Nick Hughes

Nick Hughes started his martial arts training in Australia in 1969 with the school Judo and Ju-jutsu club. During this time he also cross trained with members of the school’s boxing and wrestling clubs and also undertook Tae Kwan Do when a club was formed at the school in 1973. In 1975, looking for something more practical, he began studying Zen Do Kai under Instructors Jones and Anderson. Zen Do Kai was developed by Jones for Body guards, police officers, prison staff and doormen. Based 80% on traditional Goju Karate, Zen Do Kai borrowed heavily from every other fighting system with the principal of if it works, use it.

Nearly all black belts in the style had hands on experience in the street which meant that teachers in the style knew what worked and what didn’t. Nick began his own "practical" training by working on night club doors at the age of sixteen (being 6'3" and 200 lbs at that age helped) and stayed with ZDK until leaving Australia in 1984.

Wishing to further his career as a body guard Nick arrived in London in ‘84. On arrival in London he was informed by the various Security Agencies that furnished body guards that they only employed ex-military personnel so he signed on for a five year stint with the French Foreign Legion. During his five year contract Nick served with the famous 2nd REP, - the Legion’s famous parachute regiment - as a frogman commando, then in Africa as both a frogman and signals operator. On his return to mainland France he finished his contract with the Legion at the their HQ regiment as a patrolman and unarmed combat instructor in the military police.

Arriving back in the UK in ‘89 he began his bodyguard career , and, when not working, began studying Judo with the British Judo Association and Kali and Filipino knife fighting with England’s top instructor Mr Bob Breen. He also became a member of the teaching staff for CQB Services Body Guard Course and began to write self defense articles for the UK’s leading martial arts magazine, Fighting Arts International.

During his stint as a body guard he protected members of the Saudi Arabian Royal Family, numerous rock and roll artists, diplomats, politicians, businessmen and movie stars all over the world including Russia and Germany.

In 1994 he quit the close personal protection field and moved to the United States. He continued his study of the arts and obtained a 4th degree black belt in Ju-jutsu, a 3rd degree in Yoshinkan Aikido, a 1st degree in Judo in conjunction with his 6th degree in Combat Karate and a 5th degree in Zen Do Kai. He also obtained his certification in Violent Patient Management, Spontaneous Knife Defense and Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention with PPCT Management Systems. He has conducted seminars all over the states most notably at the world famous Karate College in Virginia with Bill Wallace and Joe Lewis and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 during a ceremony in California.

He has recently begun studying Tai Chi and Wing Chun and formulated F.I.S.T.

Ken Aguilar

Ken started training at a traditional karate dojo as a kid and Wing Chun as an adult. He has worked security at clubs in Florida and North Carolina. Ken started training with Nick Hughes in 2002 and has attained top ranking and instructor certification with FIST. Lately, he has been working towards rank in Filipino stick and knife arts.

Daniel Lindberg

Daniel Lindberg began working out with Nick as a student of Combat Karate and made it almost to the rank of black belt when 9/11 occurred and FIST was created. He has been training hard ever since and is a keen student of Filipino martial arts as well. He accompanies Nick to as many seminars as humanly possible and is always ready to jump in and help a student grasp a technique or concept they may be having trouble with.