JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. — For service members, physical fitness is less a lifestyle choice and more a mission requirement. For Sgt. Zephaniah Lawson, his participation in bodybuilding competitions is an extension of the discipline, consistency and readiness required to be an effective Soldier and leader.
Lawson, a religious services noncommissioned officer assigned to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, balances the physical demands of bodybuilding with the responsibilities of military service, family life, and spiritual support to soldiers. The habits he maintains to succeed on stage support the strength and resilience required in uniform.
Time management is central to Lawson’s routine. Rather than allowing training to interfere with his duties, he builds his fitness regimen around the Army’s mission and his leadership responsibilities.
“If I need to be at work by 6:30 am, I’m in the gym by 5 am. I never try to burn myself out to where I can’t get through the rest of the day,” said Lawson.
That disciplined approach has paid off, both professionally and competitively. Lawson has earned multiple amateur bodybuilding titles, including two first place finishes at the 2025 Northern Kentucky Grand Prix & Cincinnati Championships and winning both the Overall and Super Heavyweight divisions at the 2025 Iron City Classic. The trophies may represent personal achievement, but Lawson sees them as evidence of consistency, rather than as a finish line.
“That is really what locked me into bodybuilding,” said Lawson. “If I can get this [win] and I’m not even halfway to where I want to be.”
At the foundation of his success is an emphasis on overall health, not just his physical appearance. Lawson prioritizes his nutrition, hydration and recovery as essential components of prevention and readiness.
“I make sure to drink my water,” said Lawson. “The Army is asking for a lot and so is your body. Nutrition is the biggest part of being healthy, both as a Soldier and a bodybuilder, so you have to eat right, and I think Fort Myer does a great job at serving the right things.”
For Sgt. Lawson, bodybuilding doesn’t exist apart from his military readiness, it enhances it. Bodybuilding reinforces accountability and leadership by example. A Soldier’s physique is built through discipline and sends a visible message to other Soldiers about commitment to standards and professionalism. Lawson’s appearance in uniform reflects that readiness isn’t situational, it’s habitual.
“You can be who you want to be and do what you want to do while giving back to our nation and serving our Army,” said Lawson. “You’re already the one percent, so being physically fit within that one percent, that’s special.”
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