Rag on the Mags - Powerlifting USA: May 2010 - New Article!

[Joe Black]

'Rag on the Mags' is our brand new feature in which we will to review the current crop of Muscle and Powerlifting publications as they come out each month (normally before they hit the newsstands).

The basic idea here is that we will present you with the CliffsNotes® of the pertinent info, allowing you to determine if it’s worthwhile for you to run a comb through your hair, head into civilization, and plunk down roughly six-bucks for the issue.

We're kicking things off with the May 2010 issue of Powerlifting USA!

READ HERE

We'd love to know what you thought of this article and if you want to see more!

[vdizenzo]

Great feature. I don't usually buy that rag--Powerlifting USA. It has always been such left coast nut swinging publication. Plus, I have never been in it, so how good could it be. Now I'll know what's worth purchasing. From the article it looks like PLUSA might have jumped into the 21st century. I'm going to hit a Barnes and Noble and pick one up.

Very progressive ideas here at WBB. Keep up the good work gentlemen.

[rutn-buck]

I thought the article was good and I definitely would like to see more previews on other magazines. In the article Steve mentions he sent off subscriptions to the major mags. I am curious on what all magazines he is subscribing too that might be getting previewed in the future?

[Guido]

PLUSA is really the only lifting mag I ever buy. Bodybuilding mags all suck. Men's Health and their ilk don't have enough about real training. There are a few good one's out there (the new one by SuperTraining) but I'm not really sure how to get ahold of them.

I thought the article was good overall. I do really like the redesign and think it was long overdue. I don't ever want them to get rid of the Results section of the mag, though. Where else can any old non-elite lifter get his name in print in a national publication? That's one of the most awesome things about it to me, at least until the day I finally make a PLUSA Top 100, which won't happen soon unless they start doing a separate raw list.

[Off Road]

I like the new feature too. I really liked some of the "underground" magazines that I used to subscribe to. I really miss the old Hardgainer magazine and the Dinosaur Files. Haha... the Dino Files was a rough looking print but full of useful and entertaining stuff.

[Steve Colescott]

I thought the article was good and I definitely would like to see more previews on other magazines. In the article Steve mentions he sent off subscriptions to the major mags. I am curious on what all magazines he is subscribing too that might be getting previewed in the future?

I have yet to send out for any but plan to get subs to Muscle & Fitness, Flex, IronMan, PLUSA, MuscleMag International, Natural Physique, Muscular Development and Milo. It will come as an "I can afford it" basis. Am I missing anything?

[Steve Colescott]

I'll have to look into that new mag from the Super Training guys. I was wondering if that ever actually took flight? Anyone on here have any inside info?

[lil' power]

I'll have to look into that new mag from the Super Training guys. I was wondering if that ever actually took flight? Anyone on here have any inside info?

I've read one issue...pretty good...Per Mark Bell, "POWER" will also be for sale in Borders, Barnes&Noble and Book-A-Million bookstores starting Tuesday June 8th.

[MarcusWild]

I'll have to look into that new mag from the Super Training guys. I was wondering if that ever actually took flight? Anyone on here have any inside info?

Power has been out for awhile.

[Steve Colescott]

Power has been out for awhile.

I am at a BArnes & Noble right now. I don't think Power has made it much past Cupertino, CA. I will look into ordering that. I guess I should also add "Reps" to that list? It's a Robert Kennedy mag that seems similar in target audience to a Muscle & Fitness (slightly more serious than a Men's Health audience).

[musselhed]

It'll be nice to get a summary of the ragmags before investing in them. I stopped buying most of them once muscle-tech took all of them over and where informative articles once were, there are now 4-5pg advertisements. PLusa is the last mag that i purchased though and i too like the "results" portion for the lil guy to be seen.

[Steve Colescott]

Louie Simmons once commented to me that he has never been on the cover of Powerlifting USA (unless that have done so in the past couple years since he said that and I am not recalling seeing it?). How messed up is that? Has ANYONE contributed as much to the sport? He has been on the cover of some Scandinavian Track magazines, but is ignored by PLUSA.

[Detard]

Mens Fitness is usually pretty decent. In the june/july 2010 issue they did a spotlight on Joe Kenn, and have guys like Zach Even-Esh, Jim Smith, Jason Ferruggia, and Jim Wendler giving their input to the mag.

[MarcusWild]

I am at a BArnes & Noble right now. I don't think Power has made it much past Cupertino, CA. I will look into ordering that. I guess I should also add "Reps" to that list? It's a Robert Kennedy mag that seems similar in target audience to a Muscle & Fitness (slightly more serious than a Men's Health audience).

Power has been subscription only until the next issue which will hit major newsstands. The first issue came out about 6 months ago.

[theBarzeen]

good idea for an article...... thanks...... but I have to disagree about the results and coming events section, I like them

[robchris]

I get PLUSA every month and I really think this is a great idea previewing the mags here at WBB!

"Planet Muscle" is the only other mag I read as they sometimes have some hardcore articles & powerlifting info!

[Steve Colescott]

The results section is much more popular than I had guessed (and looks a bit better with the new layout). The Coming Events is a pain to try to skim through though. My eyes hurt scanning for "Ohio" in the listings, sometimes its unclear where the event is held because the promoter is outside the area and is listed, and a lot of the time the events change or are canceled and the magazine is months behind on this. Having this on the website just seems more practical. If you could refine your search to "National-level", "Push/Pull", "Great Lakes Region" or your state, it would be much simpler.

[Rugby Dad]

"Rag on the Mag" sounds like a great idea.
some mags like MILO and Power also now offer digital format subscription, how about ragging on that version compared to hardcopy?
also let us know what subscriptions you ordered, so we have idea what mags you gonna be reviewing.

[chris mason]

I really like this idea!

The new PLUSA is definitely an improvement.

Bell's magazine, POWER, is good with solid content, it just needs to grow in size.

[MikeWilliams]

I have yet to send out for any but plan to get subs to Muscle & Fitness, Flex, IronMan, PLUSA, MuscleMag International, Natural Physique, Muscular Development and Milo. It will come as an "I can afford it" basis. Am I missing anything?

sounds like a lot of $$$....allof those mags cater to BBing and supplement advertisements with the exception of PLUSA..I guess it depends on what you are interested in

[MikeWilliams]

Louie Simmons once commented to me that he has never been on the cover of Powerlifting USA (unless that have done so in the past couple years since he said that and I am not recalling seeing it?). How messed up is that? Has ANYONE contributed as much to the sport? He has been on the cover of some Scandinavian Track magazines, but is ignored by PLUSA.

I t appears that Louie Simmons has a full page plus article in most issues of PLUSA...at least the ones I have purchased over the last year +....he may not be on the cover but he has a quite a bit of participation in this publication..

[Steve Colescott]

Mens Fitness is usually pretty decent. In the june/july 2010 issue they did a spotlight on Joe Kenn, and have guys like Zach Even-Esh, Jim Smith, Jason Ferruggia, and Jim Wendler giving their input to the mag.

Agreed. Too bad some of these features are 250 words and less, single-column articles. I do enjoy some of the times they give them a full feature

[Steve Colescott]

I really like this idea!

The new PLUSA is definitely an improvement.

Bell's magazine, POWER, is good with solid content, it just needs to grow in size.

I have to wonder if Power might be the reason Lambert stepped up his game? Although when Monster Muscle was out their claim to fame was that they were a modernized, fresher content, more visually-appealling version of a powerlifting magazine and he didn't bother changing a thing back then. I wonder...

[Travis Bell]

I have to wonder if Power might be the reason Lambert stepped up his game? Although when Monster Muscle was out their claim to fame was that they were a modernized, fresher content, more visually-appealling version of a powerlifting magazine and he didn't bother changing a thing back then. I wonder...

I think you're probably right. Least that's the way it seems. PLUSA was getting some flak for quite some time about the quality of the articles and meet coverage (as in articles on meets, not just meet results) so I would imagine the combination of that in addition to Mark's new magazine, really spurred him to turn it up a notch.

Always was amazed that Lou has never been on the cover though.

[rinse]

Lou has been on the cover togerther with some of the old westside guys from early 2000s.

Here's the link: http://www.powerliftingusa.com/backi...php?issueID=78