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- Kenneth “Flex” Wheeler, born on 23 August 1965, in Fresno, California, gained fame as an IFBB professional bodybuilder, celebrated for his aesthetic physique and competition successes.
- He overcame a difficult childhood marked by poverty and abuse to excel in sports, particularly in martial arts and weightlifting, laying the foundation for his bodybuilding career.
- Flex achieved notable success in bodybuilding, including four Arnold Classic wins and three second-place finishes at Mr. Olympia (1993, 1998, 1999).
- He retired due to health issues and underwent a leg amputation in 2019, but has since become a motivational body transformation coach and supplement line owner.
- Flex remains active and influential on social media, sharing fitness insights and personal stories with a large following on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Where is Flex Wheeler today? Wiki Bio
Kenneth Flex Wheeler was born in Fresno, California USA, on 23 August 1965, so under the zodiac sign of Virgo and holding American nationality – he is popular for his career as an IFBB professional bodybuilder. Today, Flex is still exercising but is no longer competing due to health problems.
Early life and education
Flex was born into a very poor family who did not treat him properly – he was a victim of child abuse and therefore prefers not to talk about that part of his life. He hasn’t mentioned anything about his parents either and is said to be an only child but only because he hasn’t talked about having any siblings.
Flex had some reading problems during his first year of elementary school, and was diagnosed with dyslexia – however, he was excellent at sports. He started taking martial arts classes at the beginning of his teen years, and then began lifting weights as well – during that period of his life, Flex was more focused on his martial arts training rather than on his bodybuilding exercises.
By the time he reached high school, Flex already had a well-built figure and was very popular there due to it – his character was not that good due to a rough childhood, but he eventually came good, and although this hasn’t been confirmed by him, Flex is said to have dated numerous girls during his high school years.
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kenneth Flex Wheeler |
| Known For | Career as an IFBB professional bodybuilder |
| Profession/Occupation | Former professional bodybuilder, body transformation coach |
| Education | Did not enroll in college after high school |
| Net Worth | More than $2.2 million |
| Date of Birth | August 23, 1965 |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Place of Birth | Fresno, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | Contest: 212–240 lb (96–109 kg), Off-season: 265–275 lb (120–125 kg) |
| Awards | Arnold Classic winner (4 times), Ironman Pro winner (5 times), among others |
| Notable Works/Awards | Notably placed second in Mr. Olympia competitions in 1993, 1998, and 1999 |
| Hobbies | Martial arts, cars, and film |
| Social Profile Links | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook |
After he matriculated, Flex decided to completely focus on his exercises, and did not enroll in college.
Career of a bodybuilder and other jobs
Flex first began working as a police officer, however, he soon became bored with that, and decided to put all his effort into becoming a professional bodybuilder.
After working out with heavy weights for a couple of years, Flex attended his first competition in 1983 at the age of 18, but didn’t win, however, the feeling he got on stage motivated him to try even harder, although it wasn’t until 1989 that he managed to win first place at the NPC Mr. California Championships. He competed at the 1993 Mr. Olympia and won second place – he came in second as well in 1998 and 1999.
Flex went on to win Ironman Pro five times, and Arnold Classic competitions four times, while he also won the France Grand Prix, Hungarian Grand Prix, South Beach Pro Invitational, and Night of Champions.
He retired from competitive bodybuilding in 2000, when he found out that he was suffering from focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which is hereditary but his abuse of drugs led to its progression. He went back to competing in 2003, but without any notable scores – he finally attended 2017 Mr. Olympia and finished in 15th place.
For the past couple of years, Flex has mostly been focused on martial arts including Kenp-Kwon-Do and Aikido. He received a kidney in 2003 as one of his had failed. He worked for the All-American EFC sports nutrition company as their director of media and public relations, meantime also working with young athletes and helping them with their workout plans.
The most popular male bodybuilders in the world
The Ranker website has compiled a list of the most popular male bodybuilders in the world including those people who have made their way into other industries such as film and music. We are going to mention the top five male bodybuilders in the world chosen by the people’s votes:
- Fifth place is held by Mickey Hargitay who is an actor as well, and who became the Mr. Universe in 1955. He is popular for his appearances in “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter”, “The Loves of Hercules”, and “Promises! Promises”;
- Anthony White is in fourth place, who is better known for his ring name Tony Atlas, and is a bodybuilder, a powerlifter, and a professional wrestler. He holds the Mr. USA bodybuilding title, and is currently working with WWE;
- In third place is Bob Paris, who is a writer, actor, public speaker, civil rights activist, and a bodybuilder – he became popular after winning the 1983 NPC American National and becoming the Mr. Universe after winning the IFBB World Bodybuilding Championship;
- Second place goes to Lou Ferrigno, who is an actor, fitness trainer, and bodybuilder – he won IFBB Mr. America and IFBB. Mr. Universe has two times in a row, and is the star of the “Pumping Iron” documentary movie;
- The top place is held by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is mostly popular for his acting career and his starring role in the “Terminator” movie franchise – he is also a model, producer, director, activist, businessman, investor, writer, politician and philanthropist.
Even though Flex is a well-built bodybuilder, he is nowhere to be found in the list of the most popular male bodybuilders in the world compiled by the Ranker website.
Flex’s love life and relationships
Flex is one of the most secretive people out there, as he hasn’t shared anything regarding his past and present relationships with the public.
Flex is not a married man and it doesn’t appear that he’s been married – he is known on the internet as a womanizer, as most of his fans believe him to have been with numerous women throughout the years, however, this hasn’t been confirmed.
Flex was rumored to be dating a female bodybuilder back in 2012 after the two met at one of the competitions Flex attended – Flex tried his charm on her which did not really work, but she was fascinated by his well-built body.
They began dating, and their relationship continued for the next two years before they split because they were both more focused on their careers rather than on their relationship.
Flex maintains a shroud of mystery surrounding his current relationship status, opting to remain tight-lipped on the matter. Scouring through his social media profiles yields little insight, leading many to speculate that he navigates life’s journey unattached, yet undeniably content.
Hobbies and other interests
Flex was mostly focused on his career of a bodybuilder in the past, but now that he is retired he has numerous other interests.
Flex has always been a big fan of film – his parents got a black and white TV when he was still a kid, and he enjoyed watching all the movies and shows on it. He tried to make his way into the film industry but without any luck.
Flex likes kids, but doesn’t have any of his own and his fans do not really know the reason behind this – Flex has decided to dedicate a portion of his free time to teenagers who want to work on their physique, and he is helping them choose the right workout plans
Today, Flex is very passionate about cars, especially the very luxurious ones, and he has changed many of them throughout the years.
Appearance and net worth
Flex is currently 58 years old. He is bald and has brown eyes, is 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall, and weighs around 230lb (104kg). He has arms size 21in (0.53m), legs size 31in (0.8m), and chest size 54in (1.38m).
In October 2019, he had to face a significant turning point in his life, undergoing the amputation of his right leg below the knee due to severe circulatory vascular system complications.
This critical decision was driven by the imperative need to address escalating circulation challenges that posed a grave threat to his well-being.
Medical experts believe that a confluence of pre-existing medical conditions precipitated the necessity for Flex’s lower leg amputation. These included the hereditary acquisition of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, leg injuries sustained during his martial arts pursuits, the aftermath of a car accident in 1994, and a kidney transplant in 2003.
Over time, these cumulative factors contributed to the development of chronic circulation issues, underscoring the complexity of Flex’s medical journey.
In the wake of this profound challenge, Flex has embarked on a remarkable journey of resilience and reinvention. Transitioning into a thriving body transformation coach, he has carved out a niche with his own line of supplements, empowering others to embark on their own transformative journeys.
Flex has ventured into the realm of entertainment, spearheading his own show, the “2023 Flex Wheeler MGB Mexico Grand Battle Regional.”
Despite the hurdles he faces, Flex remains undeterred, embracing his role as a brand ambassador for HEMPE pain gels, which provide solace in alleviating the discomfort stemming from his leg amputation.
According to authoritative sources, his current net worth is estimated to be more than $2.2 million and is steadily rising thanks to his career as a bodybuilder and subsequent related activities.
CONFIRMED: The legend @officialflexwheeler is coming to Dubai Muscle Show on December 7th-8th with @extremesportstradinguae stand number W3 💪🇦🇪
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Head over to the New Extreme Sports Booth to meet Me I will have photos for sell. See you all soon. .#dubaimuscleshow pic.twitter.com/rn1BV6vYGN— Flex Wheeler ® (@Flex_Wheeler) November 29, 2018
Social media presence
Flex is quite active on several popular social media platforms, as this is very important for the career he has built for himself on the internet.
He launched his Twitter account in August 2010 and has gathered more than 98,000 followers and tweeted nearly 4,900 times. His Instagram account is followed by more than a million people, and he has uploaded nearly 4,400 pictures onto it – he is running a Facebook page as well, which currently counts more than 357,000 fans.
1 Comment
Flex does have at least one child. From his first wife. I forget her name. This was sometime in the 90s. I saw a pic or two of the couple and the baby.