Muscle & Fitness Hers Cover

[BelleU]

Hello everyone!
I just wanted to get your opinions on Kim Kardashian being on the cover for M&F Hers.
I personally LOVE her body, but she is not exactly your typical M&F cover model. I know a lot of you are semi (and/or) professional fitness models and I am assuming being on the cover of this particular magazine is a huge deal.
The reason I ask is b/c this happens all the time in the burlesque community (which I am a member of). There are a lot of very dedicated beautiful women that are burlesque gals to the core. They work their butts off to get gigs and be as creative as possible, Christina Aguilera grabs a feather boa puts on some red lipstick plays an old big band song does a little shimmy and BAM she's "burlesque". It can be a bit frustrating.
So I am wondering if Kim Kardashian is fitness' Christina Aguilera to fitness models?

Just an opinion poll.

[KlaarBody]

I am just an average person trying to get fit and put on some muscle, not a fitness professional or anything. My first reaction was disappointment. The magazine is so small already, we get what 20 pages to the guys 300 page version, and then they go giving up a lot of space for her to show how she wiggles a long rope some to get fit. I look forward to seeing how the professionals do it with equipment that a fitness professional might actually use, not an actress playing at it. I don't see my gym installing 100 feet of shipping yard ropes anytime soon for me to wiggle.

[swindled]

Although I am not a fitness competitor, I do have a lot of respect for fitness models and how much they train and how much they watch their diet. I really dont have that same respect for Kim Kardashian, to me she is just another spoiled celebrity with a personal trainer.

Although I dont really have that respect for Kim Kardashian, I do understand why M&F decided to put her on the cover, a lot of women know of her and wish they had her body. It opened up M&F to a new market of women, women that want to get in shape, but dont want to get the oh so dreaded "bulky" muscle look.

Hopefully using Kim Kardashian to sell M&F will open up true fitness and muscle building to more women.

[Amanda76]

You're not the first to have wondered what's up with Kardashian...From the new editor and chief of M&F Hers:

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.c...5;t=6598;st=10

[Amanda76]

Originally Posted by swindled

Hopefully using Kim Kardashian to sell M&F will open up true fitness and muscle building to more women.

I agree with this...although M&F Hers has been full of fluff for forever.

[Surf_N_Turf]

Originally Posted by KlaarBody

I am just an average person trying to get fit and put on some muscle, not a fitness professional or anything. My first reaction was disappointment. The magazine is so small already, we get what 20 pages to the guys 300 page version, and then they go giving up a lot of space for her to show how she wiggles a long rope some to get fit. I look forward to seeing how the professionals do it with equipment that a fitness professional might actually use, not an actress playing at it. I don't see my gym installing 100 feet of shipping yard ropes anytime soon for me to wiggle.

M&F isn't just for guys. Mostly everything in it is relative to women also.

[SpittfireDA]

Originally Posted by Surf_N_Turf

M&F isn't just for guys. Mostly everything in it is relative to women also.

I flipped open one ("Hers") and saw pink dumbbells and swiss balls along with "floor exercises" to "Tone Your Bum for Summer!" and promptly returned it to its place next to Self.

If I buy a muscle mag like MD or M+F, the same rules apply (with the excpetion of some of the dietary stuff maybe to adjust for bodyweight) meh.

M+F Hers seems pretty useless ... never see any "M"! LoL!!

[Beefcupcake]

My subscription just ended and I'm glad I didn't renew. The new issue is the one that made me decide that this magazine is now completely worthless. It has become another "Fitness" or "Self" magazine that is trying to reach out to the general population. No thank you.

As far as KK goes? She doesn't deserve to be on the spotlight. She probably has been working out for about a month only and now they want to show her as a role model!?? WTF!! She belongs in the other magazines, not in M&F hers ... if you have no muscle, then you don't belong in a magazine that is "supposed" to be about muscles.

The editor said that her being a celebrity is not the reason why she's on the cover?? I say that is totally bullsh*t! Would have they featured a regular person from a regular gym just barely starting to show progress? Of course NOT! That wouldn't sell many copies would it?

She's a beautiful person, don't give me wrong, but again, she doesn't belong in a fitness magazine! It's funny how about a month ago she was featured in this magazine:



Do you think the cover of M&F hers is real? It's called Photoshop baby!

[Surf_N_Turf]

Originally Posted by SpittfireDA

M+F Hers seems pretty useless ... never see any "M"! LoL!!

Yes - the M seems to be absent from this mag.

[genn]

OMG!! I just saw that today. I wanted to buy it but when I saw hey on the cover I was like : Where is the muscle ? And just put it back. I don't see the point of having her on the cover since it not a male magazine. This magazine is for women how want to be/get in shape. I just think that if you name your magazine muscle and fitness try at least to have someone with a slight bit on muscle on the cover so that women can look up to her as a fitness model.

[BiancaNoir]

I think Kim Kardashian is perfectly lovely, but it seems to me like she'd have been better suited for Shape rather than M&F Hers. If she's going to be on the cover of a "fitness" mag at all, that is.

I pretty much gave up on fitness magazines a couple of years ago, though every so often I'll buy one just to see if anything has changed. I've found a lot of great info at my online fitness haunts, though I've often had to wade through crap in the process.

[BelleU]

WOW the article from the editor was interesting. I guess you cant blame them for going the "sell out" route in this economy. This magazine will definately sell.

THank you ladies for all your input, again I am the type of girl who wants to get KK's type of body, but I do agree that it doesnt belong on the cover of M&F.

I guess Ive gotta go work out with ropes and chains now

[eglionz]

I was surprised she was on the cover but I was more surprised how the magazine has deteriorated over the years.

I don't really like M&F Hers because it is a very small publication and I feel like they push a lot of pseudo-science, plus it seems to have more ads for crap that basically does nothing for you. It's sort of like Women's Health, which I was extremely excited about but have found to be more like a collection of extremely short health blurbs that don't ever really apply to what interests me the most.

Some of the models used in M&F Hers have given me weird vibes as well. There were a couple issues where they used women where something looked "off" about them. I can't describe it but they made me cringe.

I prefer Oxygen, and I occasionally pick up Fitness or Shape as well. Oxygen has always impressed me with how they push a healthy diet, and of course I appreciate the exercises... I've incorporated a lot of new exercises from Oxygen into my training. Their models always look fit, muscular and healthy and I've never gotten a bad vibe from any of them.

Fitness and Shape have their share of frilly crap, but they are meant to cater to a more general audience of women who are not necessarily looking to get a v-taper or 6-pack abs, so I try to just appreciate them for what they are, even if I don't usually find anything I use from them... they seem like they focus more on things like lunges with curls and squats that come up into an overhead press and those moves just don't fit into how I prefer to train.

[BelleU]

The reason I really like M&F Hers is b/c there arent "101 ways to please your man" articles. But they are pretty heavy on the supplement/"fat burning" ads.
Hopefully the new EIC will see that most readers would like to see someone who has hit their goal as oppose to "Work in progress" and get the mag back to work outs and diets.

In the meantime, maybe I will take a look at Shape and Oxygen..

[FencingGal]

1. It is super lame
but
2. You can't really fault them - I mean, it will move some magazines off the shelves.

Side note - does anyone know how their numbers have been in the last couple of years? I imagine times must be lean if they're going after folks like KK now.

[nextsuperhero]

She wanted to do it to promote her fitness DVDs & they agreed because she'd up their sells.

HERS is pretty hit & miss. Usually an issue has at least 1 thing in it that I just absolutely love & it improves my life, her article is NOT that thing in this issue lol.

[IronCitGrl]

I am guessing they did this because they saw how successful the magazine "FitnessRx" was when they put Kim Kardashian on the cover last year.

I think it appeals to more women just like that song in the 90's "I like big butts and I can not lie." Obviously the guy was not rapping about fat chicks with huge butts but all the fat chicks got excited anyway because they thought it was about them. So it appeals to many women.

Well Kim Kardashian has the bigger behind with bigger hips so more women can relate to her rather than some skinny model OR muscular fitness model. In fact someone had posted an article somewhere in the female bb forums about women being scared of being too "bulky" and would rather be fat than have muscle!

Not saying Kim is fat but she definitely has a lot of curves and no muscle. Lots of women want a body like her's but I would personally take the butt that is round from doing squats and lunges rather than one that is round from eating cookies and cake.

[futurebird]

Originally Posted by IronCitGrl

I think it appeals to more women just like that song in the 90's "I like big butts and I can not lie." Obviously the guy was not rapping about fat chicks with huge butts but all the fat chicks got excited anyway because they thought it was about them. So it appeals to many women.

ha ha ha ... so true.

[BiancaNoir]

Originally Posted by nextsuperhero

HERS is pretty hit & miss. Usually an issue has at least 1 thing in it that I just absolutely love & it improves my life, her article is NOT that thing in this issue lol.

I last picked up M&F Hers about a year or so ago, because something on the cover caught my eye. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the article that I was interested in had been in the magazine, word-for-word, back in 2001. And yes, I still had the old magazine to compare it to.

[cactusflower]

Originally Posted by Amanda76

I agree with this...although M&F Hers has been full of fluff for forever.

not as much as oxygen in my opinion.....

thanks for posting what the edito in chief wrote. I personally was disappointed to see her on the cover.

[blu2xtreme]

I gave up on M&F hers a few months ago - still get oxygen - still some good info there.
I get so much more useful info here , why bother, I wish there was a good female bodybuilding mag out there.

[Beefcupcake]

Originally Posted by blu2xtreme

I gave up on M&F hers a few months ago - still get oxygen - still some good info there.
I get so much more useful info here , why bother, I wish there was a good female bodybuilding mag out there.

I agree.... there is nothing good out there geared towards women. It's all fluff!

[digitalbath11]

See, a few months back I got M&F Hers and although she was not in the cover, they went into an extensive workout routine (with pics of course) of Pauline Nordin. She's so badazz.

I guess I keep the hope up. It is still a much better magazine than others.

[FencingGal]

Originally Posted by BiancaNoir

I last picked up M&F Hers about a year or so ago, because something on the cover caught my eye. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the article that I was interested in had been in the magazine, word-for-word, back in 2001. And yes, I still had the old magazine to compare it to.

Whoa!

[Haybales]

The only reason I buy that mag is coz it has women who are inspirational to me (eg. Pauline Nordin and the like) not because of KK and her butt. Why would you put a untoned woman on the cover of a MUSCLE AND FITNESS mag. Seriously. Ugh.

C'mon Hers, we wanna see some gunnage and some abs! No more flab!

[iKoniConSciencE]

I shall echo the common consensus:
There are plenty of women who want to look like Kim Kardashian and not many who want to look like bodybuilders or even figure competitors. "Muscle" and Fitness Hers needs sales... it's an enterprise like anything else. Everyone is so celebrity-crazy that putting Kim Kardashian on the cover means more moo-lah.

As for a semi-sort-of-model perspective, I've done some fitness modeling in the past couple years, but only for local gyms and brands. None of them were huge deals/big bucks; a few were paid and the rest were TFP. As a teenager, I did my share of print modeling, mostly posing for Hechts (a department store up in VA, similar to Dillards or Belk) as well as one shoot for Gucci. Since I was delusional with stars in my eyes, I thought I'd be able to make a bigger deal out of it... until I realized that sadly, I don't have the height or the face and I'd have to literally starve to stay that size. I don't really find it depressing that people in worse shape than me are gracing the covers of these magazines because A) they have more experience modeling, B) they just "look" better all around, and C) they've had better luck and more casting calls.

I have to say that most women on bodyspace are in better shape than those on the covers of so-called fitness magazines anyway.

[erinlee01]

I have to say, I was a little surprised by that choice as well. But let's be honest - she did do a great job losing weight and she did it using real exercises. Though I am into bodybuilding and want to see what the pros do, there is a large number of women who want to drop some weight and get in shape. Looking at the pros can be a but intimidating. To see someone who was famously overweight and who lost it, who is still looking to improve a body most would want can be far more inspiring to a larger number of women. Not everyone starts out being fit.

[gypsie77]

I haven't read M&F Hers for a while due to my disappointment with the deteriorating quality of this publication. I decided to pick up a copy for motivational purposes. I was surprised to find Kim Kardashian on the cover. However, what I found most disappointing was the continued lack of content. I felt like I got duped because there seemed to be more advertisements than actual content. I have saved M&F Hers and Oxygen mags years. However, I would have not qualms about giving this one away.

[Ursula77G]

I too was very disapointed to see KK on the cover and funnily enough I mentioned this to my husband. Yes she can sell magazines or whatever she plasters her face on but I just think this was the wrong vehicle for her and her workout dvd's that are called "Fit in your Jeans by Friday" which we all know is just another BS work out to add to what is already out there. I do still continue to buy this magazine along with Oxygen and I guess like any magazine it can be a hit or miss. I do occasionally buy the men's magazines since I feel like they provide much more in depth articles about everything. However having Kim on the cover kind of made me think twice about this magazine if this is the route they will be taking.

[sthpadregrl]

Originally Posted by BiancaNoir

I last picked up M&F Hers about a year or so ago, because something on the cover caught my eye. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that the article that I was interested in had been in the magazine, word-for-word, back in 2001. And yes, I still had the old magazine to compare it to.

I thought I was the only one that kept old articles if it was something i thought I would refer back to....I've seen that with M&F and Shape mostly...Makes you wonder if we have even discovered anything really new?