Road to Gold: Former skinny kid out to win Baghdad bodybuilding competition

Photo By Lt. Col. Sean Ryan | Army 1st Lt. Fecker Charlot, platoon leader for Company C, Special Troops Battalion, part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team based out of Fort Carson, Colo., prepares for the upcoming Baghdad Classic Bodybuilding competition Sept. 18. The event at Camp Liberty, Iraq, is scheduled for Sept. 29. Charlot, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., was the proverbial 135-pound skinny kid before taking up weightlifting and later bodybuilding. Charlot now weighs in at a solid 190 pounds and has previously won drug-free bodybuilding competitions.  

RUSTAMIYAH, IRAQ

09.28.2007

Story by Maj. Sean Ryan 

2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division

By Maj. Sean Ryan
2nd BCT, 2nd Inf. Div. PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE RUSTAMAYAH, Iraq - Often in life, it's the journey that matters to most people, not necessarily the final results. For 1st Lt. Fecker Charlot, he hopes for both a gratifying journey and victory in the upcoming Baghdad Classic Bodybuilding competition Sept. 29 at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

Charlot, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., was the proverbial 135-pound skinny kid getting sand kicked in his face at the beach like the Charles Atlas ads in comic books. The platoon leader for Company C, Special Troops Battalion, part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team based out of Fort Carson, Colo., couldn't even get selected during pick-up basketball games because he was too small.

Charlot turned to weight lifting in 1995 at advice from fellow Soldier and ensured staying fit became part of his lifestyle. "I learned it's important to make realistic goals and train towards them to help keep you focused. It's easy to quit if you don't give yourself a chance to succeed."

He didn't get serious about training for anything until he and a friend started training for the Bataan Death March in 2003, while as a Combat Camera photographer with the Golden Knights at Fort Bragg, N.C. After training for the 100-mile march, he decided to train for an all-natural bodybuilding competition later that year.

"The all-natural competition was important for me because it meant no cheating. They ensured no illegal substances were taken by competitors and everyone took a polygraph test," he said. Charlot took first in the competition.

Originally from Haiti, Charlot took the time to learn about nutrition and exercise and received his certificate as a personal trainer. "I thought it was important to show others how to stay in shape and I applied the same principles to them as I did to my own training," he said. Charlot competed in one more competition in 2004 but started to focus on other facets in his life such as selection to Officer Candidate School, getting married and taking a break from competition.

Once deployed in 2006 as a new lieutenant, Charlot found himself in Kuwait and decided to enter the Morale Welfare and Recreation's STREND competition, a seven-event challenge that featured the bench press, dead lift, pull-ups and 2-mile run, among other events. Despite no specific training for the event, a first place medal found its way around Charlot's neck, and the competitive drive within him resurfaced.

"My training programs, even though not geared for competition at the time, kept me in shape and that's very important because bodybuilding is something that cannot be attained overnight. You need incentives for goals and goals to keep you focused. Once you reach your goal, set one higher."

Nutrition is 70 percent of getting ready for competition, according to Charlot. The dining facility isn't always the greatest place for training, Charlot said, but if a person is selective, it can work.

Charlot said he sees a lot of mistakes in the gym and sometimes steps in and tries to help the Soldiers. "A lot of Soldiers may not see improvements and I think it is due to not setting realistic goals, improper use of lifting, and nutrition," he said. "Not everyone can lift the same weight, but you will see a group of guys all trying to lift the same and eventually, someone is going to get hurt. I tactically tell them what they are doing is not working and do my best to help whenever possible."

Staying injury free has been important to Charlot, and working towards competition weight is no easy task for anyone. Charlot predicts he will have to lose around 15 pounds to get down to competition weight and show the proper definition needed to win a competition.

"I normally would give myself more time to train but I didn't make the decision to enter until last month, giving myself essentially five weeks to prepare," he said. "No excuses though, my Soldiers expect me to come home with a trophy and hopefully my workouts will pay off in the long run. Without a doubt, it is hard trying to get into competition shape in Iraq, but I want to win. There isn't much else to do in Iraq except work and go the gym. Training for an all-natural competition is a great way to stay focused and showcase some of America's best Soldiers."

• Date Taken: 09.28.2007
• Date Posted: 09.28.2007 14:42
• Story ID: 12611
• Location: RUSTAMIYAH, IQ