My name is MJ, and I own and train at my gym, MJ Fit, exclusively for women and children in the Denver Tech Center! I grew up in a small farming community in Missouri. I never felt like I fit in, and at an early age I realized I had dreams bigger than most of my peers. Once I finished high school, I originally went to school for fashion, but quickly realized this wasn’t the path for me. A spontaneous early-life crisis lead me to Boston, MA where I spent 3 years discovering who I was and what I wanted to do. During my first year there, I struggled with body image, confidence, and direction, which caused me to develop the female athlete triad. It took another full year for me to recover, and find my love for health and fitness. Once I started toward my B.S in Sports Management through California University of Pennsylvania, I knew fitness/nutrition was the industry for me. I also discovered powerlifting during this time, and I will attribute my strength, both mental and physical, primarily to all my heavy lifting!

By the time I graduated college, I made the move from Boston to Denver to open a MJ Fit! It was a whirlwind when I moved to Denver; the dream I had of opening my own gym seemed so far away, but within 2 years of moving, I made it happen. At this point, I have competed in 7 powerlifting meets, taking 1st place in many, and I have successfully opened and expanded my gym! Every day I go into the gym (even if it’s 5am), I am grateful for all the incredible women and kiddos who have trusted us with their health, and for my trainers and coaches who work tirelessly to provide the same level of service and dedication to their clients as I would. Right now, we are expanding the gym to offer more classes, and more space for training too, so I can tell my adventure isn’t even close to being over!

Why I’m a trainer: Once I found powerlifting, my entire life changed, and I made it my mission to help other women and children live healthier lives, allowing them to feel fulfilled too! At MJ Fit, our mission is “inspiring women and children to be strong,” and I love helping my clients find their “strong,” even when it is very different from my own. It is so rewarding to see a client reaching the goals we discussed months or years before in our consultation, and exciting to realize how our team work is paying off!

Why I train myself: I have a background with personal insecurities leading to multiple eating disorders, the female athlete triad, osteopenia, and brittle broken bones. I finally decided this was not the life I wanted to lead. Once I discovered powerlifting, I fell in love and have now competed in several meets, taking home 1st place in all of them. I love seeing myself grow stronger, healthier, and more confident with each time I finish a workout!

Favorite Exercise: Deadlifts! For my upcoming powerlifting competition, I am shooting for a 405 deadlift! I love how strong they make me feel. Plus, I can usually beat the boys!

Fun Fact: I love to travel. I have visited 14 countries so far, and am always planning my next adventure! If you need help with travel resources, I am your girl! Just make sure to bring me back a magnet!

Hey! My name is Sam, and I was born and raised in Denver Colorado! I have an amazing wife, and 2 kids that my world revolves around.

I have always loved sports, and played basketball, soccer, and baseball in high school. I have always had a passion for sports, and I really fell in love with strength training in my early college years. Growing up loving sports but being unathletic and out of shape was really hard for me. Losing 70 lbs as a freshman in college really helped me start living a much more fulfilled life, and really helped me fall in love with exercise!

After years of different career paths ranging from real estate sales to hospitality and restaurant management, I just never felt like I was serving my true purpose. During the pandemic I knew it was time. I was ready to take my love for fitness and helping people and make it a career!

Why I’m a trainer: I became a trainer because I know first hand how exercise can change a person mentally and physically. When I was 8 years old, my dad passed away from heart disease at only 33 years old. It is my mission to help spread the importance of exercise and the benefits it has on your long term health. There is nothing that I love more than knowing I am helping adults and kids live in there healthiest body and teaching them ways to live a longer, healthier, and happier life.

Why I train myself: I exercise because of the amazing mental and physical benefits I get from it. I also exercise because I have two kids, and I know that in order for me to be the best dad I can be for them I need to be strong in every way!

Favorite Exercise: Landline squat to press. Love knowing my entire body is getting stronger with one movement!

Fun Fact: I am a first generation American, and English was the second language I learned how to speak!

Hey! My name is Jordan and I was Born and raised in Denver Colorado.

I was an athlete all through school growing up and started strength training as a teenager. I absolutely fell in love with the gym and it became a huge passion of mine. I really started taking lifting seriously in college, which then led me to change my degree to Exercise Science and also attain my personal training certification. I graduated from metropolitan state university of Denver with a BS in Exercise Science and a minor in psychology.

Why I’m a trainer: I became a trainer because I have always known I’ve wanted to help people improve their lives. Personal training is a perfect combination of my two passions of health and fitness and helping people. Being able to help women feel confident and empowered brings me the most joy in life, and I thrive on the relationships I build with people through their fitness journeys.

Why I train myself: I train myself because it helps me feel strong physically, mentally, and emotionally. I like pushing myself and attaining new goals.

Favorite Exercise: Bulgarian split squat! Such a great way focus on single leg strength and stability. Great way challenge your balance and core strength as well!

Fun Fact: I’ve been skydiving but am afraid of bungee jumping.

Hi! My name is Mallory and I am an occupational therapist, yoga teacher, behaviorist (BCaBA), and personal trainer. I have always been active, playing sports, playing outside with my brothers and friends, college athlete, etc., but I as a child I grew very quickly. By the time I was in the 4th grade I was already 5’6” and almost 200lbs. Due to this growth spurt, it took my brain a long time to catch up with my body. I had poor body awareness, always falling and bumping into things, and difficulties with interoception (the process of sensing signals from the body, specifically knowing when I was feeling hungry or full), potentially leading to my increased weight. In high school, I got a personal trainer to help with weight management and I also began going to yoga with my parents. My parents and my personal trainer were such great supports for me when I needed help learning new habits and techniques to help my body stay it in a healthy and happy space. I love all types of movement! You can catch me at a yoga class, swimming, dancing, pilates, weight lifting, hiking, circuit training, and so much more. I like to challenge my brain and body in a variety of different ways and learning all of the amazing things it can handle and do.

Why I’m a trainer: I decided to become a personal trainer to help promote an inclusive health and fitness environment. I have an older brother with Down Syndrome and have spent most of my life working or volunteering with the IDD community. In the future, I would love to help promote inclusive environments that have the supports and training needed to allow these individuals to be successful at any gym or studio. In addition to that, I wanted to be able to give back and be that support and knowledge base that I needed/received when I was younger.

Why I train myself: I train for my physical and mental health. In my past I struggled with finding a healthy balance with my fitness. I, as many others, had body issues and would often over work out and under eat. Additionally, I would use working out as an avoidance tactic rather than facing my depression and anxiety head on. With athletics, I have suffered a variety of different injuries and have had to modify how I train multiple times. With my fitness now, I really try to focus on doing activities that don’t make my body hurt, bring me joy, and help me feel empowered, as well as giving it the rest and nutrition it needs.

Favorite Exercise: Turkish get-ups are the best!!! They hit every major muscle group, take coordination and balance, and make you feel strong!

Fun Fact: I love puzzles! I’m currently working on a 5000 piece puzzle… wish me luck!!!

Oi! My name is Angela. I am originally from WI. I was recruited to play soccer in MN at a DII school and then moved to Colorado with some of my team back in 2004.

I have always loved sports and being out in nature. I played all the sports and even coached for a little bit. From soccer and car accidents I have had my fair share of injuries and issues. I saw physical therapists, chiropractors and a myriad of specialists. I was still working out but never thought I would get back to a place of really being able to push myself. After a miscarriage I decided it was time to get a personal trainer, who ended up being MJ. It was MJ that got me into lifting, and I haven’t looked back since. I fell in love with the workouts and just how I felt after them. I aspire to use my social work license and personal training license to help my clients throughout their lifespan. I love working with adolescents and have found a new love in the world of prenatal and postnatal exercise.

Why I’m a trainer: I love to work out and be active and I have my whole life. After going to school and getting my bachelors and masters in social work, I quickly learned that working out wasn’t just good for your physical health but also for your mental health. I want to help empower women and children to be their best selves and live their best lives. My background gives me a unique perspective on how to meet clients where they are, so that I can create workouts that they love to help them meet their individual goals.

Why I train myself: I have been in sports my whole life from basketball and volleyball to bowling and soccer. I even did archery for a bit. There is something about being active that feeds my soul. I’m super competitive with myself, so when I started lifting, I was trying to beat everything I did from reps to weights.  Newton’s First Law of Motion states that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion. This is why I always keep moving and hope to inspire others to do the same.

Favorite Exercise: It used to be deadlifts, but as I learned more, I think power cleans have turned into my jam!

Fun Fact: I played soccer and was in the Olympic Development Program (ODP) in high school. I was the shortest goalie in the region. I went on to play DII in MN.

Hi! My name is Kylie and I am originally from a small lake town in Northern Michigan called Traverse City. I moved to Colorado to escape to the mountains and experience a different way of life.

I grew up playing sports all of school and loved every second of it. As I entered college for Psychology and Sociology I found myself somewhat at a stand still with sports and decided to start working out at the gym. I would occasionally go to the gym but I never found myself completely dedicated. Once I graduated I decided to start taking my fitness and health seriously. The second time felt different and I instantly found a passion for strength training. My passion grew so tremendously that I decided to get my personal training certification instead of going to graduate school for Industrial Psychology. My passion and love for fitness and personal training has only grown more since then and I haven’t looked back!

Why I’m a trainer: I became a trainer because I found myself struggling with health and fitness all throughout my younger life. Strength training opened my eyes to what “healthy” actually meant. It answered all my unanswered questions that I was dying to know and helped me become confident in my own skin. Through my work I want other women to understand that being strong is healthy and trying to be as small as you can is not.

Why I train myself: I train myself because it helps me stay healthy mentally and physically while also keeping me grounded.

Favorite Exercise: Barbell Romanian Deadlift! When done correctly can be the most beneficial exercise for your core, back, glutes and hamstrings. I find it empowering to be able to lift heavy and correctly when it comes to this exercise.

Fun Fact: I am part Native American!

Hey! My name is Claire! I was born in southern California but was raised in Colorado from the age of 2. I live south of Denver with my fiance and 2 crazy kitties.

I moved to northern California when I was 18 to attend Humboldt State University in the redwood forest. I studied wildlife management and ecological restoration. During my time there, I studied a variety of wildlife including elk, porcupines, elephant seals, barn owls, and got to assist with a blue whale necropsy. Through this work, I was able to further explore my love for animals and become the outdoor enthusiast I am today. I moved back to Colorado 3.5 years ago to be closer to family and to adventure around this beautiful state. I started practicing yoga 4 years ago as a stress relief to a busy schedule and completely fell in love with it. I finished my 200 hr YTT through Yoga Renew in 2022, focusing on Hatha, Vinyasa, and Restorative yoga styles.

Why I’m a yoga teacher: I got certified as a teacher to share my passion with others. I truly believe anyone with a body can do yoga and gain both physical and mental benefits. I want to inspire anyone and everyone to practice without the fear of being perfect. I want to watch my students grow every time they step on the mat just like I grow with every class I teach. We are in this together!

Why I practice myself: I practice because yoga has helped me become more aware of my body and mind. Listening to and understanding your body is so important for your overall health. Yoga allows me to take a mental break from life’s daily stressors, it gives me confidence, and it’s fun!

Favorite Exercise: Hiking! I love being able to move my body while also exploring the natural world around me.

Fun Fact: I spent a week in Ecuador in 2016 helping with a reforestation project. We partnered with local high school students and planted over 1,000 trees in a period of 3 days.

Hello! I’m Cherre’ (pronounced sure-ree) I was born in Montana but moved to California when I was 2 weeks old. I grew up in “the valley” Burbank, CA just a little outside LA and Hollywood. I became a hairdresser right out of high school because since I was 8 that was what I wanted to be when I grew up! My dad was a personal trainer as well as a motorcycle racer, my mom worked at the gym my dad trained at so I’ve been around fitness my whole life. I started dancing at 2, gymnastics at 8, swim team at 10, and by the time I was in high school I was on a competition dance team and choir. After high school when I was starting out in the hair world, to make extra money I would teach belly dance classes with my mom and spin classes. I took a yoga class in 2004 because I thought ‘I’m flexible, this can’t be that hard’ boy was I wrong! It taught me control, it taught me calmness, and it was a great way to stretch out my body since I was training for half marathons. I fell in love but it wasn’t until 2013 that I finally got my 500 hour Ashtanga YTT through Source of Yoga in Los Angeles.

Why I’m a yoga teacher: I loved the idea of teaching. By the time I got my YTT I had taught spin and dance classes as well as classes for hair specialities and I loved everyone of those. I wanted to bring my excitement and experience to new yoga enthusiasts! I love when I have a new student who says “I could never do yoga I’m not flexible enough” or “it seems too hard and my knees/back hurts” because I know that after they take the class they will learn that they can in fact do yoga and their pain has been reduced!

Why I practice myself: I enjoy all sorts of exercises. I do powerlifting now as well as stand all day at my job so being able to have my own time to practice yoga really resets my body. I use my practice time to check in with my body and calm my mind. I find alternating between my powerlifting and my yoga practice really gives me a sense of balance.

Favorite Exercise: I really love inversions. There’s something about being upside down and literally seeing the world from a different perspective. I do some of my best brainstorming in a headstand!

Fun Fact: I’m related to Abraham Lincoln AND George S. Patton! Also Leonardo DiCaprio once bumped into me at a comedy club where I did stand up and as he turned around to apologize he touched my shoulder and looked right into my eyes and soul!

Hey there! My name is AJ Kikumoto, and I am excited to be your Barre instructor! I was born and raised on a horse ranch in Boise, Idaho, and drove myself here to Denver, Colorado, to try out for the Denver Nuggets Dancers. I made the team and have lived here mostly ever since! I am now married to my beloved husband, Charles Kikumoto, and we have six beautiful children (5 girls and 1 boy, ages 6-18).

I studied Elementary Education at Boise State University where I also danced with the national winning dance team Mane Line Dancers and was president my senior year. I even received my masters degree at Utah State University while I was teaching 5th grade and PE/Health teacher grades 1-6 at Cascade Elementary in Orem, UT.

Four of our six kids have Apraxia of Speech, as they were mute until the age of 4! I am a proud advocate of bringing awareness to invisible disabilities and have even spoken at the ApraxiaKids National Conference. Serving the community is a big passion of mine, so competing for Mrs Colorado America was a no brainer. Miss Congeniality and placing Top 12, along with serving my community in so many capacities is a point of gratitude in my life. I lost over 80 pounds, so I know the power of discipline and setting goals.

I have modeled for FORD Models Chicago and Donna Baldwin Agency. As a legacy project for competing in pageants, I published our children’s book series, Zoey’s Great Adventures ™️ based on our real adventures. I am the CEO of Queen Publishing Agency where I help queens like you get published. We were named in Marquis Who’s Who and have been on numerous podcasts and virtual book readings. Check out our children’s books, journals and coloring books. Look for our novel Mental Toughness for Young Athletes debuting soon!

Why I’m a barre instructor: I love fitness and the feeling I feel after a great workout. I just turned 50, so I want to keep up with my kids and all their activities, and Barre is a great way to do just that!

Why I practice myself: I practice Barre because I have weak knees from all the dancing I have done my whole life. I need a way to stay fit without more injuries. Barre is a great way to strengthen and build and tone muscle. I love to share my passion with you!

Favorite Exercise: Walks with my family and dog! We love to walk our nature trails right here by our home and Explore!!

Fun Fact: I broke a wild Mustang horse when I was 9 years old. I served a church mission for 19 months in Atlanta, GA. I got stuck in an elevator in our condo on the 27th floor in Chicago, IL with my baby and dog for over an hour. They finally had to pull us through the top in between floors. I have taught dance for over 30 years.

Hello! My name is Mariah Medina and I was born and raised in Denver Colorado. I recently graduated from the University of Denver with a BS in Business Administration.

Most of my life has consisted of performance and competitive dance from age 4 to 17. I also participated in tennis, cross country, poms, and basketball in high school and continued my interest in sports in college as I joined the DU Club Curling team. Throughout my life, I have been interested in business and design which led me to pursue my degree in marketing. The classes I took at DU gave me the chance to work with small businesses and help them with their marketing strategies.

Why I work with small businesses: I enjoy working with small businesses because my dad owns a family Mexican restaurant called Cafe Chihuahua. I have seen how hard it is to own a small business and the amount of dedication it takes to run day-to-day operations. This has inspired me to work with other small businesses and someday open one of my own.

Favorite exercise: Dancing! My favorite style of dance is contemporary.

Fun fact: I studied abroad in Korea for five months this past fall.

Hi! My name is Gabrielle! I’m an Ohio native but moved to Florida after high school to pursue my college degree. I have a 2-year-old son and recently got married. I am currently enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University on the path to receive my Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design & Media Arts with a concentration in web design. My ultimate goal is to use my degree to have my own web development/design business. Working as an assistant for MJ has granted me an opportunity to work on mastering the entrepreneurial skills and strategies that will help me to pursue my goals.