We were lucky to catch up with Carmen Skildum recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Carmen, thanks for joining us today. How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

When one becomes a personal trainer it’s not generally what people might think. You don’t pass the exam and magically just know everything there is to know. About training, about programming, about all the 100’s of different exercises and how to perform them properly, how the body adapts, client mindset, different body types, my gosh the list could go on! You pass the exam and are a certified personal trainer, but that’s that. Now it’s up to you. So GENERALLY, the next step is to apprentice beneath another trainer. Study them on the job, shadow, etc. However, when you live in an extremely rural area such as Grand Marais, MN, that’s not really an option. There aren’t gyms to go and do this. There aren’t options. So what do you do?
Well, what I did was display the fitness equipment I already had in an aesthetically pleasing way in my garage and do it myself! As they say, sometimes you gotta “fake it til ya make it” and that was definitely my strategy. I advertised as a 1:1 personal trainer for clients, having zero experience. If I’m being completely honest, I’ve been a trainer for nearly 6 years now, and just recently have I finally not felt like I was faking it. I started fitness classes and I hyped those dang classes up like you wouldn’t believe!!

“The best workout class around”
“Everyone’s loving it, everyone’s here”
Bla Bla you get the picture.
I hyped and hyped until it became true.
3 or 4 people in every class?
“Woooo that class was lit, holy smokes you don’t know what you’re missing!”

Until now, nearly 6 years later, waitlists to even get into the classes, and turning folks down for 1:1 training. Fake. It. Til. You. Make. It. Believe SO much that what you are doing has value, and people will see that it is true.

My goals when I first started my business have remained the same now as they were when I started, get more people to move; and make sure they are enjoying themselves while they do it.

My first job in the fitness industry was what I made it, how I wanted it to be, and while it was challenging to learn as I went, I’m grateful that I forged my own path.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Carmen Skildum, owner and creator of Lynxfit, a group exercise fitness studio located in Grand Marais, MN. Lynxfit began in 2018 as a 1:1 personal training service, but quickly thrived as a group fitness based studio. Certified as a Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, it is my joy and passion to make fitness accessible and FUN to a wide variety of individuals. Most Lynxfit classes center around weight lifting, with an emphasis on getting back to basics and the fundamentals of strength training. The classes are not large, which gives a very comfortable and relaxed vibe to all participants. Lynxfit participants are encouraged to join as many classes in a week as they like, and some have come to use the classes as their one stop shop for all their weightlifting needs! Grand Marais, MN is a small and very rural area, so options as far as fitness go are extremely limited. When I began my business in 2018, I saw a need that needed to be filled. Creating workout classes that are not “cookie cutter” was a need in my community that I believed should be filled. Not everyone wants to follow along with an instructor, same every week, choreography, traditional style. I saw that there was a large number of people who were looking for another fitness outlet to let loose and also learn more about weightlifting. Providing a safe place to people to learn how to properly weightlift without the fear or judgement, but also have a great time and feel low pressure was my goal.
Now in 2023 I have taken HUGE steps, gone from 5 clients to 100+, and have plans for a big expansion to reach more folks who just wanna lift, man!

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Confidence. Confidence. Confidence. No one out there wants to hire a trainer or group exercise instructor who is wishy washy, or unsure of how to talk to them, or hesitant to do their job! And truth is, when I first started out as a personal trainer, I had no idea what I was doing!! When I first began leading fitness classes, I had no idea if what I was doing was any good or not! One thing that played out in my head for years was, “fake it til ya make it”.
I had to learn every. single. thing. I was teaching others. You don’t get a personal trainer certification and instantly become a good trainer. In most cases, you’ll shadow another trainer at a gym and learn from them for a while before you even get your first client. Guess what? Not an option in little ol’ Grand Marais! I set up shop in my garage, advertised, and (because there was such a great NEED for trainers in my community) I got clients right away. Yikes. Have a question I don’t have an answer to? Hang on, I will research it and learn for you. Never say “I don’t know” That is not confidence.
When my group fitness classes began, that was MUCH harder to get people interested. The safety of 1:1 is not there in a group setting. So what did I do? I hyped those classes up til I was blue in the face! I told people they were the best classes out there and that everyone was taking them and loving them! Reality? I had 5 people a class and struggling to keep those classes. BUT! I gave off confidence that my fitness classes were the place to be, the thing to do. Fake it til ya make it.
Now….All that hype and belief in myself has paid off. Don’t have to fake it anymore.
Confidence is contagious.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

100% No. Fitness is my passion, my calling, my love. Is it what I thought I’d be doing 10 years ago? Nooooo. I couldnt run a mile let alone do a push-up and I could have cared less. It’s not about doing what you’ve always done. It’s about trying it all out til you instinctually know it’s your passion by FEELING. When I see my clients and all the amazing things they have done, accomplished, proven to themselves, there is not a shred of doubt in my mind that I am doing what I was meant to do. Fitness is for every single person out there, and it IS fun. It is the ultimate form of self love, and everyone needs to experience how life changing it is. There is nothing I would rather be doing with my life than showing that to people

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lynxfitmn.com
• Instagram: LynxfitMN
• Facebook: Lynxfit MN

Image Credits
Stir Photography