The powerlifting legend, personal trainer, and figure competitor CT Fletcher is a master motivator that claims to have gone through hell more than you could ever think. Born in June 1959 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he was raised by both parents: the mother was a housewife while his dad was a field worker. The family relocated to Watts, California a year after his birth. CT Fletcher has mentioned several times that his dad was a preacher but an abusive parent. They kept moving from one place to another until they settled in Lakewood, California where his dad invested in a church. Fletcher had his first job as a gas station attendant at the age of 12. The job allowed him to escape from his father’s physical abuse. But he quit the job when his dad demanded that he avail himself at the church. He joined the US Army when he attained the majority age of 18 and was posted in Germany. While in Germany, he showed a keen interest in Martial arts and would take karate classes. He even won a black belt (second degree).
CT Fletcher Stats
• 225 — 235 pounds of weight
• 5’1″ tall
• 22-inch arm
CT Fletcher and Powerlifting
His initial interest was bodybuilding but weightlifting caught the better of his attention along the way. After developing his physique, he would compete in figure contests whereby he ranked in the top 3 most of the time. When he finished his bodybuilding shows, he focused mainly on the weight room. Fletcher’s weightlifting journey began in 1980. He would workout 7 days a week and eventually, weightlifting became his life. Fletcher gained strength month by month and the biggest obsession was hitting the next big number. That is how he became the accomplished powerlifter he is today. It was during the powerlifting contests that he discovered his enormous sports potential. As a novice, he still beat some fierce powerlifters.
A Real Champion
The 61-year old is today a gym owner and a media personality. Having won six world championship titles in the powerlifting and bodybuilding world, CT Fletcher has successfully built himself as a brand. He is not only a fitness icon but an entrepreneur as well with a massive online following. CT Fletcher’s videos went viral in February 2013. He demonstrated a no-nonsense attitude but a likable character. This allowed him to secure fame in a short period. His achievements include:
• World Bench Press Champion (3 times)
• World Strict Curl Champion (3 times)
• Gym owner
• YouTube Vlogger
• Army veteran
He opened a YouTube channel in 2016 after established his popular Iron Addicts Gym in Signal Hill. Today, he has over 950,000 YouTube subscribers.
Real-Life Struggles
The severe physical abuse he received from his father is not all that CT Fletcher endured. He has struggled with other issues including unhealthy eating and heart complications. In his quest to lift massive weights, he had to take in more calories so he could climb the ladder of competitive powerlifting. But most of his caloric surplus came from artificial sugars, fast food burgers, and processed foods. He would eat just anything yet he grew bigger and stronger. There were no consequences of bad eating habits at first. Meanwhile, he gained popularity with his powerlifting achievements. But he didn’t go long before bad health caught up with him and developed hypertension. As if that was not enough warning, CT Fletcher continued with his extremely unhealthy diets. In 2001, the condition became life-threatening since it had affected his heart. At the age of 42, he was disabled. His mum died of heart failure in 2004, meaning that his condition was partly genetic. In 2005, he went for open-heart surgery and almost died of cardiovascular complications. But his strong mindset fought the tough moments and came back stronger. Fletcher also shared about his second heart attack in 2017 at The Joe Rogan Experience. Fortunately, he found a heart transplant in 2018.
Drug Test
CT Fletcher tried to prove that he is a natural bodybuilder and arranged a drug test with his doctor. He went ahead to publish the results on his YouTube channel. He also went through NASA’s drug test when he made history for the greatest drug-free bench press in the world. However, we know that a steroid user can pass the drug tests since they are not examined randomly but rather on fixed dates. So, any bodybuilder can stop their steroid cycle and do a post-cycle-therapy to clear their system off the substances. Fletcher has participated in the INBA bodybuilding federation that strongly advocates for natural techniques. INBA tests for the presence of drugs in the urine and blood at random times. They also use the polygraph test or lie detector on their athletes. This is one of the best ways to determine legit natty bodybuilders. It prevents them from conjuring up methods that can counteract the tests held at specific times. Anyone who fails the INBA test ends up in the list of shame at the organization’s website. Suppose CT Fletcher relied on steroids. Considering his large fan base on the internet, he wouldn’t risk competing in a federation like INBA only to lose his credibility. This means that he never used any performance-enhancing drugs in 2011 when he took part in INBA competitions.
But Why is Fletcher so Big?
A lot of people accuse CT of using Synthol to build his arms that currently measure 22 inches. Synthol is instant muscle-boosting oil that makes the arms look engorged in the quickest time possible. It also gives the muscle a smooth appearance so you will not spot any muscle definition like what Fletcher has. But according to CT, his world-class genetics combined with the right training and overtraining have earned him a huge physique. However, he admitted having used steroids in the past for 6 months to enhance the muscles. By then, he almost killed everyone and suffered low libido so he stopped. He got candid with Joe Rogan in a podcast and confessed his regrets for having used steroids. In his testimony, he once got furious at his wife when she arrived home late. The aggression brought by steroids prompted him to almost kill her. While he acknowledges the power of steroids, he warns that some people cannot handle these strong chemicals. He advised people to never use them as the drugs turned him into something he never liked.
CT Fletcher Mantra: Do What You Can
As a professional trainer and fitness coach, Fletcher takes natural bodybuilding to the extremes. His deep knowledge in the industry has seen genetically gifted men grow under his coaching. There is a limit that is unsurpassable through natural bodybuilding but CT Fletcher seems to have gone beyond that limit.
There is a stigma associated with steroid use when it comes to powerlifting and bodybuilding. Yet other sports like football, basketball, and MMA don’t seem to be very strict with performance-enhancing drugs. Players are encouraged to use drugs to increase their strength and unlock more potential. But such decisions can have devastating aftermaths if done haphazardly. Fletcher mantra- do what you can- is all about self-discipline. Whether you have a single arm without a hand, it is still possible to strap some load on the stump and lift. The charisma he brings into powerlifting leaves people inspired. Fletcher hates complainers. He never gave excuses when he came to the gym with a metal valve in his chest just after surgery. He continued with the medication and still exercised. He insists that you must complete the sets regardless of muscle pains and backaches. That is Fletcher- an aggressively motivational and rhetoric trainer.
Conclusion
CT Fletcher suffers congestive heart failure which is a common health issue with steroid users. He also had high blood pressure and a heart attack. Fletcher’s case is a bit different. The condition is rather genetic given that his mother succumbed to heart failure. It is by chance that CT is still alive and taking saturated fats and salt to date. So, steroids cannot be the reason he suffered cardiovascular complications and heart ailments. With regard to the allegations on Synthol use, it is very easy to spot the application. The most obvious sign of Synthol usage is sagging muscle. It makes the body languid, changing someone into a clown. Synthol may also develop irregularly shaped arms. But Fletcher has a very high muscle definition. His figure looks natural when flexing. Among his biggest muscle group, his arms are the strongest. If he was depending on Synthol, he would be forced to inject it into other parts of the body to maintain proportionality. This would in turn give him a very synthetic look.
Sure, CT Fletcher has previously used steroids, but he is clearly no longer on such drugs. He doesn’t show any side effects. Look at his midsection, for instance. There is no indication of fluid retention. His traps are fairly small unlike in the case of bodybuilders who are constantly pumping on steroid cycles. So far, synthetic testosterone drugs are not the rationale behind Fletcher’s jacked figure. He trained his 22-inch pythons every day for one and a half years. Some of his craziest high-volume sessions include 10-hour arm exercises and 25-hour muscle group workouts for 5 days. Overtraining works wonders if planned correctly alongside proper diet and enough sleep. Since he was young, CT has held on to the belief that eating big gets you big.
