Valencia-based Active Interest Media, which recently acquired MuscleMag from Robert Kennedy Publishing, is rebranding the magazine’s content and design to keep pace with the changes in the world of bodybuilding. Gone are the snarling 300-pound outliers that defined the ideal a decade ago. In its place — a celebration of the human body in peak condition, housed in a modern and simplified aesthetic.

“Bodybuilding magazines have a lot to live down,” Editor-in-Chief Mike Carlson says. “Over the years, the cover models have become too big and the promises too sensational. And readers find it hard to relate to celebrities on the cover who have full-time trainers and personal nutritionists. We are bringing credibility and transparency back to the genre.”

New departments represent the latest advances in fitness culture: 10-Minute Mobility outlines ways to improve mobility with foam rollers, Man Up promotes safe methods to enhance natural levels of testosterone, and Strong focuses on cutting-edge training techniques to develop strength.

The magazine remains committed to a core principle of sharing the most effective ways to safely build muscle and burn fat through food, supplements and training. “The DNA is the same, but the expression has just been updated,” Carlson says.

The magazine’s redesign debuted with the March 2014 issue, which showcases lean and muscular bodybuilder Stan McQuay on the cover.

Since AIM’s acquisition, MuscleMag has seen an increase in traffic across all platforms. The magazine’s reach now reflects a 25 percent increase, Facebook “Likes” have increased by 486 percent and site traffic is up by 61 percent.

About Active Interest Media

Active Interest Media publishes some of the country’s leading consumer enthusiast magazines, including Yoga Journal, Backpacker, Muscle & Performance, Oxygen, The Box, Mud & Obstacle and more.  AIM’s magazines reach more than 10 million readers in 85 countries around the world.