Bodybuilding is such an exciting sport, and its participants so keen to learn the latest news, gossip, tips and tricks and reviews on the hottest new products, that I sometimes think we make perfect fodder for the muscle mag industry. It’s like… dare I say it… fish in a barrel.
I’m not saying it’s bad to read muscle magazines – in fact, it can be very enjoyable. I guess it really all comes down to what you are reading for. Is it for news on events, news on you favourite bodybuilder, machines, tips, tricks, etc? Fine – you’ll learn plenty, and enjoy the magazines as much as I do.
But don’t ever expect to get a 100% unbiased review of any supplement or product from a muscle magazine… especially one which seems too good to be true. (And let’s face it, don’t they all?)
For all of their glamour, and clean presentation and protestations of being unbiased and ‘the peoples magazine’ etc, it’s pretty much an open secret that money talks – and, the companies always exist for the dollar first, public good second. It’s just business, and it’ll never change.
How many times have you read a glowing report for a supplement which you just couldn’t wait to buy… it made you break out in sweat, as the excitement shot up your spine like lightening: “Wow, this is gonna be great, I can’t wait to buy this!”
But, did you ever think that maybe… just maybe… what you are reading is perhaps, well, shall we say… a little less than unbiased?
You should do, at least now.
It’s pretty much an established fact that many magazines in the muscle mag industry are either in partnership with, or the parent company or even subsidiary of a supplement or product manufacturer. And, naturally, business is business… and when it benefits the magazine to push a certain product more than others, believe me, they will. And they do.
It’s a bit of a dark seedy underbelly, but, you’d be naive to think I’m just being paranoid here. But, don’t let that spoil your enjoyment. They are still a great source of information, and at the very least should a supplement pop up which received glowing reviews, you can use that as a starting pad to launch your own further investigations in to the matter.
Personally, whenever I want the true opinion on a product, I hit web forums and talk to real people who have used them. Those guy’s are candid, believe me! This is much better, and gives me the opportunity to form a real, balanced view. It’s saved me many, many bucks over the years – and also yielded many unexpected surprises in which supplements truly are the real deal.