I’m Hakan, but most people just call me Haks!

My fitness journey wasn’t always what you see today. I used to have zero structure with my workouts. I’d only hit the gym if a mate was going and I was always putting work and uni first. I didn’t realise how much my mental health was taking a back seat.

When lockdown started, I knew I needed something to keep me grounded, so I set one simple goal: get my steps in and train before 12. I wasn’t confident in the gym at all, so I stuck to home workouts and training in the park until I built myself up a bit. Once I got more comfortable, consistency followed, and from there I started setting bigger goals.

Back in the gym, I got properly into powerlifting, as I started to feel really strong, which was a game changer for me. Then I wanted to push myself even more, so I signed up for a boxing fight in front of hundreds of people to tackle my anxiety head-on. Breaking those barriers gave me the confidence to travel and compete in CrossFit events around the world.

Like a lot of people, I used to think training was just about looking good. Now I know it’s way more than that. It’s feeling good, having purpose, and showing up for yourself every day.