



Group classes
Well-rounded workouts, professional coaches, fun formats, plenty of exercise variation, and opportunities to make new friends who can push you past your comfort zone. What are you waiting for!?


Personal training
The details matter whether you're starting a new fitness journey, returning from an injury, seeking guidance on technique, or in need of a fresh approach to training. Our experienced coaches are here to help!


Compass consults
New to Trailhead? This is the place to start. Our coaches will spend up to an hour with you learning about your goals, athletic history, and what you hope to gain from training. We will then guide you through a movement screen which helps us understand how you move and guide the training process. We then make a solid plan of action to get you rolling. Sound great? We think so too!

I am a strong believer in Trailhead Athletics.
I have been working with Derek Shier as my personal trainer for the past three years. Derek’s workouts emphasizes a “whole body workout.” I highly value my twice weekly sessions with him. I am now fit and ready to do any of my favorite sports all year round.
I’m a 73YO woman who hasn’t always been fit.
Now I love an active sports lifestyle because I’m fit.
My workouts with Derek encourages me to engage in any sport I love, all year long!
People who working out at Trailhead Athletics are friendly and enjoy participating in group sessions
or working with a personal trainer.
Everyone who commits to coming regularly experiences satisfying results at Trailhead Athletics.
I am one of the many satisfied clients!

Brian has been an integral part of my son's gymnastics training. As his conditioning coach, Brian works to help prevent injury and increase strength for new skills and better form. We are so grateful for all of his and his staff's hard work with our son.

Awesome space and very friendly and helpful coaches. Dropped in for a morning class at Trailhead and had a ton of fun! They have a beautiful space for personal training too!

Friendly people, great vibes and fun fitness programming. You'll enjoy the classes and don't be surprised to rub elbows with local legends, professional athletes and of course weekend warriors. This is a good fitness studio to try if you are into mountain sports or if you need a new avenue for fitness. 👍

I highly recommend Trailhead Athletics for strength training and overall fitness. TH trainers are dynamite fitness experts! They know what it takes to help you reach your personal fitness and health goals. High intensity and fun group workouts focusing on strength, endurance and power. You will be challenged to be your best!
I walk out of class feeling strong, centered and empowered to ROCK the day… And that is why I keep going back.

Strength and conditioning small-group classes. Every day is different and it is more of a personal training session than a traditional fitness class. I have a weak wrist and the trainers know this so they give me alternatives when I need them. Nicola, Whitney, and Derek know us all by name so there is comeraderie with the trainers, and every workout begins with a round of names so we can all cheer each other on. I joined two years ago and it's the best thing I have done for my skiing and hiking. My friends dread the point of the night at the party when I say, "Let's go dancing!" because I have way more energy and endurance than they do. Don't worry about your finishing times during Fast classes, I always come in last. But I am faster than everyone else who decided to sleep in! Join, you will be so sore yet so happy. Plus if enough people join they may have to add a 5 am class.

What a great place to train! Wonderful people, great environment. Highly recommended.

Love their classes! The workouts are fun and great for a total body workout. I'm much more durable with mountain biking or trail running now that I've been going here.

Great training for mountain biking, skiing or any outdoor pursuit. Workouts are always different and interesting. The trainers are very professional and I don't worry about injuring myself during the workouts.

Kick your fitness into high gear with a group of fun folks!

I first met Brian in 2017 while working out at trailhead. I always felt super comfortable with him and didn’t hesitate to reach out when he opened up Ascent Strength & Conditioning during the pandemic. Brian is a very conscientious trainer, and he is adaptable. I always appreciate when he asks how my body is feeling before we start any workout. He tailors the exercises to meet me where I am. This greatly reduces any unnecessary stress on compromised tissues in my body, and it has provided space for me to heal injuries while making gains at the same time! This style also has kept me consistent with my workouts as I am never anxious about a PT session if I’m not feeling 100%. He keeps things positive and that is motivating for me—I always feel better after working out with Brian!
Brian has been a very well rounded coach—he has helped me with nutrition, macros, sleep and overall well being. I have seen tremendous results after 9 months of consistent workouts with Brian. I am stronger, my body composition has changed dramatically, my cardiovascular fitness is improved, and I feel better than I ever have. I recommend Brian with the deepest sincerity and confidence in his abilities as a super badass trainer. Good trainers are hard to find, and Brian is a true gem.

I can’t say enough positive things about Brian. I first met him in 2019 when he was teaching classes at Trailhead, however I’ve really gotten to know him over the last year as I’ve been training with him twice a week through Ascent Strength & Conditioning.
He always shows up with a positive attitude, a well thought out and interesting workout and is super attentive to my form and responsive to how I’m feeling. He took the time to learn about some back problems I’ve battled and he is quick and thoughtful when providing corrections or alternate exercises whenever something isn’t feeling quite right. He’s helped me stay motivated to get back into a regular workout routine and to feel stronger and more fit and confident than I have in a long time.
I was super excited to hear that Brian was taking over Trailhead. He sets a very high bar for himself and I’m sure he’ll keep that gym/programming as great as it’s been in the past. I’m also confident he’ll bring some new life and variety to the space and the community there. I look forward to continuing to train with him and I’d recommend Brian to anyone looking for a solid, dependable, knowledgeable coach and trainer.

I came to Brian not as a competing athlete, but as a regular guy with a serious passion for mountain biking and a strong will to improve my riding abilities. I had goals in mind that I wanted help reaching and wanted to see my overall performance on the bike improve.
I feel that I 100% came to the right place, as Brian has helped me reach and exceed some big goals! He helped me focus on training aspects that I never really put much thought or effort into, like balance & stabilization, posture, and shoulder/hip mobility. Brian has been able to help me make positive changes on all of these plus a real increase in strength, speed, & endurance. I absolutely feel that after putting in the hard work with Brian that my performance on the bike has increased dramatically!
I cannot recommend Brian highly enough for any of your training & coaching needs. Let him help you reach your goals, you won’t regret it!

I started training with Brian last August, and it's hands down one of the best decisions I've made in a while! Not only has his support, encouragement, and expertise helped transform me from a stick to a chick that can deadlift haha, but he figured out what many health professionals couldn't. Before training with Brian, I had chronic sharp pain around my shoulder/upper ribs, and no one could pinpoint the cause. Fortunately, Brian went out of his way to find that I had dorsal scapular nerve entrapment syndrome. With his help, my pain is almost obsolete now!
I hope my story shows you that Brian won't just make you stronger. He'll go the 9-yards because he genuinely cares about his clients' well-being. If you're thinking about getting a personal trainer, hit up Brian!

I've known Brian for a while now, He became the lead personal trainer at WWU as I worked as a personal trainer along side him. He's taught me a lot and knows a lot about functional movement and improving performance. He put together a strength and conditioning program to prepare me for the skiing season. It really improved my performance last season, increasing my, endurance and stability on the snowboard. Highly recommend checking him out, he is a great resource.

Hire Brian! He is the BEST personal trainer!
I came to Brian with prior injuries and he took the time to understand my concerns, goals and create a plan based on that. In the few months I’ve been working out with him, my knees and back have been strengthened and I’ve honestly never felt better. I can now look beyond injury prevention and focus on achieving new heights of strength. In summary, I’ve gotten the results I was looking for.
When you sign up with him, you’ll get a weekly in person meeting along with a personalized training plan that you can access digitally. Brian is attentive and collaborates with you to adjust the plan to your needs. Brians knowledge in person along with the online guide gives me the confidence to walk in any gym and crush it.
Brian is more than just a wealth of knowledge. He is friendly, motivating and he truly cares about your success. I genuinely look forward to working with him every week.
Maybe the most important thing is that Brian has taught me the joy of working out. Exercise used to be some chore that I would blindly do on occasion. Now exercise is something I’m excited to do regularly and, hey! It’s actually fun now 🙂

Brian is truly amazing. He really takes into consideration my fitness goals and creates an exercise routine around them. I’ve seen huge improvements in my snowboarding and every session is engaging, motivating, and fun. I would recommend him to anyone interested in seeing a personal trainer!

Brian is such an excellent person to work with! He really listens to what you are trying to accomplish and cares so much about getting you those results safely and efficiently. He is incredibly knowledgeable and supportive during coaching sessions. I always left each session feeling accomplished even on days when showing up for myself was hard. Can’t recommend him enough for ANY type of fitness goals you are working towards!

Brian is the best strength coach I’ve ever had. As an experienced enduro and XC mountain bike racer he has catered my training perfectly to the sports I love. After about a month I’m seeing huge gains in wattage, speed and comfort on the bike. He is also flexible and always asking about recovery and adapting the plan to stay in that training load sweet spot.

Brian’s a super cool dude, been working with him for 7 weeks and have gotten so much stronger on and off the bike. I also really liked having structure. It’s been really nice to be given something and just getting it done rather than riding when I want and working out when I felt like it!

Brian is an outstanding trainer with in-depth knowledge in the world of strength and conditioning. Follow his programs and you will get results!

We Build Strong Bodies.

Our Specialties
Trailhead Athletics creates more resilient athletes, and we’ve been doing it for more than 10 years, right at home here in Bellingham! We train for sport – not as sport.
- Group Strength & Conditioning Classes
Our classes are likely not what you’re used to. We plan out every minute of the time you’ve sacrificed to workout and stay active. These workouts are well rounded, challenging, and effective. - Personal Training
We start by getting to know you and your lifestyle with a comprehensive movement screen, short/long term goal setting, and setting a plan of action. Then, we get to work.
Let’s get you started.
Click Client Scheduling to book a free trial or a consultation!