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An Open Letter To All My Fans - Finally I am Standing up for Myself
Blog | July 14, 2013
I didn’t think that I would have to deal with this, but it came to the point when I just have to stand up for myself. It came to my attention that my soon to be ex-husband wrote a post about our marriage in which he pictured me as an abusive monster that used him to get to Los Angeles only to dump him, dump BodyRock.Tv that we’ve build together and become a star. My stomach literally turned upside down when I read all of those horrible things he wrote about me that are absolutely not true. I keep being bullied by this man who took literally everything from me.
Here is my side of the story. Freddy and I have build BodyRock.Tv a fitness/personal blog that became very successful. We traveled, had fun, shot hundreds of workout videos that went viral on youtube. BodyRock.Tv was a very successful business that was making us a lot of money. It was insane. We had everything but home. I did not want to live in Canada and my husband did not want to live in Prague. We tried a little country in Mediterranean – Malta, but it still didn’t feel like home to either of us. In 2011 we were contacted by a large talent agency and production company from Los Angeles to discuss a possible business opportunity. It sounded great and we were both excited to move to L..A.
We moved to Los Angeles in May 2011 and rented an expensive house in West Hollywood for the entire year. While we did not close a deal with the production company and did not get representation from the talent agency, we both felt strong about BodyRock.Tv and wanted to keep growing. Our relationship on the other hand was not at all in good shape. It was not because I was a monster wife that would physically and emotionally abuse my husband. We had serious issues that caused disconnection on my part. I was not happy about the creative direction of our videos and the way I was being portrait and perceived. While I was happy about the numbers on youtube and growing business I was feeling more and more embarrassed about my sexualized image. Don’t get me wrong, I like sexy, and confident, but I don’t enjoy having camera close up my cleavage and elsewhere. That was also a reason why we did not get any sponsorships or representation by any large talent agency despite of the popularity online. I felt like our goals were different. I wanted a clean family friendly blog that people wouldn’t be embarrassed to share with their friends, and Freddy wanted to see bigger numbers. I felt like I was being controlled in every aspect of my life. I didn’t even have my own cellphone for the first few months in Los Angeles. Apparently it wasn’t needed. If anyone wanted to talk to me, they can call my husbands cell phone.
Another issue in our relationship was our intimacy. I was not as physical with my husband as he wanted me to be which led to frustrations on his part and disappointment and disconnection on mine. I couldn’t get a hug from him to be comforted, without him being sexual with me. I could no longer imagine to have family with this man. I knew that I would not be able to look into my children’s eyes and tell them that their dad is the love of my life.
I decided that the best thing for both of us would be to separate as a couple and remain best friends and business partners. While I can’t deny that Freddy was devastated by my decision, it was not true that he had to leave to his home town in Canada. I told him that our house was big enough for both of us. We had two separate bedrooms. I offered him that I would help him to get through the changes and that I would not be the first one to date other people if he decides to stay. I wanted him to be happy and I wanted us to keep growing BodyRock.Tv.
He decided to leave me in Los Angeles and went back to his home town in Canada with his family. I was fine with that and I have to say that I felt relieved and was excited for the new beginnings. Freddy and I were in touch every day and talked about BodyRock.Tv and how we are going to continue as business partners. We agreed on bringing in other girls as hosts of the workout videos. However my idea of hiring a camera guy to shoot my workout videos was denied by my husband. No one was allowed to shoot videos of me. That’s why you could see me doing only short intros to the workouts having my camera on tripod. I was also doing some nutrition and diet posts, but I felt very limited by not having anyone to help me. We were both feeling overwhelmed by the change, because we were used to working together and we were very good at working together.
Things got very tough when his new girlfriend Lisa Marie came to the picture. While I thought that him having a new girlfriend, a person that will be there for him, will make things a lot easier, I was wrong. Up until then, we were friends, partners and we were getting along. If you were following BodyRock.Tv back then you must have noticed that I have basically vanished right after her very first post. In December 2011, Freddy’s attitude towards me changed completely. He became incredibly mean, he denied me an access to BodyRock.Tv and all the social media we’ve build together. Since I had no access to our Canadian business account, and owned only 49% of the company, I was relying on him to pay me monthly dividends. My future was completely in his hands. When I asked for my dividends he told me to first sign a non-compete agreement. What that means is that I wouldn’t be allowed to ever have my own fitness blog or to ever do a workout video online. I felt like I was being controlled again and threatened on top of that. It was never my intension to leave BodyRock.Tv. I was forced to leave to keep my independence and dignity. He told me to lawyer up and the last email I got from him stated exactly this: “I want you to sell the company car that your mom is using. Aww, isn’t it horrible that your mom that has nothing won’t even have the car?” That my friends right there was the end of our friendship. I couldn’t believe it. Of course I did not sell the car and my mom still has it.
What happened next is that he wrote a post on BodyRock.Tv that would portray me as a bad person that betrayed him in every possible way. He wrote that he was being forced and manipulated to write the post about us breaking up. That was the post with the picture of us sitting on the front step of the house in West Hollywood. Just to let you know, nobody was forcing him to write what he did. While I was pushing for him to post the truth about us not being a couple, he wanted to write it in his own words and told me not to let anyone know that I left him. I was fine with that.
At that time, I decided that I will not give up and that I will continue doing what I love and he or nobody else will ever stop me. I contacted Darren from Watch it now entertainment, explained him the entire situation and asked him if he wants to be my partner. We clicked as friends immediately and we were on the same page when it comes to fitness, blogging and my image as a trainer. I got hired by his company and got my work visa instantly. After that, you know the story. We started shooting ZWOWs and I tried to get back on my feet. I can never thank Darren and his team at Watch It Now Entertainment enough, who all helped me when I had absolutely nothing. I am also forever thankful to my boyfriend who stood by me the entire time and gave me the kind of love and home that I have always dreamed off.
I filed for divorce in January 2012, however I am still waiting for the divorce to happen, because my husband is way too power hungry and wants my 49% of BodyRock.Tv which he thinks is worth his signature on our divorce papers and nothing more. I was also threatened by a letter from his lawyer that I might be deported back to Czech Republic if I won’t stop doing ZWOWS and sign the non-compete agreement with BodyRock.Tv. I guess he assumed that I didn’t get my visa.
I have received way more abuse from him in the form of online bullying. He said so many bad things about me on his Facebook and other social media and I have never stood up for myself. For some weird reason I thought that he is really not that kind of person and that maybe he’s just very hurt that I left him. I thought that he is being like that because he’s probably suffering. Now it got to the point that I am hundred percent certain that all that crap he writes about me is his cover up to justify the fact that he took everything from me and have been actively trying to destroy my career and my online presence. Here he is again with another post trying to hurt me. He didn’t take the most important part of me though–my faith, love, and will power.
Private Member |
I’m up to date on all the workouts and cardio and cut dvd’s and i was feeling nostalgic so i looked up some of your old workouts from body rock. i can’t stand the lisa-marie and their new stuff. i must say though, you look so much healthier and fitter and much happier doing your new stuff then you did with “body rock”. you just look amazing now compared to before. I’ve been following you since 2010 and have seen your improvements in your workouts, health, and your life through your blogs, and its inspirational, i don’t know what i would do without your fitness and health tips. thank you xo
Private Member |
Dear Susan, you introduced me to this type of fitness and thanks to what I learned from you now I have abs. I have my own custom workout based on yours and also my diet is deeply based on your teachings.
I feel so sorry for what you have been trough, you look like the girl of any mans dreams, your ex husband killed the golden eggs hen. Now he is for sure lonely with he’s greed.
Please do never stop, I will share with all my friends your new workouts and stop following bodyrock.tv, by the way, do never give that 49%.
Regards from a Mexican living in Poland.
Oscar.
Private Member |
I’m so late on responding – just found this page.
Zuzana, THANK YOU for sharing your story, and good for you for standing up for yourself! I have to say that I loved BodyRock b/c of you, and like many, was heartbroken when I first heard of your breakup, and then just absolutely sickened to see LisaMarie’s gloating takeover. No honorable woman would come into the picture like she did, and they are both quite a gross couple, imo. (I know you don’t want anything negative here, but just being transparent.)
Reading your story and some of the comments made me tear up out of sheer love for you, and for the community of love that you SO very deserve here.
Wishing you all the light and joy that you have given and deserve back exponentially!
Truly,
Yazminh
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka Light,
I was watching your bodyrock videos when they first came out and was wondering where you went after Lisa Marie came in…It was good for you to post this up. Wow, I can’t believe how much an asshole and how horribly mean your ex was to you, he sounds incredibly selfish. Don’t worry we are definitely going to support your new channel from now on rather than bodyrock hahaha.
You are a lovely person, thank you for sharing your fitness with us and I wish you all the best,-well clearly it is becoming obvious that soon your new channel will be even bigger.
Loves from Australia!
Andrea 🙂
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka, came across this post a bit late as I am only just getting back into training and was looking you up.
I think you have confirmed what your fans already “knew”, none of it is a surprise. It was all pretty obvious at the time, just the details were lacking.
The direction you wanted to take is also what we wanted for you. Even if those OTT videos were fun for us old guys 🙂
As for living in Praha, hey you should have asked me I would have been up for that! Good luck and best wishes.
Private Member |
Hi, I think you were great before your ex and after him. He DID shoot alot of close ups and made your videos too sexual and despite the other kind of videos you were on a while ago, you didn’t look like you wanted to give that image on the workout videos, so it was kind of obvious HE was the sick who presented you as an object. I’m glad you’re still on your feet, with your sheen way up high and giving the example to every single woman who watches your videos, that health isn’t only physical but mental.
Keep up the good work and best wishes for you. 🙂
Private Member |
Oh my god! I finally have the answer today. I was one of the big BodyRock fans back in 2011 but only after a few months not following you, I could not find you anywhere or anything about you on the website. I was wondering what happened. I sent a message through Facebook but never received a response. And I did not like that new girl Lisa Marie so I stopped following BodyRock. Recently I found you under ZuzkaLight on Youtube and am so happy 🙂 So good to see you again and know that you are doing well <3 Love!
Private Member |
Glad I found this website. I was wondering what happened to you. I had checked on BodyRock.tv and was surprised to see that other girl on there; I have no interest in following her. While your workouts were brutal, and hard for me to do, what I really liked about it all was your refreshing innocence that was wrapped up in such a good-looking package. Don’t ever let that great personality get hidden away. What your ex doesn’t realize is that it was YOUR personality that made BodyRock.tv a success. And, save all the emails that your ex sends you, as a good lawyer will be able to use them to prove your case to a judge, and will likely get you a fair price from your ex for your share of BodyRock.tv.
Private Member |
Wow…I came onto this site to get some motivation to workout…and I read THIS!?! I feel so happy that you proved yourself equal, if not stronger, than this obstacle. I’m not sure if you’ll ever even get a chance to read this, but if you do, know that your struggles with this while building your life again is motivational on many levels. Bless you for caring for your mom. :* Hugs from NYC!
Private Member |
I’ve only now realized what was going on. I noticed you vanished from BodyRock and started your own blog but I thought this was a mutual agreement. I’m shocked but relieved at the same time that you escaped from what essentially was exploitation. But not only that, you also rose like the phoenix from the ashes and that indeed is remarkable and shows your deep and true strength.