Today the interview is with Dobromira Nikolova- a successful girl in life and in sport. She has never been a professional athlete in her life, but she is already worthy to be called ” a machine” in the group workouts I have! If you wanna know more about her, read what she has to tell you!
Ines Subashka: Introduce yourself.
Dobromira Nikolova: My name is Dobromira Niklova and I work in the IT sector.
IS: What is your background in sports? Did you workout before you joined “Workouts for machines”?
DN: When I was little I used to workout. After that for about 10 years I wasn’ active at all. Last year I started going to a globo gym three times a week.
IS: When did you join “Workouts for machines”?
DN: This year from the beginning- sometime in June.
IS: Who told you about the workouts and did you have some worries before you joined us?
DN: Yes, my brother. He is the athlete in our family and he gave me an advice to come. As far as worries go-yes I had! I was working out in a globo gym, but it was getting really boring after I switched four routines. Yes, I had some results- I felt more energy, the pain in my back were less and I lost some weight but I was still missing something.
IS: What were you thinking before, during and after your first workout with us?
DN: Before the workout, I thought that I will finally have an opportunity to test my fitness. During the workout, it was kind of hard but when we finished, I told myself “ Yes, I am worse than I expected. I got tired and I do not have endurance, but I am a hero because I didn’t quit”. My thought was interrupted by the coach saying “ Now it is time for the WOD”. That is when I understood that we did not finish the workout, but the warm up! The WOD turned out to be scaled pretty good, and I found it really interesting, at the edge of my strength, but still joyful and satisfying. After the workout I felt really free, happy and self confident.
IS: What did you expect out of the workouts? Did they cover your expectations?
DN: No, I had other expectations! I thought that, different people will come- some all star athletes, and the workouts will be focused on them, and their physical level. It bothered me that I won’t be able to keep up with them and even though I had desire to workout I thought I will lose it and I will eventually quit! But it turned out completely different. In “workouts for machines”, everybody finds his place. Everybody gets better every day; gets more motivation; better endurance; self confident and happier as a whole. The change in your appearance, mentality, self-perception is drastic, and that motivates you further to never miss a workout, to get back from vacation earlier so you won’t miss the Sunday practice. The desire to workout, becomes part of you!
IS: What have you accomplished since you began working out with us?
DN: I got job promotion and higher salary! That is just a joke, but I think that now I am more confident, focused and organized and this reflects on my everyday life and the results I get! Otherwise I went through an emotional problem in my life, right before I began to workout, where I was really lost and the positive atmosphere from our workouts helped me get back up- to arrange my priorities and change my self-evaluation. I think that all this is due to the energy, tonus and confidence I have now!
As far as results in numbers- I lost about 13 pounds in a couple months and now I am three sizes less than I used to be at the beginning of the summer! But this numbers are stupid! I am not skinny fat anymore, I don’t have extra weight, I don’t have belly fat and my arms aren’t flabby anymore. I don’t have fat hanging from my body! I definitely think that people notice my body, I feel good to be me, I don’t get nervous when I am among people and I am really outgoing now! Part of my job is to meet a lot of people and sign contracts and during the last six months, my word is a low! I always tell myself “ Come on you made 20 burpees yesterday, and on the 19th you thought you couldn’t do more, but you still managed to finish…that’s why you can do it now!”
IS: What makes you come to every practice?
DN: I try to give my self some mental rest, I spend a lot of energy at the right place, I want to see how I improve with every practice and then be happy with myself. The freedom I feel after practice is really energizing, and my toned muscles remind me what I’ve accomplished. I am really energized after practice. I love our group, our jokes and I just love working out!
IS: Did you ever think that tires,kettlebells and weights as a whole will make you bulky?
DN: Personally, I didn’t have such worries. I always thought that under the layers of fat I am weak, and I was convinced that there isn’t a way for these “dead” muscles to come alive or grow bigger. Right now I am not worried at all because I love my body’s transformation!
IS: Do you intend on working out in the future and what would you like to achieve?
DN: Yes, I will definitely keep on working out and I won’t miss a workout! I want to be able to do more push ups, do pull ups without bands and become more flexible so I can do the “warms” better!
IS: Which are your favorite movements?
DN: I like doing burpees, swings, walking lunges and dragging tires.
IS: What do workouts mean to you? What do they give you…and do they rob you out of something?
DN: Workouts give me a bunch of things- freedom, strength, energy and motivation. The only think they rob out of me is the fat! 😉
IS: What advice would you give to women fearing to lift weights?
DN: With the right approach, coach and desire you can achieve everything you aim for! Don’t fear the weights!
