Petra Mertl

* Petra, how are your preparations going on for the upcoming California Pro Figure?

Petra Mertl: My preparations for California Pro is going very well, I would say everything is much easier this year than ever before. There are couple of reasons.
First, I train with Darrem Charles who is aslo my best friend and who is there for me in every step. He is an excellent trainer and supporter. First time in my life I do not feel alone and I feel I have someone who really cares about me.
Second, I was going through very bad divorce for about 2 years and after 17 years being in releationship with my x husband I finally got over it and move on. He was very emotionally abusive, he hated when I was competing and did everything to push me down. He left me for my best friend who is an alcoholic and drug addict and I could not figure out why.
I was fighting for my merrige for 2 years, I always fight till last minute for things I want and never give up, but in this case giving up made me win the fight, I realized I have lost 17 years with someone who was just a looser... I am happier than I have ever been I just did not see it before. I believe everything happens for reason. This year I have started a new chapter in my life and I do believe this is the year I will reach all my goals.
I bought a beautiful house on the beach, and a new car and I am ready to do everything to become the most recognized competitor and role model in the world. I have been dreaming about this since I was 15 years old and now is the time to do it.

* So, how did you get into figure competitions?

Petra Mertl: Since I was 15 years old I had a dream to be a bodybuilder, it was not easy becouse of communism in my country, there were no gyms and as a women pumping iron it was very hard, people were looking at me like I am just crazy that I want to have muscle and look like a man.
There was also nobody to help me so I had to learn from my own mistakes. When I was 16 my friend brought me Muscle and Fitness magazine from Germeny and I saw all the pictures of Cory Everson and Anja Langer... and Arnold who is my mentor. I said to myself someday I will qualify for Olympia and I will move to USA. When I was 22 I become Miss Aerobic of Czech Republic and it was the bigest reward I could reach. I said to myself that is it, it is time to try fitness. I gave up on bodybuilding becouse I wanted to stay feminine and I loved to do routines, then I went through very hard time of my life and had to stop thinking about competing, and when I finally decided again I had a surgery and could not do routines anymore. Thanks god figure shows just came out and I know this is it.

* What's the best part of being a figure competitor?

Petra Mertl: The best part of being figure competitor is that people look up to me and want to be like me. I love helping and motivate people to live healthier and happier lifestyle. When I am getting ready for shows and people see how is my body changing they realized if I can do it they can do it to. There is no magic it is just hard work and dedication and discipline.

* What are some of your biggest highlights as a figure competitor?

Petra Mertl: When I decided competing in figure I called the president of IFBB in Czech rep. and ask him what should I do to compete in World Championship, he ask who the hell are you. You need to competite for a years and be the best to qualified for it, I said I have no time I am getting old and have lost a lot of time of my life just thinking about it, I will show you I can do it within 6 months, he thought I was crazy. I put my mind in it and I did it, I won Czech republic championship and beat the girls who competed for many years, everybody was asking "where the hell she came form". I become a star over night. But I had planned it for many years, it was in my head I just had no opportunity and chances to do it earlyer. I won Chech Rep.Champ 2 times and placed 2 times 5 in the world and 2 times 3 in Europe champ. My biggest dream was to win Internation Nutrend Champ which was my very first show I have ever done. When I did it first time right after surgery I placed 6th out of 30 girls and said to myself next show which was in 2 yeras I am gonna win, and I did.

* How do you evaluate your body's endurance, strength and its reaction to efforts?

Petra Mertl: When I am getting ready for shows, my energy level and strength goes down but I don't think about it all, what I think about is my shows and I push myself harder each time. Sometims I have to talk to my body like "you don't have to do it but if you do it you feel much better", sometimes I feel like my mind and body do not want corporate together and push against each other, sometimes It is funny how I have to talk to myself but it works.

* How has your pre-contest diet, workouts and cardio changed since your first competitions?

Petra Mertl: When I was getting ready for my first show I did just 45 min cardio, now I do 2-3 hours a day, my diet changes each year depend if I feel like go for chicken or fish... This year I feel great on egg whites I love them, could not stand them a year ago, this year I also don't crave sweets but pizza, last year it was peanut butter and cookies.

* You are a powerful and inspirational woman who overcame obstacles and never blinked when adversity looked you in the eye. When the doctors determined you had a severe inflammation in your arm, they told you to forget about working out and competing after the surgery, because you would never be able to lift heavy weights or do push ups. You told them you would prove them wrong, started competing and even won the Czech Republic Championships. How do you do that, Petra?

Petra Mertl: Sometimes I am asking myself where is my strengh coming from. My family is all loosers (we dont tolk for 5 years, they are very negative people but it is long story, I do not have any family). All my life my mom was telling me I am nobody and I will never do anything to make her proud I am gonna be the same looser as my dad who is an alcoholic. I had the worst childenhood, I was a hated child and the more they hated me, the more I tried to show them and prove them they were wrong about me. Everytime when somebody says "you can not!", I will do complete opposite and do anything to prove them and myself they are wrong. I strongly believe I can do anything I want and have anything I want if I really want it and believe in it. I am very patient and never give up till I get what I want.

* Which figure competitor or fitness icon do you most admire and why?

Petra Mertl: I do not have any, I admire everybody who competite especially on Pro level becouse it takes a lot and it does not matter if you top 5 or 10 or 100 they all work so hard they all deserve my credit.

* How does your Czech heritage influence you? Do you feel more American or do you feel more European, and how do you perceive the American culture?

Petra Mertl: I do not feel Czech at all. I never like it there, I always wanted to live in US or Canada. I have to admit I do have European mentality (czech strong personality) I am used to to everything by myself, I do not like to ask anybody for anything. Funny thing is In Europe we walk everywhere so even know I am walking to shopping, I never used to drive through the bank... I never use an elevator, I walk the stairs instead... and so and so... I am sorry to say that but most Americans are lazy and looking for easier way possible in every way. Most of Americans girls can not cook, can not do their makeup, hair... and looking for a guy with a lot of money to marry. I love cooking (cook for my clients is my second business), do my own makeup and hair and looking for someone who is gonna love me for who I am and who is goona support me and be proud of me for what I do.

* The Influence of a Personal Fitness Trainer on Self-Selected Resistance Training Intensity in Healthy Women", is a research which was published by The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Its results indicated that resistance training with a personal trainer led to higher self-selected relative intensities chosen. In addition, women using a personal trainer reported higher levels of perceived exertion during resistance training. Therefore, having a personal trainer significantly benefits women's resistance training as the majority of the women in the sample who trained unsupervised failed to reach a threshold intensity necessary for progression. As a personal trainer, how would you explain the results?

Petra Mertl: If you have a good trainer, which is not easy to find because a lot of people become personal trainers to make easy earned money, I belive that having a trainer is the best everybody can do for themselves to reach their personal goals, become stronger, healthier, increase endurance and strength without injuries. Everybody who considers to start lifting weight should get a trainer to learn at least the basic techniques. If you want to be an automechanic, a doctor, a plumber... you have to go to school to learn how to do it. It is the same with pumping iron.

* Do you feel men are intimidated by you in the gym? You're probably in better shape than most of them.

Petra Mertl: Some of them are, if they see me train and see I lift more then them, they feel bad. They feel like I am very strong but the truth is I am not. They are very weak and out of shape.

* What are your favorite things to do in Boca Raton?

Petra Mertl: My favorite things to do, hmmmm... when I am off season November and December I love to go to Hard Rock to the club and dance all night, I love to go for dinner to nice restaurants. I love to go on beach and I love to run outside which I usually do on Saturday and Sunday morning at 5 or 6 am, it is so romantic to see sun rise or sun set. I love to drive my new porsche with top down in the evening or early in the morning. And my favorite favorite is to go to Sturbacks every morning off season sugar free hazelnut latte, in season just black (no fun).

* What most people don't know about you?

Petra Mertl: Most people don't know, I always wanted to be a boy (maybe becouse my mom always loved my brother more). I never played with dolls, I love fast cars, I am an artist - I can drow, I won a lot of artist shows in Czech, I am a table tennis champion in Czech. I have graduated school in veterinary assistance and agriculture, and if were able to, I would have a dolphin in my pool, a tiger in my backyard and at last 10 dogs. Now I have just two dogs.