Flex Wheeler
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Wheeler better known as Flex Wheeler, is a former American IFBB
professional bodybuilder
.
as one of the greatest bodybuilders he ever saw.
After a short career as a police officer, Wheeler focused full time on becoming a professional bodybuilder, taking the nickname 'Flex'. He competed for the first time in 1983 but it was not until 1989 that he secured a first-place trophy at the NPC Mr. California Championships. Since then, he has placed second at the 1993 Mr. Olympia
, narrowly missing a win (something he was to repeat in 1998 and 1999). He is a 5-time Ironman Pro winner, 4-time Arnold Classic
winner, and has enjoyed victories in the France
Grand Prix, South Beach
Pro Invitational, Night of Champions
and Hungarian
Grand Prix.
While Wheeler had the reputation of being arrogant and over-confident, especially on stage. He attributed these faults to a need to compensate for his natural introversion as a child and young man. (2)
In 1994, he was involved in a near-fatal car accident that could have left him with lifelong paralysis. He started from scratch again, returning with remarkable speed to bodybuilding's top tier. In 1999, Wheeler discovered that he had Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
, a form of kidney disease. Despite press speculation as to the cause of the failure, Wheeler pointed out that the condition is hereditary, not self-inflicted. Wheeler announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding in 2000, but continued to compete until 2002. He received a kidney transplant in 2003.
Since retirement, Wheeler has focused again on martial arts, his specialism being Kemp-Kwon-Do, a variant of Kempo
and Tae Kwon Do. He participated in a demonstration fight at the 2005 Arnold Classic. In 2007, Flex was interviewed by freelance journalist Rod Labbe for Ironman Magazine's Legends of Bodybuilding series. Entitled "Yesterday and Today," it covers his extensive career and reveals how people can conquer adversity and triumph against incredible odds.
Flex currently serves in an executive position as the Director of Media and Public Relations for the Sports Nutrition Company All American EFX, based out of Bakersfield, California
. Additionally, he manages their sponsored athletes and can be seen in numerous advertisements for the company.
International Federation of BodyBuilders
The International Federation of BodyBuilders is a competitive bodybuilding organization founded in 1946 by brothers Ben and Joe Weider and is the highest level of competitive bodybuilding in the world. Currently, the IFBB consists of seven different sub-divisions for different competitors ,...
professional bodybuilder
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
.
Biography
Wheeler began training as a teenager, initially with martial arts in mind. However, his natural development persuaded him to pursue bodybuilding. Despite this he is on record as regarding himself as a "martial artist first, a bodybuilder second". (1) It also accounts for his remarkable flexibility in a physique so large. Even so, he has been described by Arnold SchwarzeneggerArnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
as one of the greatest bodybuilders he ever saw.
After a short career as a police officer, Wheeler focused full time on becoming a professional bodybuilder, taking the nickname 'Flex'. He competed for the first time in 1983 but it was not until 1989 that he secured a first-place trophy at the NPC Mr. California Championships. Since then, he has placed second at the 1993 Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness . Joe Weider created the contest to enable the...
, narrowly missing a win (something he was to repeat in 1998 and 1999). He is a 5-time Ironman Pro winner, 4-time Arnold Classic
Arnold Classic
The Arnold Classic, renamed Arnold Fitness Weekend, is an annual bodybuilding competition, named after Arnold Schwarzenegger. It takes place in late February or early March in Columbus, Ohio, United States.-History:...
winner, and has enjoyed victories in the France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Grand Prix, South Beach
South Beach
South Beach, also nicknamed SoBe, is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. It is the area south of Indian Creek and encompasses roughly the southernmost 23 blocks of the main barrier island that separates the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay.This area was the first...
Pro Invitational, Night of Champions
Night of Champions
Night of Champions is a bodybuilding contest held every year in New York City, USA. It began in 1978 and is considered one of the top professional bodybuilding events, with the top five finalists qualifying for the Mr. Olympia contest....
and Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
Grand Prix.
While Wheeler had the reputation of being arrogant and over-confident, especially on stage. He attributed these faults to a need to compensate for his natural introversion as a child and young man. (2)
In 1994, he was involved in a near-fatal car accident that could have left him with lifelong paralysis. He started from scratch again, returning with remarkable speed to bodybuilding's top tier. In 1999, Wheeler discovered that he had Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis is a cause of nephrotic syndrome in children and adolescents, as well as an important cause of kidney failure in adults.It is also known as "focal glomerular sclerosis" or "focal nodular glomerulosclerosis"....
, a form of kidney disease. Despite press speculation as to the cause of the failure, Wheeler pointed out that the condition is hereditary, not self-inflicted. Wheeler announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding in 2000, but continued to compete until 2002. He received a kidney transplant in 2003.
Since retirement, Wheeler has focused again on martial arts, his specialism being Kemp-Kwon-Do, a variant of Kempo
KEMPO
KEPCO may refer to:* Korea Electric Power Corporation, a South Korean power provider* Kansai Electric Power Company, a Japanese power provider...
and Tae Kwon Do. He participated in a demonstration fight at the 2005 Arnold Classic. In 2007, Flex was interviewed by freelance journalist Rod Labbe for Ironman Magazine's Legends of Bodybuilding series. Entitled "Yesterday and Today," it covers his extensive career and reveals how people can conquer adversity and triumph against incredible odds.
Flex currently serves in an executive position as the Director of Media and Public Relations for the Sports Nutrition Company All American EFX, based out of Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
. Additionally, he manages their sponsored athletes and can be seen in numerous advertisements for the company.
Competitive stats
- Height: 5'9"
- Off-season Weight: Around 250-260 lbs.
- Competition Weight: Around 210-220 lbs.
Competitive history
- 1985 AAU Teen Mr. America 1st (MT)
- 1989 NPC California Championships 1st (LHW)
- 1989 NPC Nationals 5th (LHW)
- 1990 NPC Junior Nationals 2nd (HW)
- 1991 NPC Nationals 2nd (HW)
- 1991 NPC USA Championship 2nd (HW)
- 1992 NPC USA Championships 1st (HW and Overall)
- 1993 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational 1st
- 1993 IFBB Arnold Classic 1st
- 1993 IFBB Mr. Olympia 2nd
- 1995 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational 1st
- 1995 IFBB Arnold Classic 2nd
- 1995 IFBB South Beach Pro 1st
- 1995 IFBB Mr. Olympia 8th
- 1995 IFBB Grand Prix Spain 5th
- 1996 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational 1st
- 1996 IFBB Arnold Classic 2nd
- 1996 IFBB Night of Champions 1st
- 1996 IFBB Canada Pro Classic 2nd
- 1996 IFBB Florida Cup Pro 1st
- 1996 IFBB Mr. Olympia 4th
- 1997 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational 1st
- 1997 IFBB Arnold Classic 1st
- 1997 IFBB San Jose Pro 1st
- 1998 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational 1st
- 1998 IFBB Arnold Classic 1st
- 1998 IFBB Mr. Olympia 2nd
- 1999 IFBB Grand Prix England - 2nd
- 1999 IFBB Joe WeiderJoe WeiderJosef E. "Joe" Weider is co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders along with brother Ben Weider and creator of the Mr. Olympia, the Ms. Olympia, and the now-defunct Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests...
's Pro World 2nd - 1999 IFBB Mr. Olympia 2nd
- 2000 IFBB Mr. Olympia 3rd
- 2000 IFBB Hungarian Grand Prix 1st
- 2000 IFBB Arnold Classic 1st
- 2000 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational 2nd
- 2002 IFBB Mr. Olympia 7th
- 2003 IFBB Ironman Pro Invitational 3rd
See also
- List of male professional bodybuilders
- List of female professional bodybuilders
External links
- teamflexwheeler.com Official site
- Flex Wheeler Martial Arts Illustrated Magazine Interview
- bodybuilders.com Flex Wheeler profile
- Flex Wheeler Gallery
- Muscle: The Myostatin Connection as seen in Flex Wheeler
- allamericanefx.com Official company site
- Flex Wheeler photos