MD RULES!

Why It's Great to be on Team MD

In the past few years a lot has been going on behind the scenes in the world of bodybuilding journalism. Muscle Beach TV host Dave Bourlet takes us on a small journey to talk to a few familiar faces who have not always worn the MD logo yet now wear the name with pride. In this short video, Peter McGough, Bob Cicherillo, Dan Solomon and Jay Cutler tell us why they have migrated to the halls of MD.

Why MD is #1

The history of bodybuilding magazines goes back over 100 years, when Bernarr Macfadden published Physical Culture. Over the many decades that followed, bodybuilding broke away from weightlifting and became a sport in its own right, with its own magazines that covered the athletes, the contests, training, nutrition and supplementation. Various publishers and magazines came and went. One of the longest-running magazines was Strength and Health, which began in 1932 and became Muscular Development in 1964. The title was acquired in 1986 by Twinlab, the supplement company founded and owned by the Blechman family. In 2001, Steve Blechman left Twinlab and acquired Muscular Development. With a sincere passion for the art and sport of bodybuilding, Steve set out to make it the absolute best bodybuilding magazine in the industry. He assembled a team of photographers, writers, experts, star athletes and legends of the sport that is totally unrivaled, bringing his vision to life. Today, the magazine known simply as “MD” has taken its place as the standard bearer for the sport and lifestyle of bodybuilding.

The Olympians

MD has not one but five Mr. Olympia champions on board. Eight-time Mr. O Lee Haney offers up his wisdom and experience every month, as does the only other man with eight Sandows on his mantel, Ronnie Coleman. Six-time winner Dorian Yates shares his hardcore “Blood and Guts” approach with the readers in each issue. Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler is arguably the most popular pro bodybuilder alive and the only man to have ever lost the Mr. O crown and taken it back— a feat he intends to repeat again in 2013. And “The Blade” Dexter Jackson, whose career has been one of unique excellence and unparalleled longevity, is still improving at 43 years of age after 22 years of working out. All in all, that's 27 Mr. Olympia titles!

The Legends

In addition to the Mr. Olympia champions, MD also has three IFBB Hall of Famers with the distinction of being known as “Uncrowned Mr. Olympias.” Arnold Classic champion Shawn Ray has the all-time record of being in the top five for 12 years in a row at the O from 1990 to 2001, with two runner-up finishes. In addition to contributing to the print magazine every month, Shawn is on the road providing live online contest coverage and athlete interviews at every NPC national and IFBB Pro event. Flex Wheeler has been hailed as the most perfectly developed man in history by none other than Arnold himself. A four-time Arnold Classic champion and a three-time Mr. Olympia runner-up, Flex is also a vital member of Team MD. Then there's Kevin Levrone, a two-time Arnold champ and four-time Olympia runner-up who brings an eclectic flair and colorful personality to all his writing and commentating. Last but far from least is The Dragonslayer, Rich Gaspari, a three-time Mr. Olympia runner-up to Lee Haney. Rich set the standard for contest condition a quarter-century ago by being the first man ever with striated glutes, and today is the owner of Gaspari Nutrition.

The Gurus

He's known as The Pro Creator for a reason— because Hany Rambod has helped more athletes turn professional in the IFBB than any other coach in the industry. MD readers followed along as he developed his now wildly popular FST-7 Training system, and helped lead both amateurs and professional bodybuilders to their best-ever conditions and greatest victories— including Jay Cutler and Phil Heath. George Farah began his coaching career while still an active IFBB Pro himself, and is now the man trusted not only by pros like Branch Warren and Kai Greene, but also by superstar actors like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to achieve their physical peaks. Then there's the original Trainer of Champions, Charles Glass. Charles has been the most respected personal trainer in the industry for three decades, and has worked with stars all the way from Flex Wheeler to Kai Greene as well as Hollywood actors like Wesley Snipes. Constantly reinventing exercises and techniques to target specific areas and improve even the most advanced physiques, Glass is a workout technician without peer.

Team MD— the Athletes

Plain and simple, MD has the best group of athletes in the sport, including Arnold Classic champs and Mr. O runners-up Branch Warren and Victor Martinez, Dennis Wolf, Evan Centopani, Jose Raymond, Hide Yamagishi and Johnnie Jackson. We've also got the “Young Guns,” four new pros all under the age of 30: Jonathan De La Rosa, Steve Kuclo, Antoine Vaillant and the youngest man to ever win the Overall at a pro qualifier, 21-year-old Dallas McCarver. Most recently we signed Cedric McMillan. His overall shape, near-perfect structure and height alone make for a killer combination; add to that his potential to completely fill it all out with 20-30 pounds of more muscle, brute size and freaky conditioning and empirically this man is destined to take the Olympian stage one day and possibly win it!

These IFBB Pros range from seasoned veterans to rookies who have yet to step on a pro stage, offering a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels. We've watched some of them fulfill their potential and rise through the ranks as the years have gone by, and we'll follow others as they grow and mature in coming years.

The Writers and Experts

If it can be said that there's any true royalty among bodybuilding journalists, that honor would be bestowed to Peter McGough. The former Editor-in-Chief of Flex magazine, Peter has been covering the sport and its stars since Arnold's Olympia wins. With his wry British wit and insightful observations, no one covers the iron game quite like McGough. Ron Harris began his writing career over 20 years ago while working as the Associate Producer for the ESPN “American Muscle” show, and since has become the industry's most prolific contributor. A competitive bodybuilder himself since the late ‘80s, Ron's passion for training and love for the sport resonates in all his work. The rest of the writing team is an all-star group covering everything from opinions to gossip, training, drugs, nutrition, supplementation and even medical and legal advice and includes Bob Cicherillo, Rick Collins, Esq., William Llewelyn, Dan Solomon, Dave Bourlet, Thomas Fahey, Michael J. Rudolph, Ph.D., Dr. Victor Prisk, Giles Thomas, Layne Norton, Ph.D., Stephen Alway, Ph.D. and Dr. Daniel Gwartney. And who could forget “The Ramblin' Freak,” Gregg Valentino? A household name in America thanks to the infamous TV documentary, “The Man Whose Arms Exploded,” Gregg's scatological humor and hilarious anecdotes have made his column the guilty pleasure of choice for readers.

Photography

Per Bernal is the modern master of physique photography, and many of the images he has captured have become iconic. When his lens captures the best physiques in the world in top condition, the results are breathtaking. With a unique and instantly recognizable style, Per's work has not only given MD a powerful visual identity, it has no doubt inspired millions around the world.

Multimedia

Keeping up with technology, MD has evolved into far more than a print magazine. The website www.musculardevelopment.com has become the one-stop destination for the best live contest coverage, training and lifestyle videos, discussion forums and podcasts. Check out the new MD website redesign! Last year Dan Solomon brought his acclaimed Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Internet radio show to MD, bolstering Shawn Ray's MD Radio. Each week, listeners are treated to interviews with the top athletes, officials and gurus of the sport.

No Bull!

It's not just the amazing talent pool that makes up Team MD that sets it apart and raises it to another level— it's the “No Bull” attitude and commitment to show the sport of bodybuilding as it really is. You'll see, hear and read about the good and the bad, the ups and the downs, and everything in between. In this age of reality TV, fans clamor for honesty, and they get it in the pages of MD and online. No punches are pulled, and nowhere else will you find a more accurate portrayal of the sport of bodybuilding. Other magazines sweep things under the rug and give you just part of the story— but in MD you get it all!

The Best Keeps Getting Better

Thanks to Steve Blechman's undying commitment to constantly improving MD and taking it to ever-higher levels of excellence, you can look forward to MD not only remaining the best magazine and website in the bodybuilding industry for many years to come, but for it to continually step up its game to assure there's nowhere else you need to go.