What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?
Thanks Ian! I am still in shock that I am an IFBB Pro! I decided to go the Men’s Physique route after realizing that a career in bodybuilding would be near impossible. With the overall size the pro bodybuilders carry these days, I just didn’t see it as being realistic for myself. I also like the Men’s Physique look better. I like a good balance of size, shape and conditioning that people can relate to and strive towards. I think this division will really help bring both new competitors to the sport and a much larger fan base as well. The sky is the limit with this new division and I am honored to represent it as one of the first two guys in the pro ranks.
Can you tell us a little about the Jr. National Competition itself?
Tres did an awesome job organizing and running this show, It was the most professional contest I have ever been a part of and ran completely smooth. The competitors were top notch. In the Men’s Physique division alone we had 36 guys and any of them could have taken home a pro card. It truly was a pleasure being on stage with such tough competition.
How did you feel after pre-judging?
Well, I was one of 5 guys who made first callouts, which was a good feeling as I got off stage, but honestly we didn’t know which direction the judges were going to go. I wasn’t sure if my size was too big for what the judges were looking but long behold everything worked out!
How did you feel when you found out that you were one of the very first PRO’S in this new division?
I cant even being to put into words the emotion I felt. I had a rough couple weeks leading up to the contest as I was transitioning out of my full time job and moving to NYC. During this process, I swear everything went wrong. I had to travel back and forth from the Philadelphia area to NYC to cook meals and get food as our apartment still didn’t have hot water or gas. I was super stressed out leading up to the contest, which I thought would definitely take a toll on my physique and my placing at this show. However, even with these circumstances I still never missed a meal or training session. So when I finally got the results I was simply overwhelmed. I felt like a giant weight was lifted off my chest, it was pretty amazing!
What are your thoughts on the Men's Physique Division and what it may be able to do for your career?
I love the new division and really think it is going to take off. It gives guys an option. Now, there is more than just bodybuilding. I think it will bring a lot more exposure to the industry and potentially more big name sponsors. Obviously no one really knows what will happen but I hope that this will really take my fitness career to the next level.
Age: 23
Hometown: West Chester, PA
Current city: New York City
Years training: 7
Education: Bachelors degree in Business Management 
Occupation: IFBB Men’s Physique Pro, Fitness Model/Athlete
Favorite type of training: I do a lot of basic compound movements and incorporate supersets, dropsets and functional training.
Favorite body part to train: Chest
Favorite exercise: Bench Press
Rep range: 8-20 depending on the exercise
Number of sets: 3-4 per exercise
Typical workout duration: Total for the day I would say close to 3 hours including cardio and weight training. This is usually split in 2 sessions per day.
Training split:
Monday: Chest, Abs
Tuesday: Legs, Calves
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: Back, Abs
Friday: Shoulders, Calves
Saturday: Arms, Abs
Sunday: OFF
Typical daily eating plan: 
Low Carb Days:
325g Protein
150g Carbs
60g Fat
High Carb Days:
280g Protein
300g Carbs
25g Fat
Favorite supplement:
Protein: Gaspari Nutrition IntraPro
Multi: Gaspari Nutrition Anavite
Pre-Workout: Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump MAX
Intra-Workout: Gaspari Nutrition Size-On PreContest
Fat Burner: Gaspari Nutrition Phenorex
What peaked your interest in training?
The constant need to push my body to new limitations. I think the human body is extremely interesting and should be taken to its utmost potential. I enjoy the challenges of making improvements both in the gym and with my physique. I live for tomorrow’s workout!
Who influences/influenced your training?
When I was in high school I used to watch Pumping Iron all the time and would be amazed by Arnolds physique. I loved how he had tons of size but still kept fantastic lines and aesthetics. I think that is what this new division is really about, aesthetics! I mimicked everything I saw Arnold do and noticed he stuck to the basics and that is what worked. Hence, why I don’t get caught up in the newest training fad, I stick to what works.
Sports: I played baseball growing up and stopped half way through high school when I started really getting into weights. I competed for the first time following my senior year of high school and took first in the teen division.
Special interests: Music, Supplementation and the science behind it, travel
Physique, fitness, bodybuilding competition history:
OCB Battle of the Swords: 1st Place Teen Division
NPC Lehigh Valley: 3rd in the Men’s Open Heavyweight Division
BodySpace Spokesmodel Competition: 5th place out of 200
2011 NPC Suburban: 4th Place Men’s Physique Division
2011 Junior USA’s: 1st Place Men’s Physique Division: Tall Class
Awards and/or accomplishments:
BodySpace Spokesmodel Finalist
1 of 2 of the first IFBB Men’s Physique Pros in the world
Owner of www.HughesFIT.com
Next planned competition:
The first IFBB Pro Show of 2012!
What keeps you on track towards reaching your goals?
Knowing that if I skip a cardio session or miss a meal, that is one more opportunity for my competition to beat me. I want to be the best at what I do, always. I also want to inspire and motivate as many others along the way to pursue and reach their own fitness goals.
Interesting fact or something you would like our readers to know about you:
I weighed 135lbs at 6’0” when I started lifting weights in high school. I had ZERO size. There is no such thing as cant and no such word as fail. If you want it, it can be yours. You will have to work and make sacrifices but the gratification of achieving your goals is far more valuable than any slice of cake or greasy pizza. The satisfaction gained from cheating or sleeping in and skipping cardio is gone instantly. The satisfaction of reaching your fitness goals stays with you forever.
Website and facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ryan-Hughes-Fan-Page/133166666718058
Contact Information:
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