this is my calisthenics transformation and this is the evolution of fitnessFAQs from 2010
to 2020 as you're about to see the journey definitely hasn't been easy I've struggled
with slow progress setbacks and numerous injuries along the way I'm going to show
you the journey from humble beginnings and the progress that I made over time
reflecting on these early videos and photos is both embarrassing but also valuable it's
embarrassing to publicly show yourself looking tubby and soft to be honest I feel vulnerable
sharing these intimate moments from my early days but as one of the leaders in the world of
calisthenics it's my responsibility to show the process what's frustrating about social
media today is all we see is the end result the end product a newsfeed is filled with people who
look ripped and are incredibly strong it's easy to feel discouraged and inadequate by comparing
our normal to other people's highlights there's nothing wrong with admiring what others have
achieved after all seeing what the human body is capable of opens our eyes to what's possible I
want to share with you now the fitness fa Q's training philosophy we want to be strong like
a gymnast look like a bodybuilder and move freely this involves combining bodyweight
exercises weight training and mobility methods the priority above everything else should be to master
the calisthenics basics you've got to invest time and effort into exercises like pull-ups push-ups
and dips my first several years of training this is all I did I didn't do anything fancy
I just got progressively better at vertical and horizontal pulling and pushing a foundation level
of strength is an absolute must at all times for all people with you're someone who's a complete
beginner or someone that's more advanced I've seen too many people rush the process or think
that they're beyond the basics if you do not include the bodyweight Basics in your training
your chance of injury is higher you're also going to constantly struggle when it comes to trying
advanced moves because you simply don't have the muscle mass or the global strength required by
the way don't misinterpret the word basics for easy if you train the basics with intent and
effort they're going to stay challenging and also productive of course when you're ready add weight
and continue growing bigger and stronger forget all this dogma when it comes to calisthenics drop
the all-or-nothing thinking just because you're doing bodyweight training ok calisthenics doesn't
mean you can't add weight or lift weights to use the best tools use the best methods for the goal
that you have we're all about maximizing human potential here at Fitness fa Q's now once you're
a to begin working on calisthenics strength skills that's when the real fun starts when training
doesn't even feel like training that's when you know you're doing something special take my word
for it I've been at this stuff for a decade and I'm still learning exploring and enjoying the
journey calisthenics is but difficult but at the same time highly rewarding the challenge lies in
combining strength with full body coordination if there are absolutely any weak links in the
connect chain they're going to show and you're going to struggle anyone new to calisthenics
experiences firsthand how annoying gravity is and how heavy they feel but this is exactly why
it's so fun because the process of training isn't straightforward or easy what I enjoy most about
calisthenics is there are so many ways to make exercises harder we can play around with speed
range of motion isometric times and much much more don't even get me started when it comes to the
progressions the variations and the countless ways to manipulate leverage it's safe to say
calisthenics is going to keep you challenged for years to come concerning lower body training I've
used a combination of calisthenics and weights since day one for building general strength you
can't go wrong loading the basics such as the squat compound training with weights is simple
when it comes to overloading and an intensity that you want however when done correctly calisthenics
leg training can be very very valuable in its own right at the moment most people are training at
home with minimal equipment the main concept you need to apply is training close to if not
reaching muscular failure this is a requirement for pure callus next leg training because the
exercises are performed at a low percentage of one rep max regardless if you're using weights
or bodyweight training intensity and progression matters if you're working sub maximally at the gym
or at home if you're not putting in the effort don't expect to see changes after a decade of
experience mobility training is a must for safe and sustainable results this is an area I wish
I focused on in my earlier days remember we're only as strong as our weakest link for the Cal
snacks enthusiasts you've got a target the scapula and rotator cuff you get out what you put in and
you're definitely going to be rewarded for your hard work because you're going to begin to feel
better and see results with your mobility for you watching this it's never too early or too late to
start focusing on your weaknesses yes you're going to need to isolate yes you're going to
have to use weights bands etc save yourself time and frustration work on mobility flexibility and
stability an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure a little effort goes a long
way yes it's going to be tedious and boring but I promise it's worth it let's take a look
at the evolution of fitness FA cues on YouTube over the years in the beginning the production
value was raw and my confidence was very low I'm a natural introvert so putting myself out there
was daunting and uncomfortable despite my fear of public speaking and talking on camera the mission
since day one was clear educate and empower by the end of a fitness FAQ video you're going to have
the knowledge to apply what you've learned with confidence in your own training over the years
as you can see the production quantity and also quality increased because I learned more about
filming and also editing after high school I went to university to study exercise science and expand
my knowledge this degree taught me the basics of biomechanics and more importantly it taught me how
to learn effectively however this wasn't enough I wanted to become a qualified health professional
so recently I've been accepted into a master of physiotherapy degree in Sydney so as of March
I'll be living in Sydney it's a two-year degree I can't wait to do it I'm really excited I also
continue to practice and refine my public speaking gradually growing more confident up until 2017 all
of the fitness fa Q's content was created from start to finish by me alone however doing things
solo will only take you so far and it's important to get help over the past few years I've been
working with some very talented freelancers when it comes to video and photo a collaborative team
effort really allows the fitness fa Q's content to shine to achieve a maximum impact over the
years I've been able to connect and collaborate with industry leaders in calisthenics it's safe
to say they've played an important role in my growth and development by surrounding yourself
with others who are smart strong and passionate it really is infectious doing so inspires you
to learn it inspires you to try harder and also level up I have the utmost respect for each and
every person I've connected with over my journey thanks for your friendship and thanks for your
knowledge I cherish the moments we shared training in private and also creating content for the world
to enjoy in 2019 I challenge myself to travel the world non-stop for six months during this
time I taught over ten weekend workshops in less than three months throughout Europe as a teacher
nothing compares to the face-to-face workshop format you get to see the light bulb moments
the paradigm shifts which are happening live with the students and this is highly rewarding I know
the information is going to be absorbed used and then passed on to others this each one teach one
concept compels me to continue the fitness fa Q's mission both in workshops and online regardless
if you've been following Fitness fa Q's since the beginning or you've just started thank you if you
bought a fitness FA Hughes program or attended a workshop thank you or if you're simply following
the free content and sharing on social media thank you your direct and indirect support
affords me the privilege to be able to teach Cal sex through fitness fa Q's thank you to my
parents thank you for your love and your support since day number one you made many sacrifices in
order to make my childhood conducive for growth learning and development mom and dad you never
doubted my vision you never doubted my own bishop my passion and my obsession thank you
my brother Andrew thank you for the perspective the lessons that you've taught me over the years
as a big brother should the last thing I want to leave you with is believing yourself you have to
set goals you have to have a vision and you need to stand by your values no matter what
you've got to have the courage to put yourself out there to be disliked and you've also got to have
the humility to learn from your mistakes and keep evolving over time remember the world doesn't owe
you anything it is on you to take responsibility to take ownership for your actions and to go out
there and get it the world's going to distract you with all these different things all these
different options other people are going to doubt you you're going to doubt yourself forget
that you've got to believe in yourself and take action all right everyone train hard train us