Name: CT Fletcher
Nickname: Superman
Profession: Powerlifter
Birth date: 6/8/1959
Height: 5’11”
Competition Weight: 230 lbs
Biography
Childhood
C.T. Fletcher was born June 8, 1959 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. A year after he was born, his family relocated to Watts, CA and then to Compton, where he grew up. The environment was extremely rough to grow up in
Fletcher’s father was a field worker and his mother was a teenage housewife; They worked hard to feed their family. His father was preacher and was very strict (Fletcher feels like ‘strict’ is too subtle of a word to describe his father). Fletcher and his brother experienced physical abuse during their upbringing. That was their way of life and it was all they knew.
When he was 12 years old, he started working at a gas station. Though he was too young to work, he still loved his job because it was his escape from reality and his father’s abuse.
Military Service
Fletcher’s father demanded that he be at church, which led up to his having to quit his job. This terror lasted six years, until Fletcher turned 18 years old. He finally ‘broke the chains that bound him’ and joined the United States Army. After her joined, he moved to Germany, where he was stationed.
While stationed in Germany, Fletcher took an interest in martial arts, mainly Karate. He idolized people like Bruce Lee and Mohammed Ali. He earned his second-degree black belt in Karate in 1979. Once he returned home, he got a job with the U.S. Postal Service.
Starting With Bodybuilding
Fletcher visited the weight room for the first time in the 1980’s. It was during this time that he became enthralled with bodybuilding. He would be in the gym seven days per week. Bodybuilding became his life.
As Fletcher’s physique developed, be began participating in bodybuilding shows, placing top 3 in almost all of them. He grew in strength month by month. He became obsessed with chasing the ‘next big number’. This is where his transition from bodybuilding to powerlifting took place.
Enter Powerlifting
He soon began participating in powerlifting contest, quickly realizing this potential in the sport. Even as a beginner in powerlifting with very little experience, he demolished many of his competitors.
Unhealthy Diet
As CT Fletcher continued to succeed as a powerlifter, he had to consume more calories in order to achieve bigger lifts. But instead of eating a massive amount of lean healthy food, Fletcher consumed mostly unhealthy processed foods.
While he was able to maintain more weight and bigger lifts, it came at a cost. His health started to decline, he had to visit health facilities more often and was eventually diagnosed with hypertension.
But that wasn’t enough of a warning for CT Fletcher and his eating habits continued. Eventually in 2005, he had to undergo a life-saving open heart surgery. The surgery resulted in his heart flatlining. For a brief moment, CT Fletcher was dead.
Ultimately the surgery was a success. Upon which, Fletcher had to go through a long recovery under intensive care.
Mother’s Death
Earlier on May 26, 2004, CT Fletcher’s mother passed away due to heart failure while she was preparing breakfast. It was a devastating moment for Fletcher. So much so that he created a catch phrase in her name – “It’s Still Yo Mutha Fuckin Set!”
CT Fletcher further explains, “My mother suffered many of her last years from congestive heart failure. However, to her last day, to her last hour, to her final seconds of life she remained committed to her life’s choice. It was her decision to put aside adversity and always be what she perceived to be the best wife she could be. It is through her unwavering example I believe, ‘It’s Still Yo Mutha Fuckin Set!’”
Comeback
After finally recovering from the surgery, CT Fletcher adopted a healthy lifestyle, lifting light weights and eating clean foods. Even though his powerlifting days were behind him, Fletcher continued working out as much as his body allowed him -as it was his one true passion.
It was at this time he also began the process of opening up his own gym. The entire journey of the gym opening was captured in a feature film documentary, CT Fletcher: My Magnificent Obsession. The film not only chronicles his efforts to open a gym, but also explores his past in detail.
Training
Fletcher does not have a set training plan. He trains whatever he feels like training, and goes for the max number of reps possible.
Arms
- Single Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curls
- EZ Bar Preacher Curls
- Incline Bench Hammer Curls
- Concentration or Cable Curls
Shoulders
- Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press
- Standing Barbell Lateral Raise
- Seated Smith Overhead Press
Chest
- Barbell Bench, Flat
- Dumbbell Bench, Flat
- Barbell Pyramid Bench, Flat
- Smith Bench
- Incline Barbell Bench
- Pushups
Biceps
- Incline Bench Hammer Curls
- Dumbbell Preacher Curls
- EZ Curl Bar Preacher Curls
- Barbell Preacher Curls
- Low Bar Cable Curls: 10 sets by 10 reps
- Concentration Curls
- Underhand Pull-ups: 1 set by 30 reps
Triceps
- W Bar Triceps Extensions
- Straight Bar Triceps Extensions: 4 sets until failure
- Triceps Pulldowns: 10 sets by 10 reps
- Triceps Kick-back: 2 sets by 40 reps
- Lying French Press: 1 pyramid set by 200 reps
Back
- Dumbbell Rows
- Lying Machine Rows
- Deadlifts
- Lat Pulldowns
- T-Bar Rows
- Pullups
- Seated Cable Pull Downs
Legs
- Squats
- Hack Squats
- Box Squat
- Leg Press
CT Fletcher’s 10 Training Commandments
- Train your mind harder than your body
- Never accept someone else’s limitations
- Pain is essential
- Listen to your body
- Visualize the body you want
- Don’t let your body adapt
- Angles are essential to growth
- Learn the meaning of “overload”
- Become obsessed
- Never settle
Nutrition
Fletcher does not eat food for pleasure. He eats to get results inside and outside of the gym. His micronutrient intake consists of 10 percent fat, 50 percent protein, and 40 percent carbs. He does not measure each gram, but eats what he feels is a good enough amount; using his 3-decade-long experience as guidance.
Meal Plan:
Meal 1
-
- Egg White:12 (made into an omelet)
- Turkey or Chicken Breast: 1-2 servings
- Vegetables: 1 Handful
Meal 2
-
- Protein Shake: 1
Meal 3
-
- Albacore Tuna: 1 Can
- Large Salad: 1 Serving
Meal 4
-
- Ground Turkey: Desired Amount
Meal 5
-
- Chicken Breast: 8 Oz.
Meal 6
-
- White Rice: 2 Cups
Meal 7
-
- Protein Shake: 1
Meal 8
-
- White Rice: 2 Cups
Supplementation
-
- Whey Protein
- Creatine
- Multi-Vitamin
- Pre-Workout