Letters

Flex, August, 2003

Talkback

DREAM TEAM

My dream is to train with Ronnie Coleman for a weekend. My brother got me Ronnie Coleman's video The Unbelievable!! for my birthday last year, and I have watched it literally every day since for inspiration. I got the opportunity to meet Ronnie at the 2003 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic in Columbus, Ohio. I was so amazed at the sheer size of him. He is larger than life. When I went up to get his autograph, I was so nervous I didn't know what to say to him. Although I met many of my favorite bodybuilders and fitness women at the show, none of them made me nervous like Ronnie Coleman. The only exception was Timea Majorova--she is very beautiful and nice, and her accent made me melt.

I really want to continue with bodybuilding, but my desire is slowly fading. I need to put the spark back into my training by having my dream of training with Ronnie come true. He could even help me prepare for an amateur show, which I want to compete in next year. Please let me know if you can help me attain my dream workout.

Jason Montgomery

Lorain, Ohio

Although we can't set up personal-training sessions with Mr. Olympia, we can bring you Coleman's hardcore training methods and advice every month through his column and frequent features. Keep following his guidance, and you will be dominating the stage before you know it.

CARIBBEAN KUDOS

Greetings to my friends at FLEX. I want to sincerely thank you for the article on the Bahamas in the April 2003 FLEX [IFBB Report, "Bahamas Bodybuilding Blowout"]. The members of the Bahamas Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (BBFF) are extremely proud to have such a great article in a prestigious magazine such as FLEX. In this regard, most of the members will purchase this issue to keep as a collector's edition. Also, a copy of this magazine was presented to our Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, the Honorable Neville Wisdom MP.

This year, the Bahamas National Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships will be held July 5, 2003, and once again I will send you the results and photos immediately after the competition.

Hubert Wong MBE

Honorary President

BBFF

Nassau, Bahamas

CLASSIC COLEMAN

The Mr. Olympia is coming up in a few months, and it looks like we will have a changing of the guard, right? The once-unbeatable Ronnie Coleman now has a chink in his armor thanks to a 300-pound German freak. Gunter Schlierkamp is training with Charles Glass, Jay Cutler is on a roll, Kevin Levrone promises to train year-round and "bring in his legs" and Chris Cormier promises to lay off the pre-Olympia parties. With all these factors, you might think Mr. Olympia will get beat on his own turf. Wrong! I have never been a huge Coleman fan, but I am sick and tired of hearing about Coleman being "done." Those with short memories need to take a look at the photos from the 2001 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic. Coleman presented an amazing physique that he has yet to duplicate, but we all know he has the potential. If Coleman can repeat his 2001 Arnold Classic form, then it doesn't matter how many forced reps Glass makes Gunter do, it doesn't matter how much Cutler continues to improve, it doesn't matter how big or goo d Levrone's legs are, and it doesn't matter how focused Cormier stays in his contest prep.

If Coleman even comes close to that 2001 shape, it's over--game, set, match. I bet the big Texan is now more motivated than ever before, which should be an aggravating worry in the back of his challengers' minds.

Nate Martinez Draper, Utah

FLEXING IN TOKYO

I'm a novice bodybuilder in Tokyo and an avid reader of FLEX. I just want to say thanks for all the inspiration you have given me ever since I started to lift weights. I decided to change my lifestyle after the birth of my daughter two years ago. I wanted to become a father she could be proud of. I work in an industry notorious for late-night meetings and overnight stays in the office. Recently, I decided to keep some dumbbells in the office so I could still get in a workout during the day. At the beginning, everybody looked at me funny, but after a while, it just blended into the background. Now people are dropping by my desk and asking if they can borrow my weights for a quick session. Same with the protein shakes I have during the day. At first, people were asking "Why?" but if you take the time, and explain what you are doing and why you are doing it, after a while nobody will give you s--t about it.

As Peter McGough wrote in "The Adventure Continues" commentary [May 2003], be proud of what you do and take the time to explain to others, the rest will follow. Keep up the good work. Via e-mail Kentaro Fukada Tokyo, Japan

Via e-mail

NOSTALGIA

Kentaro Fukada

Tokyo, Japan

Regarding FLEX's 20th anniversary: There have been many changes over the last 20 years of FLEX, and I've been there for most of them. I was there when Cory Everson, Carla Dunlap and Lenda Murray ruled the pages. I was there when Tom Platz and his Corvette were on the cover. Twenty years ago, the bodybuilders were so accessible that in the back of FLEX, you could find a list of their addresses so you could write to them. I miss that! I would get autographed photos and postcards; Al Beckles even sent me a Pump It Up T-shirt. I have enjoyed FLEX for 20 years, and I look forward to 20 more.