AJ, Personal Trainer/Owner
Born and raised in Poland, AJ came to United States in 1992, full of ambition to make her dream life come true. Little that she know, that dream would turn into a mission. A mission to help others to achieve their dreams.
For the most part, AJ’s life didn’t turn out exactly what she dreamt of, but that’s why she is here now. Her love for fitness began in her teenage years, but this journey started after she had her second child, Adam, in 2002.
You’re probably thinking, “ that’s all? 2002?”. But you see, even though AJ was into fitness for most of her teenage and adult years, she also experienced some set backs that caused fitness to become the last thing on her priority list. It’s called: life.
She struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety for a good portion of her 20-year marriage. Trying to mask any issues with antidepressants and alcohol to get some kind of temporary relief. She knew she needed change, but didn’t know how to do it. Until one day she decided to join a local gym and met a personal trainer who changed her life.
He unlocked AJ’s potential and inspired her to become what she was meant to be: a fitness representative.
At the of 40, she found her calling. Her life long passion, which was lost along the years, retuned to her at the peak of her midlife.
AJ loves what she does, and doesn’t mind waking up early every day of the week. She’ll typically meet her first client of the day at 5AM. She is finally living the dream life she came here for years ago. Her only goal is to make sure she is there for you along the way in reaching your personal health and fitness goals.
We can bore you to death listing the specialties and certifications she has achieved during her career, but we will shoot right to the point: AJ is a certified personal trainer through W.I.T.S (World Instructors Training School -Macomb Community College) with 7 years of experience in weight loss, strength training, core strengthening, and sports nutrition. She has both, devoted followers and temporary goal achievers. People come and go, but one thing is certain, no matter what, she will do her best to take you where you see yourself go in this journey, called CHANGE.
Fun facts about AJ:
- AJ’s real name is Agnieszka ( pronounced: ugg-knee-ash-ka)
- AJ has two kids: Emily(22) and Adam(18). Emily is a police officer in the city of Detroit, and Adam is in college, going for a mechanical engineering degree.
- AJ has a pitbull rescue named Amari (3)
- AJ recently started a plant-based diet (non-vegan) and eats meat only once a week. All for health benefits. Its great!
- AJ competed in her first bodybuilding competition in 2019, and won 1st place in all 3 categories she competed in.
- AJ competed in an indoor triathlon in 2018 and won the overall – did we mention AJ is very competitive???? 😀
- AJ’s weaknesses are pretzels and peanut M&M’s!
- AJ is a TJMAXX junky!
- AJ’s favorite color is Black.
…there is a lot more to AJ, and you’ll learn about it once you start your new journey with her!
Shelby Smith, Self Defense Instructor
Master Instructor Shelby Smith
As a student of TaeKwonDo Master Frank Sattler in Shelby Twp, Michigan from 1990-1999, Shelby received 3rd degree black belts in two styles of TKD before shifting his training to the Goshin Kan Nihon Ryu Jujutsu club in Warren, Michigan (1999-present). In 2012 he received a 5th degree black belt ranking after many years of tutelage from talented Nihon Ryu Jujutsu master instructors Jack Sisinger, Chris Pilchak and Chris Fisk.
Shelby very much enjoys opportunities to share with people of all ages practical personal defense advice and training gleaned from his 33 year exploration into the martial arts and looks forward to meeting all the family and friends of LIVFIT Training.