Start of preparation for the wellness competitions | Kateřina Vomáčková

In a new video we show how my leg training looks like twelve weeks before my first start in the wellness fitness category in the NPC federation.

With this video, I'd also like to kick off a series called Wellness Diaries, in which I'll be documenting my journey to competitions on YouTube through full-length vlogs and training videos. I'd love your feedback in the comments below the video - let me know what type of content you enjoy the most.

Preparing for races means so much more to me than just earned form and placing. It brings me a sense of accomplishment that is hard to put into words. If you've experienced it, you know what I'm talking about. When you do your best and see frequent changes in your form, it's a strong motivation not to give up. You make a promise to yourself - and then you keep it. You do your best to stand proudly on the podium. Nothing more, nothing less.

Full video here:

Preparation brings with it many obstacles. Often, you start to question whether it's all worth it. If it's about health or something vital, like providing for your family, then no - it's not worth it. But if these are obstacles that don't directly threaten your life, and you decide to go racing, you need to accept that there will be a lot of discomfort and challenges ahead. It's a lot harder than people who have never tried training can imagine. It's not just about hard workouts, endless cardio and strict eating, but mostly about mental strength.

But in the end, everyone who prepares for races chooses this path for themselves. No one is forcing us to go to this extreme - we want to do it ourselves, and that's important to remember. Especially at times when we tend to blame someone else for how we feel. Surely you have people around you who are supportive, even if they don't understand and maybe wish you were doing something healthier. And it's that kind of support that we as athletes need to appreciate because it's definitely not a given.