Maxx Charles is a bodybuilder and Mr. Olympia veteran who has gained a loyal following over the years. This is his life story, competition history, diet, training regimen, and more.
Maxx Charles
(Bodybuilder)
Athlete Statistics
Full Name: Maxx Charles | |||
Weight | Height | Age | Date of Birth |
276lbs(125.2kg) | 5’11 (180 cm) | 44 years | February 20, 1980 |
Nationality | Era | ||
Haitian | 2010 |
Early Life
Maxx Charles was born a middle child, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. This environment was not the best for a child to grow up in, by any means. Subsequently, Charles’ father would move to America, where he worked in New York for 9 years. At this point, Charles’ father was able to move the whole family over to America. This meant that Maxx Charles really met his dad for the first time at 10 years old.
Maxx Charles first discovered bodybuilding at an early age, through Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie “Commando” inspired Charles to pursue a physique like Arnold’s. He idolized Schwarzenegger, finding an interest in the Mr. Olympia competitions.
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On the other hand, Charles did not start lifting weights until his teenage years. It was at this point that he truly fell in love with the sport, citing his enjoyment of the solo-aspect of bodybuilding, as opposed to team sports. Maxx Charles loved the fact that he was solely responsible for his own success, and brought that drive with him, throughout his career.
Maxx Charles – Early Bodybuilding Career
From the beginning of his bodybuilding endeavors, Maxx Charles had a ton of confidence. He put on serious size quickly, weighing a lean 300lbs at age 19. This resulted in Charles attempting to make a career out of the sport, refusing to do local shows, instead of aiming for bigger shows.
Immediately, Charles dove right into training, and instead of competing in small shows, he worked on his physique for 9 straight years. Then, in 2008, he would debut in his first show, the NPC Eastern USA Bodybuilding, Figure & Fitness Competition. Charles would enter the super-heavyweight division, obliterating the competition in his first run.
After this successful start, Charles would set his sights on earning his pro card. Subsequently, he would take part in the 2011 NPC National Championships, and the 2012 NPC USA Championships, winning second and third respectively. Following these performances, Maxx would go for his pro card at the 2013 NPC USA Championships, winning first overall.
Maxx Charles – Pro Bodybuilding Career
Charles experienced his first attempt at a professional bodybuilding competition by competing at the 2014 New York Pro. He scored a respectable 5th place in this event, inspiring him to train harder. Subsequently, Charles would rebound at the Tampa Pro with a 4th place position.
However, 2015 was when things really started to pick up for Maxx Charles. He had his best pro performance to date when he scored 3rd place in his return to the New York Pro. Then Charles took things to the next level, by winning his first professional bodybuilding competition, the Tampa Pro. This big win gave Maxx the confidence to make his first attempt at the coveted Mr. Olympia title.
Maxx Charles made his first showing at Mr. Olympia saw him earn a disappointing 12th place. Although he was suffering a leg injury, this would set the tone for his next few years as a bodybuilder. Over the next two years and 9 competitions, Charles would have mixed successes. His highest placing would be second place, which he earned twice. Following this, he would make his return to the Olympia stage in 2017, scoring 13th place.
Things have really started to turn around again for Maxx Charles in 2018. He would start the year off in a tough spot, earning 13th at the Arnold Classic. However, he would turn it around later in the year, earning three straight rankings of third place. Moreover, he finished off the year with a first-place victory at the 2018 Romania Muscle Fest, earning a spot in the Olympia the following year.
Maxx Charles – Championships and Accomplishments
2008
- NPC Eastern USA Championships – 1st
2011
- NPC Bev Francis Atlantic States Championships – 1st
- NPC National Championships – 2nd
2012
- NPC USA Championships – 3rd
2013
- NPC USA Championships – 1st
2014
- New York Pro – 5th
- Tampa Pro – 4th
2015
- New York Pro – 3rd
- Tampa Pro – 1st
- Mr. Olympia – 12th
2016
- Arnold Classic – 7th
- New York Pro – 4th
- Toronto Pro – 2nd
- Vancouver Pro – 5th
- Arnold Classic Asia – 6th
- 2016 NPC South Jersey Championships
2017
2018
- Arnold Classic – 13th
- New York Pro – 9th
- Toronto Pro – 7th
- Muscle Mayhem Pro – 3rd
- Tampa Pro – 3rd
- George Farah Classic Pro Men’s Bodybuilding – 3rd
- Romania Muscle Fest Pro Men’s Bodybuilding – 1st
2019
- 2019 Japan Pro Men’s Bodybuilding – 7th
- 2019 Romania Muscle Fest Pro Men’s Bodybuilding – 4th
- 2019 FitParade Pro Bodybuilding – 7th
- 2019 Olympia – 13th
2020
- 2020 Chicago Pro Men’s Bodybuilding – 3rd
- 2020 California Pro Men’s Bodybuilding – 2nd
- 2020 New York Pro Men’s Bodybuilding – 5th
- 2020 Arnold Classic – 8th
- 2020 Olympia – 13th
2021
- 2021 IFBB Legion Sports Fest Pro – Men’s Open (8th)
- 2021 Arnold Sports Festival – Men’s Open (8th)
- 2021 IFBB Tampa Pro – Men’s Open (4th)
- 2021 IFBB Chicago Pro – men’s Open (3rd)
Maxx Charles – Training Regimen
Maxx Charles typically trains six days straight, with a heavy focus on arms. Nevertheless, his training is a bit unorthodox, as he has a tendency to not even counts his reps. Maxx Charles splits his training as follows:
- Monday – Glutes, Hamstrings
- Tuesday – Chest
- Wednesday – Quads
- Thursday – Shoulders
- Friday – Back
- Saturday – Arms
- Sunday – Off
Arm Workouts
Tricep Workout
- Wide-Grip Cable Pushdowns – 5 sets/25-30 reps
- Rope Pushdowns – 7 sets/25-30 reps
- Lying Cable Skull Crushers – 3 sets/25-30 reps
- Machine Dip – 2 sets/25-30 reps
- Cable Kickback – 1 set/40-50 reps
Bicep Workout
- Cable Curl (into the stack) – 5 sets/20-30 reps
- Cable Curl (away from the stack) – 4 sets/40-50 reps
- Seated Curl (on close grip lat-pull down machine) – 3 sets/16-30 reps
- Dumbbell or Rope Hammer Curl – 2 sets/16-30 reps
- One-Arm Preacher Curl – 2 sets/20-30 reps
- Alternate Dumbbell Curl – 2 sets/20-30 reps
- Machine Curl – 2-4 sets/20-30 reps
- Dumbbell Concentration Curl – 1 set/20-30 reps
Maxx Charles – Diet and Nutrition
Maxx Charles does not just train in an unorthodox manner, he also manages his nutrition, unlike others. He typically eats just three large meals a day, filled with meat and vegetables. This is a vast difference to the common practice of bodybuilders eating around 6 times daily.
This is not to say that Charles is not very smart and careful about what he eats. He keeps track of his macronutrients, also making sure to eat plenty of carbs, healthy fats, and protein. Maxx follows all the necessary steps to ensure that his body gets all the nutrients it requires.
Additional Information
While still young, Maxx Charles has yet to turn the corner in his career. He does well in smaller shows, yet always seems to falter on the bigger stages. Nevertheless, he still has plenty of time to turn things around, as he was looking to do in 2018.
Charles finds his inspiration from his friends and family, who support his endeavors wholeheartedly. Additionally, he idolizes the likes of Flex Wheeler, Dorian Yates, and Dexter Jackson to remind him of his younger days when he was leaning from fitness magazines. Perhaps Maxx Charles can draw from these sources to find success in his future bodybuilding career.
Recent Highlights & News on Maxx Charles
- 2021 IFBB Tampa Pro: How To Watch, Preview, and Prize Money
- 2021 Chicago Pro: How To Watch, Contest Preview, And Prize Money
- Roelly Winklaar To Compete At 2021 IFBB Chicago Pro; See Full Athlete Lineup
- Maxx Charles Shows Photos For Final New York Pro Prep, Proving He Should Have Placed Higher
- New York Pro 2020: Top Athletes Give Physique Updates Days Out