In the lead up to International Women’s Day, we’re introducing you to some of the incredible women behind Freeletics. From product management to HR, these women cover every single department and embody Freeletics day in, day out. Today, meet Annette, Senior Strategic Marketing Manager.
Where did your journey with Freeletics begin?
I started using the Freeletics app in October 2014, and really fell in love with the fact that you workout anywhere and anytime without excuses and limitations. Freeletics brought me to a really good fitness level which motivated me to sign up for my first obstacle course race in Munich in 2017. That was the beginning of my real transformation journey: I quit my job in Summer 2017, and travelled for one year around the world doing obstacle course races. During the week, I continued using Freeletics alongside running and bouldering. This combination helped me to fulfill my personal goal for 2018: running a 55k obstacle race which required both endurance and strength. After finishing my “world tour”, I decided to take what I love into my professional life which is why I joined the Freeletics team in December 2018.
What does being a female Free Athlete mean to you?
When I used to go to public gyms, women seemed to only be focussed on cardio and treadmill running. In the last few years, this has totally changed and I think there’s a lot more women doing strength workouts and lifting today. I definitely believe that the bodyweight training trend as well as crossfit have helped a lot in teaching women that they shouldn’t just aim to be skinny, but strong. Being a woman training at Freeletics means to me the freedom to choose my goal without any outside pressure. There’s no difference between the workouts for men or women. I really like tough God workouts and comparing my PB with the boys; women too can do 10 pull-ups in a row.
What does your training routine look like? How do you balance training and work?
First of all, it was very important for me after my year off - where I could plan my training spontaneously - to set a fixed routine getting back to work. I moved out of my comfort zone and started training in the morning, not in the evening like I used to. I train three times a week with the bodyweight app, run two or three times a week and go bouldering once a week. I also always aim to have one rest day. This meant really focussing on organizing my time well and staying disciplined.
Are there any women you look up to?
There are so many! I’m always stoked by how women with families organize their private and professional lives, as many of the women at Freeletics do. Personally, I look up to women who show real determination to achieve a certain goal. I know many of these women through the obstacle races and we keep inspiring each other; strong women build each other up, not pull each other down.
What have you learnt from training with Freeletics that you’ve applied to your career?
No excuses. Be fully responsible for the decisions you make. Be passionate about learning new things. Be grateful for doing what you love. Be positive and help others growing. Become a greater version of yourself not only within your private fitness life but also as a human being.
You were already training with Freeletics for 4 years before working here, how do you think this affects the way you work?
After more then 18,000 burpees in my Freeletics life, I probably know many of the ups and downs users experience. From the pain of the first workout to the satisfaction of completing your first Aphrodite to the excitement of training with friends and challenging their PBs, I’ve done it all, Through my work at Freeletics, I can contribute to help our users to become a greater version of themselves.
How did you go about turning your passion for fitness into a profession? Would you recommend others to do this too?
I didn’t used to be particularly sporty; I did some running, dancing and went to the gym occasionally, but nothing consistently before I started with Freeletics in 2014. It was a step-by-step approach; I stopped smoking in 2016 after 20 years, I started eating clean in 2017 (except for the occasional cheat day) and my year off in 2018, I really focussed on training and nutrition in a more holistic way and that dedication and hard work really paid off. During that time, I had faced a huge dilemma of whether to go back to regular online business or to move into fitness. I decided to continue my journey with doing what I love so there was no better option for me than to combine my professional skills in the digital world with fitness. Freeletics was the perfect match.
I’d advise everyone to find their passion and try to bring it into their daily working life; you shouldn’t waste time doing things you’re not fully committed to.
