Robert Kennedy, Age 73, Dies of Cancer

[BendtheBar]

Robert Kennedy, publisher of Oxygen, MuscleMag, dies of cancer at 73 - Winnipeg Free Press

TORONTO - The man behind the Ontario-based publishing house that produces a slew of popular health books and fitness magazines, including Oxygen, MuscleMag and American Curves, has died.

Robert "Bob" Kennedy, who founded Robert Kennedy Publishing, died of complications from cancer on Thursday at his home in Caledon Hills, Ont., north of Toronto. He was 73.

Kennedy grew up in England and moved to Canada in 1967 to teach art in Brampton, Ont.

His fitness-based business empire had its roots in a 1972 venture when he sold nutrition, bodybuilding and fitness instruction courses through the mail.

He then launched his first magazine — MuscleMag International — in 1974 and started a fitness franchise with stores and a clothing line in the 1990s. He also wrote a number of books including a bestseller called Hardcore Bodybuilding.

He was married to Tosca Reno, who wrote the best-selling "Eat-Clean Diet" series, produced by Kennedy's publishing house.

About Robert Kennedy:

Robert Kennedy (publisher) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1972 Kennedy went into business for himself, selling courses of instruction by mail on nutrition, bodybuilding and fitness. In 1974 he started his first magazine, MuscleMag International, with an initial print run of 110,000. He had no previous experience with magazine publishing, but the magazine is still in publication, 35 years later.

In addition to MuscleMag International, Kennedy has also written 53 books, including several New York Times bestsellers; Hardcore Bodybuilding, Reps!, RockHard!, Beef It!, and Pumping Up! He eventually decided to become a book publisher himself, and under Robert Kennedy Publishing, the company has published hundreds of books.

In the 1990s, Kennedy opened a 26 fitness stores and franchises and created a fitness clothing line; all were eventually sold to concentrate on the core business of book and magazine publishing.

Currently, the magazine-publishing arm includes six titles: MuscleMag International (hardcore bodybuilding), Reps! (building a proportionate body), Oxygen (women’s fitness), American Curves (swimsuit images of fitness women), Maximum Fitness (men’s fitness) and Clean Eating (eating for health and fitness). Kennedy is also known in the bodybuilding world for coining the term "Hardcore Bodybuilding" after publishing the book under the same name; and the concept The Pre-Exhaust Principle,[2] known and used by most bodybuilders around the world.

[Tannhauser]

What a shame. I used to love Musclemag, even if it was mostly bunk.

[Tannhauser]

More here, for those interested: Robert Kennedy (1938-2012)

Had a nice physique too:

[BendtheBar]

I always liked MuscleMag for than M&F, but as the years go by I am finding it harder to remember why.

[tank]

That's sad. His dying of cancer is more shocking to me, knowing how much his life centered on living a healthy lifestyle. In the end, unfortunately, some things are beyond our control.