Bodybuilding on a daily basis - Roman Kotál & Gabriela Linhartová
Author: In our next interview we would like to offer you the confession of amateur bodybuilder Roman Kotál and pro bodybuilder Gabriela Linhartová, who competes in the IFBB Pro League in the Figure category. This couple has been living together for quite some time now, so not only do we get a peek into their private life, but you can also find out what it's like to live with a pro bodybuilder.
Put on your protein, sit back and enjoy the conversation.
Roman Kotal
Hi Roman, could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi, I'm 34, I've been in the Czech Police since I was 21 years old and have been assigned to the Emergency Motorized Unit in Prague for 10 years. I started exercising when I was 12 years old, when I bought a small one-hander from my pocket money and we exercised in the buggy room. At 14 I begged my uncle to come to the gym with me because they wouldn't let me go without an escort.
From the age of 15, I delivered newspapers every morning for 4 years so I could have a penny for the gym. In my civilian life, when I'm not serving, I make extra money by training at Fitness Lysá s.r.o. However, combining my job as a PCR, training clients and my preparation for competitions prevents me from taking on as many clients as I would actually like.
When did you start bodybuilding and how did you get into this specific sport?
I started bodybuilding at 31 when my girlfriend Gabcha, now a PRO, said if you work out and look like this, why not give it a try.
What were your beginnings?
The beginnings, not much in terms of diet, it was cooking at home and that's what you ate. Food changed when I started living with Gabcha, who taught me to eat regularly and clean. Regarding exercise before, there wasn't as much access to information as there is today, so I went through all the mistakes too.
Nowadays it's such a fashion that 15 year old boys start working out and they are already thinking about going to the podium to compete, did you have that too?
I've always kind of looked up to those guys, but I never thought I'd one day stand among them.
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Do you think only "pros" have valuable information, or can you learn something from an "amateur" as well?
Absolutely not. I also know pros who don't improve themselves and don't educate themselves further and are so called overgrown in the old days. I think it's about the attitude of that individual, if they want to further their education and move on. Of course, valuable information regarding preparation for competition is gleaned by people competing, so that's where the pros should have the upper hand.
How do you rate today's bodybuilding times? Do you think it has changed a lot since you started training?
Like the times are better because bodybuilding is getting into the consciousness of the wider society. It's changed a lot by opening up more competition categories. Some I welcome, like classic physique. Others like fashion or e-contest, that's an atrocity.
What irritates you most about bodybuilding today?
It annoys me when people immediately associate bodybuilding with banned substances, when bodybuilding is all about food, hard work, self-education and these things over and over again.
You work for the police. Can you use anything you learned from your training with the police?
A lot of what I look like works in the police department. Example, when we go to a fight of a few people, a few times it worked when I got out of the vehicle and the fight was over because I got people interested and they didn't want to fight with me (laughs). And sometimes it takes a lot of strength to overcome the perpetrator who is on the ''gingerbread'' (laughs).
Did you know Ronnie Coleman was also on the force?
Of course I do (laughs)
And does it have any effect on you knowing that you live like the legend Ronnie Coleman?
Not really, I've wanted to be a policeman since I was a kid.
Are you a good cop or a bad cop?
I'm nice to nice people, if someone doesn't deserve it, I'm mean, within the law of course (laughs)
Do you have someone you look up to?
I watch bodybuilders from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and abroad, but I don't have a role model as such.
Are you your own coach or someone guides you?
When I was training on my own, I never had as much progress as with a coach. I think it's best to have an unbiased person supervising you. Now I'm under the guidance of Zdeněk Bečka.
If you were talking to your younger self now, what advice would you give him?
"Exercise your legs" (laughs)
Did you have any races planned this year?
I had planned the Fitness Mania Classic in Kladno, the Diamond Cup in Ostrava and the Diamond Cup in Luxembourg.
Now a question a little bit on the body, how is life with a professional bodybuilder?
I think that's what drives me forward, we have the same interests so we can support each other in dieting.
How many grams of meat and rice do you eat together in a week?
When we are not on a diet, about 5 kg of meat, 1.5 kg of uncooked rice. On a diet, it varies.
Do you train with your girlfriend? Do you work out more or does she?
When I wasn't competing we used to train together, however now we still go to the gym together but we train alone as we each target different areas. We both try to squeeze the best out of each other.
How did it feel for you when Gabcha got her pro card? What did it change for you?
Mostly nothing has changed. The feeling when she got her pro card was amazing because most people try to achieve it their whole life and they may not succeed either.
Is there anything that you disagree on when it comes to bodybuilding?
Not really, we've always kind of agreed.
How did you guys get together?
In the gym, as soon as I saw her, I said I've got to have her. (laughs)
Does she take advice from you or does she just listen to her coach?
She doesn't listen to me anymore, and sometimes I think she doesn't listen to her coach either (laughs)
Okay Roman, thank you very much for the interview. Good luck to you!
Thank you.
Gabriela Linhartová - IFBB PRO Figure
Hi Gabcha, could you please also introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi, I am 25 years old, this year I finished my Master's degree at UK FTVS. I work as a personal trainer in Fitness Lysá s.r.o. I've been working out for 10 years and I've been competing for 5 of them.
Girls often devote themselves to exercising, but to follow it up with bodybuilding competitions, you don't see that very often. How did you get into it?
I used to use the gym as a form of conditioning for football. After an injury and subsequent knee surgery, I started doing more weight training while forced. I enjoyed the exercise, so I started thinking about competing. I reached out to a coach and started preparing for my first races.
What category are you competing in?
I compete in the Figure category in the IFBB Pro League.
And why did you choose this category?
The Figure category is a category where adequate muscularity, sculpting and symmetry of the figure is evaluated along with maintaining femininity.
Don't you ever get that "You look like a boy" crap?
Sometimes I do, but I don't make a big deal out of it. It's mostly from people who don't understand what I do.
Why do you think girls are afraid of muscles?
Girls are afraid that if they touch a barbell they'll look like "arnold bodybuilders", but the opposite is true.
What advice would you give to girls who are considering competing in bodybuilding in any category?
Competing is about hard discipline and hard work. Then if someone can't keep up the food and regular regime in the gym, there's no point in them even starting to compete because it breaks most people and then they don't train for fun.
In 2019 you won the pro card at the Czech Virus Open Cup, could you describe how the day went?
I did the presentation and first spray of the competition colours the day before the competition. On the competition day I had a second spray first thing in the morning. It rained the whole competition day and the spraying was done outside in a tent where we had to run through the rain, which was quite a problem after the spraying to get back inside the building to avoid messing up the colour (laughs). After that I had to do my make-up and hair. Then I just rested and we waited with the other competitors backstage for the race to start.
The semi-finals started at 10am, with my category going first. The finals didn't start until around 4pm. When the finals took place and we took the stage for the final announcement..... I don't know how the announcements went, what was going through my mind, but when my name was announced in first place, I suddenly realized that I had just gotten my pro card. It was an incredible experience. Then celebrating with, what else but a proper steak and chips.
How big of an achievement was it for you?
It was a big achievement for me, I didn't expect to win a professional card on home soil.
Was it your goal to become a pro?
Yes, I think that's the goal of probably every amateur competitor.
What was your goal after that?
To be competitive even amongst professional racers.
Did you have any races planned this year?
Yes, I was planning to start the season in Portugal at the MR race. BIG EVOLUTION PRO, which was cancelled due to the pandemic. I'm focusing my preparation for this fall season on races in Spain and Romania.
Now to your friend. Do you think Roman is a good bodybuilder?
Roman is a good bodybuilder, he takes his preparation responsibly, he tries to work on his weaknesses and with humility he tries to continue to improve and gain new information and knowledge.
What are his weaknesses and strengths at the same time? What do you want to work on?
I think his weaknesses are areas like his legs and chest. I'm trying to focus on overall muscle improvement and improving muscle definition in the legs.
Will he take your advice?
He does, although sometimes he swears about it. (laughs)
You're the one who got Roman into racing, is that true?
I don't know if she did, but she gave him the impetus to try it. He thought about it himself, but he never decided to do it.
When you met, did he teach you more about bodybuilding or did you teach him?
At first he did me, but then the tables turned. (laughs)
What's it like being a so-called "Fitness Couple"?
It's easier when partners have the same interests and support each other.
Thank you very much for the interview, have a nice day.
Thank you also for the interview.
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