David Charvet details son’s role in shocking fitness transformation before ‘Special Forces’

David Charvet says his 18-year-old son Shaya helped him prepare for the physical demands of Fox’s “Special Forces” reality show. The former “Baywatch” actor had eight weeks to build strength and endurance before filming in Malaysia, and credits the training with helping him cope with the heat.

Charvet said he gained about 12 pounds, from 168 to 180, during the preparation, including around seven pounds of muscle, and increased his bench press from roughly 50 to 70 pounds. Shaya planned 90-minute workouts five days a week, covering strength work, legs and cardio in an infrared-heated room reaching 105 degrees; Charvet also focused on eating several protein- and carbohydrate-rich meals and training in combat boots.