We recently connected with Lindsey Ikeler-Reinking and have shared our conversation below.
Lindsey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later
Looking back at my timeline and story there are no regrets on when I started this company. The moments are brief when the shoulda’/coulda’/woulda’s creep in but the whole WIN is that I started. Not when. I’m proud that I did.
I became a personal trainer in 2013. I started training at a commercial gym, and I value everything I learned from this place. They taught me the business side of training, such as sales, time management for sessions, designing a structured program and I was able to shadow other experienced trainers and take pieces of their good stuff and tossed the bad stuff. I later started contracting out of smaller private gyms. I value everything I learned from those businesses. I took note of the good stuff and tossed the bad. This information takes time and a huge reason why I don’t ever wish for a different start time. What you focus on is what you see, correct? Let’s choose to see our journey as the perfect plan. Sure, there are fearful moments of aging out (especially as a female), but I acknowledge everything as gained experiences, I can see someone fearful of starting too young, but I say all you’ll do is gain experiences. They’re both winning roads.
Starting my own gym during Covid was a risk of course, maybe a bit riskier, but without that season I don’t know if I would have seen the massive need for us all to have a community. I think it taught everyone that. That vital drive for a safe community is what I feel has made my gym so different and successful. We become a family.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
A little about me? My name is Lindsey, I’m a 40-year-old mama of the coolest, most amazing son named Emmett (E-Tastic). I’m happily married to Kevin (Kevypoobear). We also have two lovable dogs. Monkey who is my 17-year-old spunky rescue and our beautiful 9-year-old Fawn Doberman Kalliope. I’m originally from the San Fernando Valley but I have lived here in GOREGOUS San Diego since I was 25 but I refuse to give up my L.A. Dodgers obsession. Please don’t hate me!
I originally got into health and fitness in my early 20’s when I busted my butt to shed 65 pounds. But found my love for the gym later through really cool people I met in the gym (building a community), that led me to feel more confident to help others who came into the gym and make them feel welcomed. Light bulb! I should become a personal trainer! I got certified through National Academy of Sports Medicine, TRX and other continued education certifications. I’m working on Perimenopausal, Menopausal and Post Menopausal certifications right now.
At Underground Fitness I provide a safe community that’s inclusive, fun, supportive, “unprofessional” which really means NOT corporate/cold.
One of the biggest problems I solve for my clients is their belief in themselves. Cheesy? Cliche? I’m not so sure. I know many people in the industry who do it all for money and Instagram fame. I do this because I want to change your life. I want you to see someone in the mirror that is empowered, confident, zesty and strong! I take this so seriously that I do not allow the word “can’t” in my gym. Something may be difficult but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You may not be able to do it YET, but you will be able to do it if we build you up safely and steadily. Our minds are so powerful, and we give ourselves very little credit. A big focus for me is building you up physically, of course. However, in order to do that I need to build your mental acceptance that you are safe and that you are capable. This mindset flows into every other aspect of your life. The hope is you start cultivating and living a beautiful healthy life in all aspects. I think what sets me apart is that I’m genuine and just as vulnerable and transparent with my clients as they are with me. That’s trust and through that trust I’m blessed to learn more about how each one of my clients deals with stress and pressure which helps me with coaching through difficult moments of a training session. I really do want to get to know you, not just run you through a workout.
What I’m so proud of, through this career, is contributing to a person’s gained confidence, empowerment and health. I’m proud of the lifelong friendships I’ve found in this amazing community at Underground Fitness. I’m proud my son will get to see that his mama (who grew up in the SFV hood, where neither of my parents graduated high school) did succeed. I went into the workforce as soon as possible and had enough determination and self-belief that I could make a difference and do what statistically I shouldn’t have been able to. That, with all the hardships and conceived setbacks in life, I CAN create a life I want and am proud of. What you believe is real, whether that’s a positive or a negative, it’s real. I believe that I am meant to be a coach; I am meant to inspire and motivate those willing to accept it. I am meant to change the health of my community for the positive. I am meant to be proud of my life’s story. So are you!
What is the main thing I would want potential clients to know about me and Underground Fitness? Don’t just talk about it be about it! I’ll pour into you as long as you come with a cup ready to be filled. You’re not always going to feel like working out, come through anyway, One day at a time, one rep at a time, one meal at a time. Deep breaths. You know the cool, inspiring stories that other people have? Create your own. You have been given this one body to live in. Treat it well. You’ll never regret that.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Resilience is such a key word for working out. You need it to push beyond the discomfort, continue even after being sore and to trust the end result will be a great benefit. Life, outside the gym, pushes your resiliency to an another level. I’ve been through my share of hard times. I’ve been through a heartbreaking divorce, a childhood I could write a book about, financial setbacks that would have been easier to walk away from than to continue forward and so much more.
When I first opened up my gym I subleased a space UNDER Grossmont Center Mall. It’s the why behind the name Underground Fitness. I was literally located underground. I trusted the sublease agreement and from 2020 felt safe to build my clients from 4 to upward of 50. As I expanded in that basement, investing so much time and money into the growth I never once thought that my sublease contract was not valid. My community felt like home in our really cool “speakeasy” gym. I had just finished another expansion right before the Thanksgiving of 2022, putting all my capital into demolition, flooring, mirrors, equipment, paint, electrical and so on, when I received a notice from the new owners of Grossmont Center Mall that I was to stop running my business immediately and find a new location! I was stunned. I had never felt more fearful in my career. How do I move everything now? Holidays were approaching, my son’s birthday, I had just loaned a friend $1800 who literally ghosted me (still has never paid me back). My savings was gone! That was a huge moment for me. The guilt I felt for putting this stress on my husband too was weighing so heavily on me. Yes, we are a united couple but maybe it was time to pack this dream up and go back into banking or some other corporate job. My husband’s belief in me is insane. How he sees me I hope never changes. The community I built backing me was a massive component in continuing. They promised to follow me to wherever our new gym home would be. The community donated flooring, skilled labor, they helped paint and rebuild gym equipment with me while we had margaritas! These amazing people dedicated so much love and energy into our new location. I would never quit on them. The words of encouragement for me and what I’ve provided for them gave me that fight to keep going. I am so grateful. Also, get a leasing agent! I used Gregory Scafidi. He made sure to ask for things I didn’t know to even ask for and to check on things I didn’t even think to check on.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I had to unlearn was that I don’t need a flawless body to be successful in the fitness world. Look, I’m 40, I had a 10-pound 2 ounce 22, 1/2-inch baby boy, things just look different. What carrying a precious baby like that does to tummy skin is pretty gnarly. There was a point in my career that I felt like I was inadequate because of it. That I was uninspiring. The opposite is true! Mind blown. I believe the fact that my body has gone through such extremes, and I didn’t give up and I’m healthy is a testament. I remember having a few clients come in for a consultation and when it was time to lift their shirts so I could take measurements they felt insecure to let me see their stomachs! I was like “Oh you think you’re the only one?” I always tend to just pull my tummy out and let them see what I’m working with! It cracks them up and shocks them. I think immediately they realize, I’m one of them! They’re one of me. We are in this together! So again, UNLEARNING that flawlessness is vital! No way!! Vulnerability and transparency are vital.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://WWW.SDUNDERGROUNDFITNESS.COM
- Instagram: underground_fitness
- Facebook: Underground Fitness San Diego
- Yelp: Underground Fitness
- Email: Info.lindseyfitness@gmail.com
- Phone: 619 888-1173
Image Credits
Kevin Reinking