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Usually, after I’m requested to pen a tribute to somebody, that somebody just isn’t within the sort of situation that might lend himself to ever know what I mentioned about him. On the uncommon event although, the project 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 some of the profitable bodybuilding careers on document, racking up 13 novice 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 in addition posed a reputable menace to the open if he ever received 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 informed Flex Lewis when he picked up the telephone is that I would like this to be a tribute to his profession via his eyes. I wish to know what have been the pivotal factors in his profession, the anecdotes, the folks, the locations, that outline his recollections. 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 have to supply the next caveat. The foregoing may sound good on paper, however if you happen to’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 selected query, notably a poignant one, be ready for a number of walks away from – to not – the purpose.
Don’t get me flawed. The stroll is certain nice sufficient. Kinda jogs my memory of asking for instructions from an previous southern gentleman on a scorching summer season 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 reminiscent of, “How did you make the choice to surrender Rugby and pursue bodybuilding full time?” A minimum of seven instances 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 battle, 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 by-product 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 mentioned. “I went all via college – my complete childhood – at all times being referred to as ‘Flex.’ I by no means heard ‘James’ besides from my mother and pa.”
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 tissue.” 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 discipline. 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 traditional discuss on diet, weight-reduction plan, and coaching, and he did a visitor posing. Afterward, Tom was promoting his merchandise, when Auntie purchased certainly one of Tom’s books and he signed it. “She left the ebook 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 via her shit and I discovered this ebook on Tom Platz. I began flipping via it and I mentioned, ‘holy shit take a look at these legs!’ I used to be enjoying Rugby and needed legs like that. So, I took the ebook dwelling.”
“You simply took it?”
“Let’s simply say I borrowed it.”
“Okay, so you’ve got the ebook, however what did you elevate?” I requested. “Did you’ve got any weights?”
“Dad had an previous Weider weight set with the plastic plates – bear in mind these? They have been stuffed with 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 sort of like on the second ground. I couldn’t change the weights as a result of the collars have 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 underneath the mattress. Each night time I’d pull out the wights and check out to determine the way to do a squat, utilizing the mattress as a squat rack. Finally, I figured it out and stored 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, they’d no thought what he was doing up there. However, as with all issues we did behind our dad and mom’ backs after we have been children, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than the mission is not covert.
“One night time my dad hears all this grunting via the door and bursts into the room pondering 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 in all probability would have been the identical response if you happen to have been wanking.”
He laughs, “Yeah, in all probability.”
However I needed to know, “what was it in regards to the weights your dad and mom have been in opposition to?”
“I used to be 12 and my mother thought it could stunt my development.”
“Have been your dad and mom tall?” I questioned.
“No!” He roared, “They have been each like 5’5!!”
Nonetheless, what mother says goes; the weights must wait… So far as coaching at dwelling went anyway. It was too late. The bug had already bitten Flexy. He began watching WWF wrestling and noticed how large the fellows have been. “I simply needed to be jacked on the rugby discipline,” he mentioned. “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 at all times all soiled and I’d go away mud all around the gymnasium… You couldn’t maintain me out of there although. I needed Platz’s legs.”
“That was it then, Rugby and weights?” That’s sort of a slender path for a younger teenager rising up in Wales.
“No… no,” he replied. My mom put me in all the things; not simply Rugby. I did gymnastics — I can nonetheless do a again flip if I’ve a number of whiskies — observe and discipline, boxing….”
“Boxing?” I used to be puzzled. “Aren’t all guys from the UK born understanding the way to combat?”
He cracked up. I at all times inform him how I routinely extol the toughness and scrapping prowess of my bros on the opposite aspect of the pond. He agreed, however, he mentioned, “Boxing is a little more formal than road preventing, however sure, you’re proper. We do lots of scrapping within the UK. It’s accepted. Guys at all times get into fights. A minimum of they used to. It’s unbelievable what’s occurring. This era…… Everyone seems to be such a pussy in the present day….. 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 observe & discipline? You participated in that for a very long time, together with Rugby, all via college. If I bear in mind appropriately, you’ve got a nonetheless unbroken document, don’t you?”
“I did,” he replied. “I truly ended up operating for my nation and received a gold medal within the indoor hurdles. And, sure, I nonetheless maintain that document in Wales.”
So, the following apparent query is, “Why didn’t you retain operating? You’ve gotten a freak’n gold medal!”
He chuckled, “One would assume. I used to be operating indoors and doing effectively, however I wasn’t in love with it. Then I began having issues with my
toes. I used to be getting shin splints….. I simply needed to deal with Rugby. I went to varsity enjoying Rugby. I used to be scouted. I used to be at a really excessive stage. There have been lots of alternatives to play abroad; I toured the world enjoying. My arms 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 preventing! 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 assume it’s considerably true he admitted. My grandfather labored within the mines when he was a child. He labored on his arms 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 combat 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 if you’re robust, you don’t should flex. You simply should know the way to defend your self……However this era has gotten smooth as fuck! My grandfather was a miner when he was a child! They needed to make use of children within the mines as a result of they have 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 have 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 realize 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 operating via coaching companions like Kamala Harris is operating via staffers, particularly for legs. Nobody would present up on leg day. So he requested me If I needed to coach. Someday whereas we have 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 stored at it, and sooner or later the poster went up once more. The gymnasium proprietor mentioned, ‘Flex if you happen to compete in that present I’ll offer you a free membership.’ That was large! That was some huge cash to me on the time.”
“How did you prep for it?” I requested. “How did you determine the way to eating 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. Time and again. However there was not often any data on eating regimen. Then, lastly, an article on Gunter Schlierkamp got here out that talked intimately about his eating regimen. (I nonetheless have the difficulty). I adopted it by half, and minimize out all of the carbs. I used to be like a zombie. I simply stored 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 buddies got here and introduced air horns. There was an open bar. There have been fights exterior (would you anticipate the rest?) My buddies introduced me an enormous bag of my favourite goodies and Snickers bars. I ate some chocolate to appease my buddies. However, actually, I simply needed to drink! Then I heard this voice behind me that mentioned, ‘mate, are you doing the British championships? You’ll be able to beat all these cunts! You need to symbolize your nation. Who helped you for this present?’ I informed him nobody. He mentioned, ‘I’ll show you how to. 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 novice reveals collectively and 21 professional wins. That’s loyalty brother.” It certain is.
So, This Is Actually It…
I’ve been on this trade for effectively over 30 years and certainly one of my greatest disappointments just isn’t attending to see Flex Lewis compete within the Olympia open. I used to be so happy to be taught 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 trade as a complete suffered a little bit of a letdown on this doubtlessly historic case, what occurred?
Because the story goes, 2017 was going to be Flex’s final 212 Olympia. It ended up being the worst 12 months of his life. Three weeks earlier than the Olympia, Flex’s coaching associate, Dallas McCarver, handed away out of the blue. Shortly thereafter, 10 days earlier than the present to be precise, a large hurricane started bearing down on south Florida. “So we boarded up the home and went to Vegas,” he mentioned. “We lived in a resort the entire time earlier than the Olympia. As quickly as we received 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 have been all crying. It was so emotional for me, however I needed to suppress all that. And, on high of that, I had a digital camera crew for BBC following me round the entire time….. They have been cool and ended up doing a tribute to Dallas within the documentary.”
For sure, his suppressing of emotion might need executed the trick, as a result of he received the 212 once more and he did once more the following 12 months, 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 arduous for 2020, then received 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 drive down often didn’t keep down. Then there was the shoulder damage… “It was horrible,” Flex remembers. “I used to be going to so many medical doctors’ appointments. I used to be lacking meals, I couldn’t practice 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 mentioned. “I took off 4 months of coaching. That was arduous. 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 all the things, my spouse and I made a decision to have one other child. After we discovered she was anticipating, I referred to 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 have been shot. I might have purchased a home with what I spent on medical doctors 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, however it 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 good friend feels. The way in which he positions it is sensible although, “For those who’re the very best you don’t should say so. I’m not going to speak about what by no means was. However, I do know sufficient folks, to not point out Neil, who’ve seen me with the brakes off, and we all know. Staying underneath 212 was so arduous. I knew if I might have exploited my full potential I might have received the open. However the medical doctors’ visits and hospital stays weren’t making me a champion.”
Well being
About well being generally, Flex Lewis has this to say: “Up till the final couple of years, I’ve been very wholesome all via my profession. I knew precisely what I used to be doing. I’ve executed issues as minimally as potential. Individuals take a look at my situation and say issues about medication. It’s not true. I suffered. I suffered so much. 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 originally of every season. I feel it’s the one option 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 received a name from Peter. He mentioned 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 mentioned, ‘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 all the things modified.”
What About Arnold?
Flex Lewis says, “There’s no higher particular person, apart from possibly the Rock, who has paved the best way for us just-let-me-show-you sort of guys. As cliche as it could sound, he was a large inspiration. I take advantage of him for a blueprint now. He’d been informed, similar to me, you’ll by no means make it. He got here to this nation, similar to me, and needed to realize the very best.”
“You received his first 212 Arnold Traditional in 2014,” I mentioned. “That will need to 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 at all times take off for a number of months. I began prepping for the Arnold at underneath 200 kilos. So, I grew into that present – old style. Neil stayed with me for six weeks. It was a large feat that I nonetheless can’t imagine 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 at all times 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 foul reminiscence to tug round with you for the remainder of your life.
And that’s it of us, 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 carrying 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 contemporary bodybuilding could be full with out Flex Lewis on the desk.
