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Usually, after I’m requested to pen a tribute to somebody, that somebody just isn’t within the form of situation that might lend himself to ever know what I stated about him. On the uncommon event although, the task comes down for an individual not in such dire straights. This time it did; the bloke is simply merely retiring. In his wake although, he leaves one of the profitable bodybuilding careers on file, racking up 13 beginner titles and 21 professional wins over his 19-year profession, together with seven consecutive 212 Olympias, in addition to the winner of the primary Arnold Traditional 212. So far as the 212 class goes, this monster from the UK just isn’t solely the GOAT, but additionally posed a authentic menace to the open if he ever acquired to take his foot off the brakes. To say Flex Lewis is entitled to a tribute is to say a post-verdict Johnny Depp is entitled to a mega-pint.
The very first thing I instructed Flex Lewis when he picked up the telephone is that I would like this to be a tribute to his profession by his eyes. I need to know what had been the pivotal factors in his profession, the anecdotes, the individuals, the locations, that outline his reminiscences. I would like his perspective, not the pundits. So, I’ll just about simply be steering the course; the dialogue is all Flex.
With that, I need to provide the next caveat. The foregoing may sound good on paper, however should you’ve ever mentioned something with Flex, in any stage of element, you’ll know that protecting him on level is 4 ranges tougher than herding feral cats. He’s in all places. And he is aware of it. The one intolerance, nevertheless, is the clock. If I had the time, I’d be very happy to let him go on down by the best way; wherever he goes it’s going to be fascinating. However, nonetheless, if you wish to make a deadline, or know the reply to a particular query, notably a poignant one, be ready for a number of walks away from – to not – the purpose.
Don’t get me mistaken. The stroll is bound nice sufficient. Kinda jogs my memory of asking for instructions from an outdated southern gentleman on a scorching summer time day, with nothing to do and a tall glass of candy tea in his hand. And that might be for the condensed model of his reply to me when asking him one thing comparable to, “How did you make the choice to surrender Rugby and pursue bodybuilding full time?” At the least seven occasions I believed he was telling me, however we ended up someplace else. We lastly did get to the purpose. And because it was such a wrestle, I feel that’s the place I’ll begin…
Earlier than I try this, let’s get the “Flex” factor out of the best way. In Lewis’ case, the nickname was a spinoff of 1 given to him on the age of six by his Rugby mates, as a result of he was so versatile. “At first it was “Flexy” then, inevitably, right down to “Flex,” he stated. “I went all by college – my whole childhood – all the time being known as ‘Flex.’ I by no means heard ‘James’ besides from my mother and pop.”
With that cleared up, again to the pivot from Rugby to bodybuilding. Flex emphatically states, “I began coaching with weights to assist me be higher at Rugby… And, as a result of I needed to draw women with my muscle groups.” It doesn’t get extra humble and sincere than that.
His preliminary attraction to bodybuilding was one thing a bit distinctive. All of us have our story of how the bug bit us, however that is out of left subject. Flex Lewis had an aunt who was a nurse in London. She attended – of all issues — a Tom Platz seminar that was given at her nursing college. He was doing an look there and doing his common speak on diet, weight-reduction plan, and coaching, and he did a visitor posing. Afterward, Tom was promoting his merchandise, when Auntie purchased one in all Tom’s books and he signed it. “She left the e-book in her bookcase,” Flex remembered. “I discovered it after I was 12 — I used to be staying in her room throughout a go to and, me being a 12-year-old boy, was snooping by her shit and I discovered this e-book on Tom Platz. I began flipping by it and I stated, ‘holy shit take a look at these legs!’ I used to be enjoying Rugby and needed legs like that. So, I took the e-book residence.”
“You simply took it?”
“Let’s simply say I borrowed it.”
“Okay, so you’ve gotten the e-book, however what did you carry?” I requested. “Did you’ve gotten any weights?”
“Dad had an outdated Weider weight set with the plastic plates – bear in mind these? They had been full of sand. He had them within the shed by the backyard. As a result of the home is constructed right into a hill, the backyard was form of like on the second flooring. I couldn’t change the weights as a result of the collars had been so corroded. So I needed to roll the weights from the shed, down the hill, and thru the home, and up the steps, and into my room, and conceal them below the mattress. Each evening I’d pull out the wights and take a look at to determine learn how to do a squat, utilizing the mattress as a squat rack. Finally, I figured it out and saved doing squats.”
That’s traditional! And, he’s doing it behind his dad and mom’ again. Flex Lewis by no means fully defined to me why he felt he needed to sneak within the weights. However, it’s true, that they had no thought what he was doing up there. However, as with all issues we did behind our dad and mom’ backs after we had been youngsters, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than the mission is now not covert.
“One evening my dad hears all this grunting by the door and bursts into the room considering I’m cracking one out, and he sees as an alternative I’m lifting weights! He stood there and bellowed, ‘What the fuck are you doing??’!!”
I cracked up. “It most likely would have been the identical response should you had been wanking.”
He laughs, “Yeah, most likely.”
However I needed to know, “what was it concerning the weights your dad and mom had been towards?”
“I used to be 12 and my mother thought it could stunt my progress.”
“Had been your dad and mom tall?” I puzzled.
“No!” He roared, “They had been each like 5’5!!”
However, what mother says goes; the weights must wait… So far as coaching at residence went anyway. It was too late. The bug had already bitten Flexy. He began watching WWF wrestling and noticed how massive the fellows had been. “I simply needed to be jacked on the rugby subject,” he stated. “After Each sport I went straight to the gymnasium, all muddy, to coach. The coach hated me as a result of I used to be all the time all soiled and I’d depart mud all around the gymnasium… You couldn’t preserve me out of there although. I needed Platz’s legs.”
“That was it then, Rugby and weights?” That’s form of a slim path for a younger teenager rising up in Wales.
“No… no,” he replied. My mom put me in every part; not simply Rugby. I did gymnastics — I can nonetheless do a again flip if I’ve a couple of whiskies — monitor and subject, boxing….”
“Boxing?” I used to be puzzled. “Aren’t all guys from the UK born realizing learn how to battle?”
He cracked up. I all the time inform him how I routinely extol the toughness and scrapping prowess of my bros on the opposite facet of the pond. He agreed, however, he stated, “Boxing is a little more formal than road combating, however sure, you’re proper. We do loads of scrapping within the UK. It’s accepted. Guys all the time get into fights. At the least they used to. It’s unbelievable what’s taking place. This technology…… Everyone seems to be such a pussy right now….. You realize the factor that actually irks me…?”
Oh, man… I noticed the place that was going. Such a diatribe would final half-hour. And I’d observe him proper down that rabbit gap too. “So, wait….” I ended him. I needed to. “Wait… What about monitor & subject? You participated in that for a very long time, together with Rugby, all by college. If I bear in mind accurately, you’ve gotten a nonetheless unbroken file, don’t you?”
“I did,” he replied. “I truly ended up working for my nation and received a gold medal within the indoor hurdles. And, sure, I nonetheless maintain that file in Wales.”
So, the following apparent query is, “Why didn’t you retain working? You might have a freak’n gold medal!”
He chuckled, “One would assume. I used to be working indoors and doing properly, however I wasn’t in love with it. Then I began having issues with my
ft. I used to be getting shin splints….. I simply needed to give attention to Rugby. I went to varsity enjoying Rugby. I used to be scouted. I used to be at a really excessive stage. There have been loads of alternatives to play abroad; I toured the world enjoying. My fingers are scarred, all my entrance tooth are faux from scrapping on and off the sphere.”
I made observe of the gratuitous scrapping. “See, once more with the combating! I do know Rugby is a sport infamous for scrapping however isn’t that as a result of it was invented within the UK? The place everybody fights?”
Flex Lewis cracked up once more. “I suppose it’s considerably true he admitted. My grandfather labored within the mines when he was a child. He labored on his fingers and knees with a choose and a shovel all day. He was in three cave-ins! He’d climb out and return to work. After work, he’d battle for pennies, so my grandmother might feed the household. Scrapping is simply a part of the tradition within the UK. He taught me at a really younger age that once you’re robust, you don’t should flex. You simply should know learn how to defend your self……However this technology has gotten comfortable as fuck! My grandfather was a miner when he was a child! They needed to make use of youngsters within the mines as a result of they had been small they usually might ship them into tight, harmful, locations….. In comparison with now? Oh my god, social media has created ball-less males……..”
Yup…. there we go once more. Again down the rabbit gap. I couldn’t cease him that point. Not when a person is paying tribute to his grandfather. After that dialogue ran its course, I requested him once more about that transition from Rugby to bodybuilding. “Okay, so that you had been powerlifting that will help you with Rugby, proper? The place did bodybuilding are available in?”
“I educated on the gymnasium the place all of the bouncers educated,” he started telling me. “And the ‘household guys.’ if you already know what meaning. I educated round these guys and located myself doing an increasing number of bodybuilding work. Then I met a man named Steve Naylor; he had a really ‘Arnold look.’ Ok to win the Mr. Wales, however nowhere else. He was working by coaching companions like Kamala Harris is working by staffers, particularly for legs. Nobody would present up on leg day. So he requested me If I needed to coach. In the future whereas we had been coaching, somebody put up a poster for a bodybuilding present and Steve and I went. It was the primary time I’d seen the transition from low season to competitors form. I used to be completely blown away. I used to be 19 by then. Naylor and I saved at it, and sooner or later the poster went up once more. The gymnasium proprietor stated, ‘Flex should you compete in that present I’ll offer you a free membership.’ That was big! That was some huge cash to me on the time.”
“How did you prep for it?” I requested. “How did you determine learn how to food regimen and dial in for a present?”
“I’d periodically purchase Flex journal if I had the cash. It was my bible. I learn them cowl to cowl. Again and again. However there was not often any information on food regimen. Then, lastly, an article on Gunter Schlierkamp got here out that talked intimately about his food regimen. (I nonetheless have the difficulty). I adopted it by half, and lower out all of the carbs. I used to be like a zombie. I simply saved going as a result of I wanted the free membership!”
“So, the present comes and I win! I received the teenager and the novice. It was an enormous deal. My associates got here and introduced air horns. There was an open bar. There have been fights outdoors (would you anticipate anything?) My associates introduced me an enormous bag of my favourite candies and Snickers bars. I ate some chocolate to appease my associates. However, actually, I simply needed to drink! Then I heard this voice behind me that stated, ‘mate, are you doing the British championships? You possibly can beat all these cunts! You must characterize your nation. Who helped you for this present?’ I instructed him nobody. He stated, ‘I’ll aid you. Monday, drive to my home.’ and he gave me the tackle. That was Neil Hill. And we’ve been collectively ever since. Nineteen years. We received 13 beginner reveals collectively and 21 professional wins. That’s loyalty brother.” It certain is.
So, This Is Actually It…
I’ve been on this business for properly over 30 years and one in all my greatest disappointments just isn’t attending to see Flex Lewis compete within the Olympia open. I used to be so happy to study of his intent in 2020 and thought there was a really distinct chance that I’d get to witness historical past being made, as Flex might have been the primary and solely winner of each the 212 and open Olympias. The one different competitor in historical past who might even have pulled it off, however didn’t, is Lee Priest. The business as an entire suffered a little bit of a letdown on this probably historic case, what occurred?
Because the story goes, 2017 was going to be Flex’s final 212 Olympia. It ended up being the worst yr of his life. Three weeks earlier than the Olympia, Flex’s coaching associate, Dallas McCarver, handed away abruptly. Shortly thereafter, 10 days earlier than the present to be actual, an enormous hurricane started bearing down on south Florida. “So we boarded up the home and went to Vegas,” he stated. “We lived in a lodge the entire time earlier than the Olympia. As quickly as we acquired there, everybody who knew Dallas needed to speak to me. On the Meet the Olympians occasion, I had a line of individuals ready to see me. They had been all crying. It was so emotional for me, however I needed to suppress all that. And, on prime of that, I had a digicam crew for BBC following me round the entire time….. They had been cool and ended up doing a tribute to Dallas within the documentary.”
Evidently, his suppressing of emotion may need executed the trick, as a result of he received the 212 once more and he did once more the following yr, 2018. The choice was made then to go for the 2020 Olympia open. He took 2019 off to placed on measurement. He was pushing actually laborious for 2020, then acquired actually sick, the results of which made consuming a little bit of a problem. No urge for food, couldn’t eat, no matter he might pressure down normally didn’t keep down. Then there was the shoulder harm… “It was horrible,” Flex remembers. “I used to be going to so many docs’ appointments. I used to be lacking meals, I couldn’t prepare proper for a championship. I felt like shit.”
So, as an alternative of doing the 2020 open Olympia, Flex Lewis went to Columbia for stem cell remedy to attempt to assist rehab his shoulder and reset his intestine. “I used to be so focussed on rehabbing accidents and doing the stem cell remedy,” he stated. “I took off 4 months of coaching. That was laborious. My gymnasium was my church. I used to be going nuts. To take my thoughts off my distress, we determined to promote the gymnasium in Florida, transfer to Vegas and open one up there. Whereas I used to be off of every part, my spouse and I made a decision to have one other child. After we came upon she was anticipating, I known as Neil and we determined to go for it once more, and do the Olympia open in 2021. Then
the identical factor occurred. My guts had been shot. I might have purchased a home with what I spent on docs and therapies to get again on stage. I nonetheless couldn’t eat. My life was depressing. I needed to step again and analyze my life. I wasn’t dwelling. I used to be force-feeding. I needed to be the first-ever two-division champion, but it surely simply wasn’t within the playing cards.”
Nicely, if I’m disenchanted in not attending to witness such potential historical past, I can solely think about how my buddy feels. The way in which he positions it is smart although, “When you’re one of the best you don’t should say so. I’m not going to speak about what by no means was. However, I do know sufficient individuals, to not point out Neil, who’ve seen me with the brakes off, and we all know. Staying below 212 was so laborious. I knew if I might have exploited my full potential I might have received the open. However the docs’ visits and hospital stays weren’t making me a champion.”
Well being
About well being on the whole, Flex Lewis has this to say: “Up till the final couple of years, I’ve been very wholesome all by my profession. I knew precisely what I used to be doing. I’ve executed issues as minimally as doable. Folks take a look at my situation and say issues about medication. It’s not true. I suffered. I suffered lots. If I had executed the medication I knew a few of these guys did, I’d by no means have made the burden class. It scares me what a few of these guys do. Some don’t even get yearly check-ups. I proposed to get medical clearance initially of every season. I feel it’s the one method to save these guys.”
On Joe Weider…
“I can’t say sufficient about Joe Weider and Peter McGough. I used to be broke and struggling after I acquired a name from Peter. He stated Joe needs to give you a contract. I bear in mind I used to be in Ralph’s grocery retailer. I used to be on a burner telephone and was afraid to reply as a result of they’d cost me. I stated, ‘Peter are you taking a piss?’ In the course of Ralph’s I yelled, YAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Like an out-of-your-heart yell. At that second every part modified.”
What About Arnold?
Flex Lewis says, “There’s no higher individual, apart from possibly the Rock, who has paved the best way for us just-let-me-show-you form of guys. As cliche as it could sound, he was an enormous inspiration. I exploit him for a blueprint now. He’d been instructed, identical to me, you’ll by no means make it. He got here to this nation, identical to me, and needed to realize one of the best.”
“You received his first 212 Arnold Traditional in 2014,” I stated. “That should have been an enormous deal for you.”
“It was an enormous deal. It was a present I didn’t know if I used to be going to have the ability to pull off. After the Olympia, I all the time take off for a couple of months. I began prepping for the Arnold at below 200 kilos. So, I grew into that present – old style. Neil stayed with me for six weeks. It was an enormous feat that I nonetheless can’t consider we pulled off.”
“Would you say that’s probably the most memorable present of your profession?”
“It was up there,” He replied humbly. “However the present I all the time bear in mind most is the final present.”
Each champ needs to stroll away a winner, not as a result of he misplaced. Flex’s most memorable present is his final present – his eighth consecutive Olympia. Not a nasty reminiscence to pull round with you for the remainder of your life.
And that’s it people, posing trunks on a hook, tanning goop within the bin, a Cubano in a single battle-scarred hand and a whisky over ice within the different. He might even be sporting a straw hat and a Hawaiian shirt proper now, with simply sufficient of a breeze blowing to rustle the palm fronds. It’s over. As disappointing for some as which may be, there’s no denying it was one hell of a run. And he did it proper. Historical past will show that no pantheon of recent bodybuilding could be full with out Flex Lewis on the desk.
