Physical fitness is primarily about movement and being active. There are endless ways to go about that but feeling comfortable and prepared for the task is key to optimizing a training routine.

In our latest—and perhaps most energetic—editorial we’ve teamed up with online retailer Zalando to showcase its diverse men's and women's sportswear offering and get a glimpse into the life of two fitness professionals from Berlin.

Rebekka Llanos is a video and installation artist, business owner, athlete and coach. Lenny Müller coaches functional fitness, strength and boxing while modeling on the side and studying for an MA in Sport Science and Literature. We sat down with them to talk training advice, organizing their busy schedules, staying motivated and much more. Read the interview below and cop their sports gear directly via the images.

Rebekka you're an artist, a trainer and a business owner. What do you enjoy the most and how do you find time for everything?

Rebekka: When you say it like that it sounds a lot. I don’t like all the complicated labels and titles because they don’t give context and they present one picture that never tells the whole story. For me it’s not about what I enjoy the most, it’s about challenging myself and looking at myself at the end of the day knowing I’ve done a good job.

Lenny how did you get into modeling? What would you be doing if you weren’t a model?

Lenny: I started shortly after I came to Berlin back in 2011, I appreciate the travel opportunities and money modeling brings. If I didn’t have this privilege I’d probably look for something else I can enjoy doing while still making money and being able to travel.

Have health and fitness always been an important part of your life? Tell us about your fitness journey?

R: As a child I would sit on the basketball court as my grandparents played, they were both national players. Then I grew up watching my brother's American football games and started at track and field very young until I was 24. But training was always more than that, it was my way of clearing my head and understanding how I feel. It helped me to maintain focused on everything else.

L: I’ve been active and doing sports pretty much my whole life so I've tried a lot of things; judo, swimming, sailing, tennis, football, kickboxing and boxing just to name a few. I guess I was always interested in finding an outlet and doing something that I love to do which is moving. Being health and fitness conscious came later.

Lenny what’s the story behind your back tattoo?

L: To be perfectly honest I just wanted to have a nice back piece.

What or who inspires you to push beyond and be better than average?

R: My own collapse.

Rebekka are you currently working on any art projects that you can tell us about?

R: Yesss! I’m working on an installation where there’s a shoe in the middle of a room attached to ropes. Every few minutes the shoe explodes and little machines pull single parts away on the ropes and bring them back rebuilding slowly. Again and again and again. Explode and rebuild. Explode and rebuild. Dissolving is a theme in all of my work.

Lenny you’re involved with martial arts, what do you do and why do you enjoy them?

L: I particularly interested in boxing, Muay Thai and MMA. Martial arts combine power and strength with endurance but also mental strength. It’s about the fight against yourself in every session. Martial arts are all about respect, patience and discipline. It’s about winning but also about learning how to deal with defeat. A true champion is someone who’s humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

What do you do in the morning to set yourself up for the day?

R: I train every morning at 3/4am. I love mornings. I love emptiness and training alone.

L: I get up 20-30 min earlier than needed to have some time to lay in bed and think about the tasks at hand before I get up to do them. And there is usually a coffee involved as well to get me going and focused.

You must have a very busy schedule, what do you do to relax?

R: I have a clear routine that I always stick to and time to relax is built into that. I have working peaks and relaxing time, it’s a balance. But I also think that what constitutes relaxing is objective.

L: I love sleep so that’s my solution when I feel stressed out or exhausted. But being busy with the things I’m passionate about is something that motivates me to do even more. So being under positive stress is more like a reward than a burden to me.

It’s easy to grow discouraged when not seeing results in the mirror or on the scale, how do you stay motivated?

R: When I was younger I always wanted everything to happen immediately but I’ve learned that results come when there is continuity. I needed to fail and fall down many many times before I realized that the only way to get results and stay motivated is to just keep doing. Then you won't need motivation, you won‘t want the process to end.

L: Exercise and training are about using your mind to direct your body to achieve a greater state of mind. So the way you look and your weight are indicators of your commitment and will to make sacrifices in order to achieve your goals but not the ultimate result.

What goals have you set yourself this year?

R: I have to get three art installations out of the studio.

L: To become someone that I can look up to.

People continue to discover new ways of staying fit and healthy. What would you suggest for someone who’s turned off by traditional approaches like running or lifting weights?

R: It depends on someone's goals but don’t fall for social media propaganda, think for yourself. Movement is everywhere and I think people should try everything out, bring together and play with different methods. Don’t think about the results in the beginning, only the movements.

L: It’s never about what you train but if you train. There’s no wrong in being active so why not just try out different things until you find something you’d like to stick to. It's frustrating looking at people in the gym sitting at machines or running on treadmills and seeing in their eyes that this is just another thing they feel like they have to do. It’s important to understand that exercising is something you do for yourself and it’s a privilege to be able to have so many options and places to do so. Find the right thing and start to respect and value every workout.

Why is good workout gear so essential and what do you like wearing when training?

R: It’s so important! When I was younger I only had cotton pants, a white shirt and basic shoes. I had to earn my specials tights, shoes, bras, etc. for track and field so I trained harder and harder and harder. Wearing the right thing for what you're doing feels good and gets you in the right mindset, it’s like an actor's costume. And, of course, certain things also help you to move more efficiently.

What I wear depends on what I’m doing. If I have a track session, tights and a long sleeve top; if I’m at the gym I prefer light track pants and tight shirts.

L: The right gear can optimize the right workout but the workout must come first. I prefer wearing compression gear underneath shorts and a top.

It’s great that brands like Zalando are taking an active approach to helping people stay active, how can brands continue to help people of all fitness levels?

R: Brands could provide training spaces, courts, fields, etc. that are accessible to everyone. All the clothing we need is available, what people need now is training knowledge and places to use it.

L: They need to continue raising awareness for the importance of exercising. I also think activations like sports days and training groups can be helpful.