Anna Faltová is a fitness trainer, bikini competitor and influencer who inspires thousands of people not only with her results, but also with her honest and friendly attitude. Her story is full of determination, discipline and courage. In this interview, you'll learn what brought Annika to the sport, how she deals with stress and what she considers the key to success - not only in fitness, but in life.
Anna, you're an influencer, a fitness trainer, a bikini competitor. You've even published two recipe books - right?
"Yes, and I also work as a posing instructor for fitness competitions. Overall, I started working in fitness nine years ago and today I focus on creating educational content for fitness enthusiasts and racers. I share not only my experiences on various platforms, but also useful advice and inspiration for others. I also have my own podcast called 4 deadlifts," explains Anička, humbly adding that she wouldn't exactly call herself an influencer. "I work with a few companies, but social media is definitely not everything."
She's also the author of two cookery e-books, which were born out of her love for simple and quick recipes.
"I love quick and easy meals, so both e-books focus on recipes with no more than five ingredients," she explains. "I don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen, so the recipes are really simple and include both sweet and savoury options," she says with a smile.
From horses to the gym. How did it all start?
When you look at Anna, you might not think at first glance that her sporting career started with horses. In fact, when she was young, she was a racehorse rider.
"Riding horses has been my passion since I was a child - I have been competing in show jumping for over ten years, and I have also represented clubs and my school at selection camps. This taught me discipline."
But with the arrival of her high school graduation, she had to focus more on school, and so she moved away from horses for a while.
"Exercise was a way for me to take a break from the books. I started exercising on my own at home. I passed my matriculation exam and I was drawn to exercise more and more. I started going to the gym and did both sports at the same time for a while before fitness took over most of my free time."
Being a bikini fitness competitor is probably quite challenging. What do you do when you're stressed? Do you have any techniques that help you calm down?
"Deep, long breaths in and out help me the most. Being able to really stop, be present. I try to remind myself in those moments that worry and stress can often be exaggerated and that it's important to look at the problem with distance. My favourite songs, usually soundtracks from my childhood, or talking to loved ones, help me to do this."
"When I'm having a really busy day, I sometimes help myself with my own fitness routine and posing practice. That can calm me down and bring me back to myself."
Do you ever get to go abroad with your racing too?
"I travel a few times a year - usually it's one holiday and the rest is just racing. Either mine or my posing clients. I've come to think of Skinners as my partner because they offer the perfect combination of comfort and practicality. So the Comforts always go with me, because they are compact and lightweight. On my last holiday, the sock shoes were especially useful for walking on the hot beach."
"Barefoot shoes make every step feel completely different. I also strengthen the small muscles in my feet, which are often completely oppressed in traditional shoes."
Barefoot shoes are also popular with Anička in her daily workouts, where stability and natural foot movement are important.
When I have more dynamic workouts, I reach for sock shoes with a higher cut, Compression 2.0. They hold firmly and feel supportive. It's such a better contact with the ground, which is key for some exercises."
"I also have the Moonwalker in white from Skinners. I use these for training with clients or in my spare time when I go out. They go with everything, so I don't waste any time choosing shoes."
Thanks to my mom, I've improved my workouts.
Anička discovered barefoot shoes thanks to her mom, who got her first pair of "barefoot shoes". "I was immediately intrigued by the whole barefoot concept. I started noticing how traditional shoes affect our feet. When I swapped them for barefoot, I immediately felt a difference when I was working out."
"With barefoot shoes, I can spread my toes properly, which gives me better stability when exercising. I wouldn't change now."
What are you working on now?
"I'm currently creating a lot of content for the Patreon platform, mainly for fitness enthusiasts - hobby athletes and competitors. I focus on training details, workout tips, mentioning common mistakes and their prevention. I simply share everything that I would have appreciated to have there to begin with - it would have saved me a lot of time," explains Anička, adding that she still creates content for YouTube, Instagram and her podcast.
What's your universal advice to girls who want to get started?
"I would say that if someone is drawn to a certain sport, they should try it. You never know what it might turn out to be. I wouldn't have believed I would be a bikini racer 9 years ago either" she says with a smile.
"But the most important thing is choosing the right trainer who approaches clients individually. A good one can move you a lot. A bad one can damage you - hormonally and mentally."
He also recommends not giving up on self-responsibility and educating yourself so that you know exactly what your body needs.
Anička is an inspiration to anyone who wants to pursue a healthy lifestyle and doesn't hesitate to step out of their comfort zone. Her story shows that the path to contentment and success is through courage, determination, and above all discipline and a healthy approach to life.
When we ask Anička if she could imagine doing anything else, she answers honestly:
"At the moment, definitely not. I wouldn't change where I am and what I do. It's absolutely fulfilling. If I could choose any job in the world, I would choose mine," she says with gratitude. "And I really appreciate being able to say that. I'm lucky."
Cover photo: Pavel Horák