Don’t be fooled by the dreamy and delicate exterior of the model-icious Lenka Korbova-Oshry, who has been the face and body of so many bridal, lingerie and high-fashion shoots that one presumes she’s just a wisp of a model who’d be blown away by a strong gust of wind. No, dear reader, she is tough as nails thanks to her consistent training in Krav Maga.
“Contact combat” (the literal translation of the phrase) is a military self-defence and fighting system developed for the Israel Defense Forces. Combining techniques that seem to have been borrowed from boxing, wrestling, judo and karate, if you’ve ever seen clips on YouTube or in films you know this kick-ass sport is not for the faint of heart nor limb.
Krav Maga is so visually stimulating and self-empowering that Hollywood often shows strong female characters practising it, whether it’s Jennifer Lopez in Enough, Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby or Jessica Chastain in The Debt. There are no wilting flowers in need of a hero to rescue them as these ladies serve as their own shield and weapon, battling the bad guys all by themselves.
So how did the lovely Lenka – who has starred in several editorials for us at Prestige, including a cover of Runway magazine – end up opting for this brutal and bruise-inducing sport? We find out.
Where do you work out?
I work out in two locations, with my sport club Hong Kong Self Defence and Krav Maga at Steam Studio in Sheung Wan and at Impakt in Central. I was very happy and honoured to become an HKSD ambassador. I don’t have a personal trainer at the moment and learn together with everyone else.
What’s your workout routine for summer?
My summer workout routine is learning self-defence techniques, sparring, wrestling and fighting skills. I have added yoga and Pilates to my routine for better flexibility and core strengthening.
What are your diet secrets?
Haha, I don’t have any secrets. I try to avoid sugar in its processed form and I hate fast food. I think that’s a good start for a healthy diet. Otherwise, I eat everything, starting the day with some protein and having lots of fruits and vegetables.
What have you found worked for you – and what didn’t?
Cardio (running, aerobics) did not work for me at all. I really hated it and saw very little results. Then I started to work out with weights, which gave much better results but was so boring. I found that the best for me is learning martial arts and self-defence. It’s a great two-hour workout and your mind is active, too, because you’re constantly learning new skills.
What are you craving?!
In the summer it’s definitely ice cream and very cold draft beer.
What’s a great tip for our readers when it comes to summer fitness?
The only bad workout is the one you didn’t do! A little change in your diet (for example, cutting out sugar) and any kind of exercise will work.
You just need to find what you like. There is a much bigger chance that you will stick with exercise if you enjoy it.
Follow Lenka Oshry on Instagram @lenkao555
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