Mutha Ship’s 3rd Birthday - a Q&A with Lyndsey
Here at Strong Like a Mutha - we often refer to our gym space as The Mutha Ship and although the SLAM brand has been running for 5 years now - the Mutha Ship came a little later.
AND
This week is officially birthday week, as it's been 3 years from when I first got the keys to the gym, and oh what a 3 years it has been!
So to celebrate those 3 years Paula wanted to do a little Q&A with me, so we can all look back over those three years together, photos and all…
What inspired you to open The Muthaship?
I’d love to say that it was my vision from the start but you know that I am much more of a let life unfold person than a master planner.
I started SLAM because I wanted to help people who, like me, had been let down by the fitness industry and it evolved so quickly that eventually, I started thinking that I’d need my own place. I went to see so many units and I kept losing out on them to other businesses, but just when I was losing hope one of my clients sent me a link to a space that would eventually go on to become The Mutha Ship we all love today.
I remember when I went to see it - it felt huge! It was so much bigger than the other units I had looked at and it was also a complete riot. The thought of being responsible for the rent and bills took my breath away, but something in my gut told me to go with it - so I did.
It’s one of the scariest steps I’ve ever taken but I don’t ever regret it, even when things are tough, in fact especially when things are tough, I feel so sure that SLAM and The Mutha Ship are meant to be here.
What makes SLAM and The 'Ship so unique?
Because we are super passionate about changing the industry!
We have thrown the toxic fitness messaging that tells us exercise isn’t fun, that it only serves as a punishment or an atonement for food and is there for the sole purpose of making us skinnier in the bin and instead embrace the belief that exercise is and can be for everyone.
We welcome all humans into our space, regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation socioeconomic status - every single person is celebrated, encouraged and raised up, not just by us but also by each other.
We show our members that they CAN and should lift weights and that you don’t have to be feeling sick at the end in order for it to be a “good” workout. We teach them that movement can bring you joy and most of all we empower them to begin to accept and love themselves- throwing diet culture out the window and celebrating their whole selves without having to be anyone else!
We are particularly passionate about supporting pre and postnatal people. In an industry where there is so much misinformation and pre and postnatal people are often seen as an afterthought, we have created a safe and supportive space that helps empower people in this unique phase of their lives.
What was your mission/goal when opening a gym and has that changed now that we are 3 years on?
My mission has always been to create a community where people feel safe, supported and celebrated as their whole selves.
I have fierce mama bear energy and I am always ready to stand up for those who are underserved or mistreated.
The evolution of my goal has started to include a mission to make real change in the fitness industry, ensuring the better education and support of coaches, providing training and education platforms that help empower coaches to best support their clients, ditch the toxic fitness messaging and ultimately make the industry a better place for all.
If you could speak to your younger self, just before you got the keys, what advice would you share with her?
I’d say believe in yourself, get tight on your boundaries and trust your instincts. I spent far too many of the early days of The Mutha Ship trying to do it all and be it all.
I was still battling a deeply inherent need to people please and ultimately I made decisions for validation rather than from the heart.
I was also completely boundaryless and ended up super burnt out before the first year was even halfway through. I didn’t believe that I deserved my place in this industry and that low self-esteem led me to get lost in a comparison and stringency mindset, once I worked on that, boundaries and leading from the heart- everything changed!
How would you describe SLAM's success so far?
A roller coaster, a wild ride, something I never, ever, thought I could achieve. I feel a bit like a phoenix, I’ve been burned MANY MANY times in these short almost 5 years but I truly believe that creating SLAM is part of my life's purpose and the impact it has had on the people who are part of it is what helps me rise from those ashes, time and time again.
I will never stop being grateful that we can hold such a safe and supportive space for those who need it and to those who support us on our mission to continue to do so.
Apart from the pandemic, what has been the biggest challenge you've faced so far?
Leadership - it’s so much more complicated than we realise.
I’ve learned the hard way that coming at it with low self-esteem and a belief that you aren’t good enough only makes it harder.
Managing people is tough, understanding who they are, what they need and how you can show up for them takes a real deep dive into yourself, which I guess I kind of thought I already had nailed.
I can stand up for anyone else but leadership has been so confronting in showing me that I need to be better at standing up for myself. Learning how to do that in a way that is radically candid has been a big learning experience in boundaries, calling out my own shit, facing my demons and being brave enough to step into my power. It’s a lesson I know I will continue to learn.
Where do you see SLAM and The Mutha Ship in another 3 years’ time?
If the pandemic has taught me anything it’s that you just don’t know what is around the corner. I’ve learned that you really can’t control all of the outcomes and many times I’ve thought we were doing epic, only to be brought down to earth with the most unexpected of turns. I’m going to say that I don’t know where we will be, but what I do hope is, that we will continue to change and challenge this industry and support those who need us.
What does a normal day for a busy gym boss like yourself look like?
Haha, this is brilliant. No two days are ever the same for me so it’s a tough one to answer.
On any one day I could be doing anything from - Coaching sessions, supporting people with specialist 1-2-1’s, mentoring other coaches, networking and attending events, public speaking, writing blogs, cleaning the gym or answering your emails - and that’s all just on a Monday!
For a time I was very much in the background, I spent so long at the front of SLAM that I thought I wanted to take a step back, but mama universe, as ever was as subtle as a smack in the face, letting me know that right now my place is to be hands-on, in the trenches with my team and my community and honestly, I feel alive for it and so does SLAM.
An additional message from me to you.
A huge thank you…
SLAM and The Ship would never be where it is without the amazing people I have around me, I want to say a deep-felt thank you to each and every single one of you!
Those that have supported me in any way possible - reading my emails, liking and sharing my socials, sharing your love and knowledge, trusting me on your journeys, cheering me on and embracing my dreams - you have a spacial place in my heart! ❤️