I didn’t hold back with weights, I was crazy. I see it differently now - says the new NEBBIA girl Lenka Wenzelová

On a nice Saturday, on the 14th of May in Brno, we chose new members of our NEBBIA Girls team which is a group of sportswomen that inspire and help our fans reach their fitness goals. Thanks to them we can bring even more motivation and training and diet tips. NEBBIA Girls project is also part of our long-term concept to support young talented individuals in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This is one of our new NEBBIA Girls whom we help achieve her dreams – Lenka Wenzelova.

How did you start with fitness?

In the beginning, I wanted to look like the girls that had small waistlines and cute round butts. I started workout out at home doing bodyweight exercises and after a few months I went to the gym for the first time. I got hooked and I couldn’t stop. I started taking care of my body even more and I got super interested in training.

What does fitness mean to you?

Fitness isn’t about having the perfect muscular body; it’s about having mental and physical balance. It’s an energy and mood booster. That’s the most important aspect of fitness, feeling great in your body.

What’s your current workout plan?

I don’t have a competition goal which means my routine isn’t super strict. I work out after work or during my free time when I make up for what I didn’t do during the workweek. Weekly I do between three to four workouts. I also like horse riding and training my husky which needs a lot of my time.

Do you remember your first NEBBIA piece?

I bought a pair of leggings with the iconic NEBBIA symbol and white knee-high socks. I bought it after the store in Harfa opened. Since that moment, NEBBIA is my favourite brand. Every collection is so pretty and unique. The wow effect is there for me, every piece is so special and incredibly fitting.

What does being a NEBBIA Girl mean to you?

My main task is to do a great representation of NEBBIA. Next, I’ll gladly keep telling people that fitness isn’t just about ripped bodies, but it’s about how you feel mentally and physically. The last collection  FEEL GOOD, LOOK GOOD embodies this idea. I love the slogan. It’s also a dream come true. I always wanted to do photoshoots with NEBBIA and represent it. It’s still surreal for me and I am very happy.

What’s your favourite “cheat meal”?

It’s not really a cheat meal but for me, it’s definitely sushi.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

I have two: Don’t judge a book by its cover, At the end of life, you only regret the things you didn’t do.

What’s your favourite show or a film?

I don’t watch movies, only occasionally if I don’t fall asleep when I go to bed. My top movies are Jumanji, Indiana Jones, After, and Hunger Games. The best tv show is definitely Game of Thrones.

Finish the sentence: My favourite exercise is ...

I have a favourite exercise for every body part. But my overall favourite is definitely the hip thrust. For my upper body, I like doing pushdowns. I also love doing pushups and pullups, but I can’t do a lot of those. I love all exercises :D. It’s hard to choose one.

How do you stay in shape?

I don’t restrict myself too much. But I don’t like fatty unhealthy food either. Out of a habit I have a balanced and light diet. When I don’t have time to cook, I choose a healthier alternative at the restaurant.

My meal plan is 80/20. I have a high energy output and so if I can’t resist, I have something sweet or ice cream. I have learned what works for me and what doesn’t, so I use this knowledge to my advantage. I think it also keeps me balanced mentally. After all, food is an essential part of it all.

We learn from our mistakes. What mistakes have you made on your fitness journey? What would you do differently?

I would have started training with an experienced trainer. When I began my training, I didn’t have any contacts with experienced fitness trainers. The gym I was going to had none, I was taking inspiration from YouTube videos. I was doing only exercises during which I could keep an okay form. Unfortunately, I was using very heavyweights, I was crazy, and I regret it now. I consider it a great mistake and now I approach the concept of weight differently.

I hurt my back twice by lifting heavy weights and after doing jump exercises while riding a horse, something in my back cracked and I ended up in the hospital getting IVs. Since then, I am much more sensitive in my back, but with proper exercise technique, it has gotten better :).

Sometimes we have to be very brave. What was the biggest challenge in your life?

There isn’t just one specific thing for me. For me the biggest challenge is getting out of my comfort zone. That is the biggest challenge life has to offer. It’s about not being bored or sad, but living, accepting the challenges, and not giving up! A good example of this mentally was participating in a race with colleagues from the riot control unit. Guys dragged me into a 12 km race in the north of the Czech Republic. Before the race, I went for an easy run since I hadn’t been running for six months. Climbing the rope, tire flips, push-ups, shooting, ball throwing, and other disciplines were part of the race, towards the end we realised that we missed one of the assignments and we had to go back meaning we ran 17 km at the end. I had the use the last of my energies and I still see it as the biggest challenge recently. And the cherry on top? Even though we had to run more than the others we won.

Tell us a bit about your life outside of fitness. What do you study? What is your job?

I’ve been doing horse riding for 13 years. In 2020 I made my dream come true and I become a licensed rider, I can take my horse to official competitions. We did a few dressage shows but we like jumping more. We’ve already had three jumping competitions this year. We are planning to do more.

I would also like to talk about my job. Since I was a child I wanted to be in the police and last year, this dream came true.

Choosing a department was easy – mounted police department. It’s a hard job physically, but when you put your heart into something, it doesn’t seem hard. Working with animals while protecting “the world” and keeping public order in check is something amazing. It gives me a lot of positive energy. It’s a dream job.

I started attending university, but I chose the wrong field, I wanted to be a member of the Police of the Czech Republic so badly, that I dropped out. I’ll get a degree in the future when I need it, now, it’s not my priority. Those who know me would confirm that my energy is “limitless”. I like active rest like going for a walk or on a trip. I hate sitting in front of the TV doing nothing. I would much rather use my free time on posting something on social media. Since I was a child, I’ve been hiking with my mom. I still LOVE going for hikes in the mountains. During winter I enjoy cross-country skiing and snowboarding. I am also interested in cold water hardening, but I would like to do it right and I have to learn more about it first.

Can you tell us something about yourself that only your friends know?

We have so many funny stories and experiences with my best friend that I could be here writing for two days. The best memories are from our rafting experience. Our raft and we in it flipped like three times. Who likes water sports knows that getting water out of the raft and hunting for barrels isn’t fun. Bad feature? I am not sure if it’s something bad, but I can be really strict, especially at home and I want everything right away.

How do you balance being a policewoman and doing fitness?

It’s very likely that being fit as a policewoman will come in handy. We have gyms where we can work out.

I think that if you love it, you’ll find a way to work out no matter what your job is. I don’t mind working with four horses a day and then doing legs at the gym. It also acts as a relaxing activity for me. Anyone who sat on a horse knows that hitting the gym and doing legs is nothing compared to riding four horses in one shift.

What advice would you give to girls who have trouble achieving respect? After all, the work of a policewoman also requires great mental strength.

I think the respect we get is reflected in the way we treat ourselves. You can work with it, it’s not a characteristic we are born with, we can obtain it throughout life. Having respect isn’t the same as being afraid. It’s a form of recognition, politeness, and self-respect. Here are a few pieces of advice from me:

- be polite to strangers,

- be on time always (coming late is disrespectful towards others),

- help others and be fair,

- don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone,

- respect to be respected.

What are your plans for the future?

I plan to grow and evolve, learn new things, become a better person, and do everything 100%. The rest is to be determined, I don’t know what opportunities I’ll have, I don’t have plans.