David Charvet has revealed that his 18-year-old son, Shaya, was the architect behind his dramatic physical overhaul ahead of filming “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.”
The former “Baywatch” star, 54, signed on for the Fox reality competition with just eight weeks to prepare for the grueling challenges awaiting him in Malaysia. Rather than turning to an outside trainer, he enlisted Shaya — his business partner at Build LA gym in Studio City, California, and the facility’s lead instructor.
“I was probably 168 pounds,” David said of his starting weight. “And then when I left, I was 180 pounds. I knew that I was going to lose weight in the first four or five days, so I put on about seven pounds of muscle.”
Shaya crafted a regimen that hit every muscle group through 90-minute sessions five days weekly. The father-son duo trained in infrared-heated rooms hitting 105 degrees, using medical-grade LED red lights, with low-rep, high-weight sets and timed breaks — all before Build had opened to the public.
“I knew what his strengths were,” Shaya said. “I never doubted him. He’s my dad. I believe in him, but also, I worked out with him and he’s strong.”
The heat proved deliberate preparation for Southeast Asian conditions. David trained in the combat boots he would eventually wear during filming, and the intensity paid off once cameras rolled.
“That was truly incredible and it prepared me because of the heat in the room,” David said of the Build workout. “The high-intensity heat prepared me for Malaysia. There wasn’t a moment on the show where I felt like, ‘I can’t do this.'”
Shaya, whom David shares with ex-wife Brooke Burke, had been gym-hopping with his father since age eight. That history gave him intimate knowledge of what David could handle — and how to push him further.
“In the gym, he was doing everything,” Shaya said. “Upper chest press, rows, anything dumbbell- and bench-focused — so legs, upper body, back, biceps and triceps. His muscular endurance and strength went up as well because his body was acclimating to the heat. The second he was in there for like three or four weeks, he acclimated and the weight started going up and we got competitive.”
The younger Charvet also enforced cardio discipline despite his father’s knee concerns.
“I was like, ‘You gotta run,’ because [of] the cardio aspect and the [impact of] running on his knees,” Shaya explained. “That was the only thing I really kind of worried about, but everything else — mentally, physically, I didn’t really have a doubt, honestly.”
David’s strength gains came with a shift in approach. “I was always used to lifting heavy, but always just with dumbbells,” he said. “We were working on the stability muscles, so it made me a lot stronger. I started doing more legs. I couldn’t get away with just doing one leg workout a week.”
The transformation showed measurable results. “It was a massive transformation,” David said. “I went from probably a 50-pound [bench press] to 70 pounds.”
Nutrition and recovery received equal attention. David consumed four to five meals daily, heavy on protein and carbohydrates, with deliberate late-night eating to offset expected weight loss in Malaysia’s climate.
“A lot of protein, a lot of carbs,” David said of his meals. “Eating before sleep. Trying to get four to five meals, because I knew in the heat I was going to lose weight.”
His daily menu started with eggs and avocado toast, followed by steak, a substantial lunch, a 3 p.m. Protein serving, and dinner. Before bed, he would sometimes have cereal with milk, or berries with yogurt, honey and granola. Sleep came early — around 9 p.m. — to support recovery.
Shaya extracted a promise before his father departed: no embarrassing the family on national television. “We’re always pushing each other,” Shaya added. “It was a mutual decision. I was like, ‘If you’re gonna go, you’re gonna go to win.'”
Post-show, David’s weight has settled around 172 or 173 pounds after dropping to 169 upon his return from Malaysia. He continues training to maintain his gains.
The experience also deepened a father-son bond already forged through years of shared gym time. With filming complete, both have returned focus to expanding their fitness empire — Build and its sister studio Burn, including a new Newport Beach location co-founded with Maria Chase, now open and building its instructor roster and community.
“We have new instructors coming in there, but [we’re] kind of building that community,” David said of the brand’s current focus as it continues adding studios across Southern California and New York. “I think it’s step by step. We gotta nurture what we have right now and then we think about the future.”
David is a finalist on Season 5 of “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” which airs Thursday night.