Meet your Cook County Neighbor: AJ Schaefer
Sep 29, 2025 08:23AM ● By Editor
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A Boreal Community Media Exclusive - September 27, 2025
AJ Schaefer is a Certified Personal Trainer at Grand Marais Barbell.
A Boreal Community Media Exclusive - September 27, 2025
AJ Schaefer is a Certified Personal Trainer at Grand Marais Barbell.
How did you land in Cook County? What journey led you here?
I landed in Cook County just a few months ago. My father-in-law runs Coldwater Foundation which is up the Gunflint trail at Mink Lake camp. He asked me to be an intern leading trips in the Boundary Waters which brought me up here for the summer. My wife got a summer job in town and after a few weeks we decided to stay long term!
I landed in Cook County just a few months ago. My father-in-law runs Coldwater Foundation which is up the Gunflint trail at Mink Lake camp. He asked me to be an intern leading trips in the Boundary Waters which brought me up here for the summer. My wife got a summer job in town and after a few weeks we decided to stay long term!
Tell us a bit about your new role as a Certified Personal Trainer at Grand Marais Barbell.
Grand Marais Barbell is a great gym and Carmen (the owner) is very gracious to let me coach there. She does a lot of group fitness work which works great because I excel at one-on-one coaching or small groups.
My normal routine is to meet with an interested client and learn their goals and their obstacles that prevent them from reaching their goals. Then I put a workout plan together and we start training! Every workout plan is personalized towards the individual’s ability and/or limitations. No matter where someone starts on their fitness journey there is always room for improvement and it is my job to get them there!
What words of encouragement do you have for someone just starting out who fears being judged when walking through those doors for the first time for a session?
My encouragement to someone just starting out is everybody’s got to start somewhere. No one walks into the gym for the first time completely in shape and perfect. It can be awkward at first and feel like everyone is looking at you but no one really is. They are too focused on their own goals and seeing a new person just starting out can be really motivating to everyone else in the gym.
My encouragement to someone just starting out is everybody’s got to start somewhere. No one walks into the gym for the first time completely in shape and perfect. It can be awkward at first and feel like everyone is looking at you but no one really is. They are too focused on their own goals and seeing a new person just starting out can be really motivating to everyone else in the gym.
How did you get started in this business? Did you know at a young age that you wanted to work as a trainer?
After graduating from college with a Physical Education degree I decided to work at a YMCA as their Fitness Director. This role jump started my passion for personal training. I became certified through ISSA and moved on to work at various gyms.
When we decided to move here I thought I would start an “in-home” personal training business until someone told me about Grand Marais Barbell. I toured the new facility, chatted with the owner, and started the search for interested clients.
What do you enjoy most about living and working in Cook County?
Grand Marais is great! I’ve always lived in the most boring towns with nothing to do so living in Cook County where there is beautiful Lake Superior on one side and the adventurous boundary waters on the other side is amazing. I also enjoy the touristy season of the summer with lots of people and shops and festivals then it slowly fades into a desolate winter where everyone hibernates.
Grand Marais is great! I’ve always lived in the most boring towns with nothing to do so living in Cook County where there is beautiful Lake Superior on one side and the adventurous boundary waters on the other side is amazing. I also enjoy the touristy season of the summer with lots of people and shops and festivals then it slowly fades into a desolate winter where everyone hibernates.
Do you have any hobbies that you enjoy when you are not busy working?
Outside of work I’m usually spending time with my wife (Linden), dog (Eddie), and cat (Gus). We enjoy watching movies, hiking, traveling, and most importantly eating lots of food!
Outside of work I’m usually spending time with my wife (Linden), dog (Eddie), and cat (Gus). We enjoy watching movies, hiking, traveling, and most importantly eating lots of food!
If you are interested in training with AJ at Grand Marais Barbell you can contact him at (515) 451-8959 or email at [email protected]
