products for Great Earth Vitamin Stores. In1988, Mel and the Rich family purchased the Great Earth franchising company, and Mel became president of Great Earth. In the 1996, Mel created Bodyonics Ltd., and its brand, Pinnacle®. Mel developed many “firsts” for the dietary supplement industry, including a mega-potency multiple vitamin, a patented time-released process for use in dietary supplements and an antioxidant formula. “Mel Rich always believed in the vision…

It was a sad day on Saturday, October 18th, we I woke up, and found out that Ben Weider had passed away. He was an icon, and up until his passing, a person that was very aware and still came every year to the Olympia event, as he just did a few weeks ago. I got to meet Ben Weider a number of times, and one of my favorite honor was when Ben called my name on stage at the 2007 Olympia, and thanked me on stage. Here are some pictures I took from the 2008 Olympia. You will be missed Ben. Ben  & Joe Weider Jim Manion, Dexter Jackson and Ben Weider on stage Ryan DeLuca with Ben Weider Vince Scalisi and Dave Conlon with Ben & Joe Ron Avidan with Joe & Ben  Bev Francis and Steve Weinburger with Ben Russ DeLuca with Joe & Ben Isaac Hinds with Ben Rob Wilkins, Bob Cicherillo, Dan Solomon and Robin Chang with Ben

Funeral service from Paperman & Sons at 3888 Jean Talon West on Monday, October 20 at 1 pm in Montreal, Canada. More inforation, call 514-733-7101. Burial at the Victorian Cemetery Association, de la savane. Shiva strictly private. Please respect the family’s wishes to observe shiva in the strictest of privacy. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre. 514-737-6551 or to the Cardiology Research Fund, Jewish General Hospital Foundation. February 1, 1923 – October 17, 2008 Ben Weider, sports leader, scholar, businessman, and philanthropist, known and honored worldwide for his pioneering work promoting and organizing the sport of bodybuilding and groundbreaking work as a self-taught but hugely influential and popular Napoleonic historian and author, died suddenly Friday in Montreal, city of his birth and lifelong home. He was 85 years old. Beloved husband of Huguette Derouin for 49 years. Devoted father and father-in-law of Louis and Linda, Eric and Renee, Mark and Natalie. Cherished grandfather of Aisha, Joseph and Vanessa. Dear brother and brother-in-law of Joe and Betty, Freda Yankofsky, the late Jacob, the late Louis and brother-in-law of Bertha Levy and Andre Derouin. About the Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre. The Ben Weider…

From a canadian newspaper…  MONTREAL, Oct 18, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Ben Weider, sports leader, scholar, businessman, and philanthropist, known and honored worldwide for his pioneering work promoting and organizing the sport of bodybuilding and groundbreaking work as a self-taught but hugely influential and popular Napoleonic historian and author, died suddenly Friday in Montreal, city of his birth and lifelong home. He was 85 years old. In his more than sixty years of involvement in bodybuilding, as Founding President of the International Brotherhood of Body Builders (I.F.B.B.), Mr. Weider worked in close association with his older brother Joe Weider, an iconic figure known as the Father of Modern Bodybuilding. The Weiders anticipated, then led, the worldwide fitness revolution and legitimized bodybuilding — training with weights to build strength and musculature — in all of athletic conditioning and healthful exercise for the general public. The I.F.B.B., founded by the Weiders in 1946, has 173 member national federations worldwide and sanctions thousands of amateur and professional competitive events. Mr. Weider’s achievements in Napoleonic history were as notable as his work in organized sport. Mr. Weider’s knowledge of health, through his work in bodybuilding, led him to doubt the generally accepted theory of Napoleon’s…

 An interesting article that ran today… World’s Largest Physical Culture Collection Gets $1 Million and 25 New Artifacts AUSTIN, Texas — The world’s largest physical culture collection, located in the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports at The University of Texas at Austin, has received a $1 million gift from physical fitness icons Joe and Betty Weider, along with their pledge to donate around 25 unique paintings and sculptures from their personal collection. This is the second $1 million gift the Weiders have given to The University of Texas at Austin. To acknowledge the Weiders’ generosity and honor their lifetime of achievements in the field of physical culture, the Stark Center announced that its galleries related to the history of  “Physical culture” is a broad term that originated in the 19th century and that refers to many ways of promoting strength, health and vigor. The attainment of health and strength could be through purposive exercise regimens like running, resistance training, cycling, swimming, athletics, field sports and walking, as well as through proper eating habits, recreation and rest. Reflecting the breadth of the term, the Stark Center collections include books, magazines, photographs, correspondence and artifacts related to physical…

Dexter Jackson took the long trip across the ocean to visit Romania, where he promptly logged another win with his new title as the 2008 Mr. Olympia! Ronnie Rockel, who placed 14th at the Olympia, took second place here, while Martin Kjellstrom took third. While fans of Martin Kjellstrom were happy with his third place finish, is it fair for Martin to be able to compete in the 2009 Olympia over others that are more qualified, but couldnt make the trip to Romania. That is the question that has been asked in terms of qualification to the big O.  Here are the complete results for the 2008 Romanian Grand Prix. 2008 IFBB Grand Prix Romania Scorecard Results

With the IFBB Men’s Pro season now complete, the 2009 season starts a litle earlier than normal.  For the IFBB Ironman Pro contest has been moved up next year. Instead of being two weeks before the 2009 Arnold, it is now 6 weeks before, on Saturday, January 24th, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  That means that in order to compete in this contest, you need to start dieting now. It also means that with the top FIVE at this contest qualifying for the 2009 Olympia, we are going to have a pretty diverse and interesting contest as to who will compete. For many of the seasoned veterans have to decide whether to peak here and also at the Arnold, or just forgo the Ironman, and assume they have an invitation for the Arnold. Never is a better time for someone who thinks they deserve to compete at the 2009 Olympia to do his best, and snag a top five placing here.  The Ironman is one of my favorite contests of the year, as we never know who is going to be in shape and who will surprise us for the new season. This year is the 20th anniversary of…

Dexter Jackson will be going to Timosoara, Romania to compete in the 2008 Romanian Pro Grand Prix, which will be held on October 11th. The top three at this event will qualify for the Olympia. Here is the competitor list so far… 1.  Khalid Almohsinawi, Netherlands 2.  Hanni Glanville, United Kingdom 3.  Dexter Jackson, USA 4.  Martin Kjellstsrom, Sweden 5.  Cesar Mendible, Venezuela 6.  Migger Milazzo, Germany 7.  Manfred Petautschig, Austria 8.  Ronny Rockel, Germany 9.  Armin Scholz, Germany 10.  Sergey Shelestov, Russia 11.  Tommi Thorvildsen, Norway 12.  Ricky Welling, United Kingdom

At the 2008 Ironman Pro, Isaac vs. Ron went at it in the Gladiator Jousting Challenge, and Ron pulled through, with a blow that sent Isaac off the ground.  At the 2008 Olympia, once again, the two went out it again, while Lonnie Teper was the emcee of this event. Two rounds, and the so-called ‘Experts’ fought there way towards a battle in which LT gets knocked down at the end!