A 60-Min One-on-One Session with Renowned Celebrity Fitness Trainer, Michael Olajide Jr.

Location:  

AEROSPACE High Performance Center
121 West 27th Street
New York City

212.929.1640

A former champion boxer and international fitness expert, Michael Olajide, Jr. is the Co-Founder, Director of Programs and Chief Instructor at AEROSPACE.

Born in Liverpool, England, Michael and his family moved to Vancouver, Canada, in 1970. At age 18, Michael began his career as a professional boxer trained by his father Michael Olajide, Sr. and renowned boxing coaches Hector Rocca (Buddy McGirt, Arturo Gatti) and Angelo Dundee (Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard).

“My father taught me how important conditioning is to being a true champion,” Michael says. “I think that advice has always stayed with me.”

Known as “Silk” for his exceptionally smooth footwork, hand speed and head movement, Michael’s boxing record was 28 wins and 4 losses – with 20 wins by knockout. Michael earned four championship titles and became the No. 1 ranked middleweight contender in the world. His boxing career highlights include:

1990: Fought Thomas “Hitman” Hearns for the World Super Middleweight Title
1990:#2 World Super Middleweight Contender
1987:#1 World Middleweight Contender
1987:WBC Intercontinental Middleweight Champion
1985:World Athletic Association Middleweight Champion
1984:Canadian Middleweight Champion
1984:Pacific Northwest Middleweight Champion

Michael paid the price for his pugilistic glory. The patch is not part of a calculated image. He is legally blind in his right eye, and his 1991 retirement from boxing was the result of his eye injury. “I wasn’t seeing ’em coming anymore,” Michael says.

Using some of the smooth moves he perfected in the ring and combining them with basic conditioning movements such as jumping rope, push-ups and lower body lunges, Michael pioneered the innovative and challenging AERO workouts, including AEROBOX®, AEROJUMP®, AEROSCULPT™ and AEROIMPACT™ that use the training techniques of boxing to help clients achieve optimum health.

“AEROSPACE goes beyond boxing, truth be told, to create the ultimate fitness experience,” says Michael. “Using the techniques of professional athletes is the best way to perfect every physical and mental attribute – endurance, dexterity, power, speed and focus. It’s the most efficient, effective and rewarding workout on the planet.”

Kathy Smith, “America’s Fitness Guru,” teamed up with Michael to produce the AEROBOX™ Workout video in 1995 that went to No. 3 on the Billboard Health and Fitness Charts. Shape magazine called the AEROBOX™ Workout “one of the best video workouts of all time.”

Michael’s expertise in the ring and at New York City’s top fitness clubs quickly got the attention of leading directors including Spike Lee, Michael Mann and George Wolfe who asked him to serve as a consultant on their films and theatrical productions.

For Spike Lee’s Subway Stories series for HBO, Michael choreographed the fight scenes, and in Ali, starring Will Smith, he helped cast key parts and ensured that the boxing scenes were realistic. Michael also worked as a choreographer on a number of highly acclaimed theatrical productions including Blade to the Heat starring Kamar Delosreyes at the Shakespeare Public Theater and Golden Boy starring Alfonso Ribiero at City Center in New York City.

In 2003, Michael teamed up with actor and first-time director John Leguizamo for Undefeated, for which he taught Leguizamo how to box like a champion and also starred as his title-holding opponent. In 2004, Michael will be featured in the Showtime release Paradise, starring Kirk Acevedo.

In 2004 Michael was hired by celebrated director Brian Depalma to consult and choreograph the fight scenes for the 2005 release of a film named The Black Dahlia, starring Josh Hartnett, Mark Wahlberg and Scarlett Johansson.

The AEROBOX™ and AEROJUMP™ workouts are also popular master classes that have been presented at fund raisers and benefits for the Arthur Ashe Foundation, Bennetton: Give a Kid a Dream Charity and for the fight against Muscular Dystrophy.

The opening of AEROSPACE marks the culmination of Michael’s career and the next stage of his revolution in fitness.

“Whatever your personal goals, AEROSPACE will help you reach your potential,” Michael says.