From a gamer to a real gamer: The story of Adam Bůžek aka Czech Tarzan

Adam Bůžek, also known as Czech Tarzan, is a certified fitness trainer and influencer who inspires thousands of people to live a healthy lifestyle. His journey was not always easy. How did a gaming enthusiast become a fitness and health expert known for his natural approach? Read about his transformation and why he fell in love with walking barefoot. You’ll also learn how barefoot shoes help engage the small muscles in the feet that classic shoes often neglect.

When we asked Adam about his beginnings, he couldn’t help smiling. “Before high school I didn’t do any sport – my world revolved around computer games. The turning point came when girls entered the game. As it goes, hormones took over and the computer gave way to an interest in the opposite sex. But I realised I didn’t really have anything to offer, because I didn’t know anything except gaming. I knew that if I wanted to score, I had to change not only my physical condition but my whole lifestyle. So one day I simply got up and headed to the gym.”

“Computer games and physical training are actually quite similar – in both you go through different levels, and completing them takes effort, regularity, persistence and time.”

Can you tell us what it was like to start training?

“To get the most out of my training, I started educating myself. Besides listening to various podcasts, I read a lot of literature, from the physiology of the body to nutrition and mental health. I enjoyed watching my progress, setting goals and then beating them. Eventually, exercise became a real passion. It’s amazing what the human body can do.”

The results soon followed and attracted the attention of people around him, who gradually started turning to Adam for advice. After a while, he decided to share his fitness tips on social media, where he was successful. He took a coaching course and turned his hobby into one of the activities he now makes a living from.

“On social media, people soon started calling me Czech Tarzan, probably because of my long hair or the natural lifestyle I lead.”

Oh, and he often goes shirtless and shoeless! According to him, it’s the ideal way to strengthen and maintain the health of the whole foot and leg. He has come to identify with the nickname – he likes Tarzan mainly because he’s naturally fit, which is something he relates to and tries to pass on.

“I love challenges, and in the past I was very motivated to become, say, a successful bodybuilder, MMA fighter or powerlifter. But over time I realised that to succeed at the top level of any sport, you have to sacrifice a lot. The moment you focus on just one sport, all the other areas of your life start to suffer, and your body only becomes good at the discipline you train for. I want to give my body a complex, healthy and above all natural lifestyle, which includes a combination of different types of training. At the moment I like to include weight training, bodyweight exercises, running, swimming and climbing.”

Adam used to compete in natural bodybuilding in the ICN federation. He first competed in 2018, followed by several competitive seasons. A few years later he even won Best Athlete of the Year 2021 in the ICN federation, and in 2022 he became a finalist of the Man of the Year competition, where he first introduced his lifestyle to a TV audience.

Why barefoot shoes, and why Skinners?

“I like to include barefoot shoes, specifically Skinners, in my everyday life, because they let me get back to a more natural movement and feel when walking. I have the higher cut, Compression 2.0, and the lower Comfort 2.0 – those suit me a bit better. Every type of shoe has its specific role – for example, when I do heavy strength training, I reach for weightlifting shoes that give me the stability and support I need for that load. When I run on an athletics track, I wear running shoes optimised for speed and dynamics.
Barefoot shoes like Skinners, on the other hand, are a great choice when I go for an easy run in the woods or just a walk, or when I spend the whole day training clients in the gym.”

“With these shoes my foot has room to move more naturally, and I feel every step completely differently – I sense the surface better, which strengthens my connection with the ground and helps me stay consciously engaged in every movement. Barefoot shoes also help strengthen the small muscles in the feet that often remain unused in classic shoes. It’s a great way to keep my feet healthy and strong, which also helps me in other sports and training.”

Do you remember an intense experience with Skinners?

“That would definitely be this one. I decided to run 33 kilometres in winter through the forest in my Skinners. As a trainer and someone who likes to push his limits, I saw it as a challenge to test my comfort zone and the capabilities of my own body. I wanted to find out what I could endure, not only physically but also mentally. In winter conditions I faced not just the distance but also the cold and demanding terrain, and I had to fully concentrate on every step. Every sensation in my feet, every stumble or slip brought me back to the present moment – which is exactly what barefoot running offers: a connection with the earth, nature and your own body.”

Adam often experiments on himself, trying different training approaches, eating styles and biohacking techniques. And this was one of the more extreme experiences.

“In situations like this you realise how adaptable the human body is and what it can handle when it comes to it. The run was physically exhausting but also incredibly liberating. I felt as if I was learning to listen to my body again and understand where my limits are.
But the biggest challenge of my life so far was when I got into the reality show Survivor in 2023.”

How has your life changed since Survivor?

“Life after Survivor has changed in many ways. I got a lot of attention outside the fitness world, and quite a few people started recognising me on the street. Some new followers liked my approach to training, healthy living and pushing my own limits, so they started coming to my training sessions regularly. Survivor also gave me a great opportunity for personal growth – when you depend only on yourself and nature, you learn your limits, but you also learn to rely on your own abilities and resilience. It was an experience that helped me grow not only as a coach but also as a person, and gave me the courage to pursue my goals even harder. Now I focus on inspiring others to step out of their comfort zones, whether in fitness or in life in general.”

Adam also remembers how walking barefoot helped him win immunity.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t have my own shoes on the island, so that it was fair for all players, but I was lucky that in some challenges we were allowed to be barefoot – and that was key for me. I remember that in one of the individual immunity duels, this helped me win.
My feet are strong thanks to wearing barefoot shoes, which affects not only their muscles but also the arch and the overall stability of the whole body. A strong arch also strengthens the core, knees and hips and improves overall balance – and that gave me an advantage in Survivor, especially in balance games. Thanks to training and wearing barefoot shoes, I could move better on different types of surfaces and keep my balance, which the others perhaps underestimated a little.”

Adam Bůžek is an inspiration for anyone looking for a natural, active lifestyle. His journey from gaming to healthy movement and exploring the body’s limits shows that every change starts with a decision. Skinners opened up the world of barefoot walking and the freedom anyone can experience. All it takes is the right step.