Lynnwood gym moves to the ground floor of Triton Court

LYNNWOOD — Trainer Frederick Brooks’ Lynnwood fitness business is doubling its space — an expansion he hopes will attract new clients while also giving him the ability to teach more people how to enter the fitness business.

The current location of Brooks’ Sound Sports and Training at 6812 196th St. SW crams an assortment of treadmills, exercise bikes, rowers and free weights into a tight, 1,750-square-foot space.

The new location on the ground floor of the four-story Edmonds College Triton Court Student Housing at 19921 68th Ave. W will be 3,600 square feet, Brooks said.

He said the grand opening is scheduled for Dec. 1.

Brooks said the expanded space offers more equipment, more room and more opportunities to expand his training business.

Brooks, 43, a former Marine sergeant turned fitness guru, started in an even smaller space. He operated a fitness studio in a 250-square-foot garage in Lynnwood in 2016. In 2021, he moved to his current location, where he trains 40 people.

But Brooks also enjoys teaching potential personal trainers on how to run their own fitness business.

Brooks had worked in several big-box gyms as a trainer. He said the problem for trainers working in those clubs is that a large part of the fee is kept by the health club.

He said the solution is for the trainers to open their own gym.

But Brooks said future trainers who want to build their business won’t be successful unless they develop great people skills.

“Good trainers know exercise, great trainers know people,” Brooks said.

He said understanding a client’s goals and knowing how to motivate them is at the heart of a good personal training relationship.

Brooks has taught courses on becoming a fitness professional at Lake Forest Technical College in Kirkland.

Brooks currently serves as president of the Washington State Chapter of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

He was one of the organizers of a conference at Edmonds College, sponsored by the association in June, to enhance the skills that personal trainers and strength and conditioning coaches need.

The conference was partially funded by an $8,800 tourism grant from Snohomish County. Brooks said the condition of the grant was that the meeting be held in the county. He said the 150 attendees came from across the state.

Brooks served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 10 years, completing two stints in Iraq.

He took a course to become a personal trainer in his final year in the service at Camp Pendleton in California, and said he fell in love with teaching fitness.

Brooks then earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from George Mason University in Virginia and a master’s in exercise science from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in Arizona.

Brooks was selected to fill the vacant National Strength and Conditioning Association state director position in 2023.

Brooks said he tells potential fitness owners about the importance of designing a fitness studio and maximizing space so multiple clients can train comfortably.

He also said they have to become an expert in marketing, learning how to maneuver social media and build their own website to promote their businesses. Brooks said referrals from existing clients are a key way to expand a trainer’s business, making it essential to have satisfied clients.

“The personal touch can’t be ignored,” he said.

Lynnwood personal trainer and Irish dance teacher Dawn Madsen credits Brooks with starting her on a path to opening a fitness training company.

Madsen, who has a background in kickboxing, started training with Brooks in 2022. She said she worked with Brooks for a year. Madsen said Brooks not only helped her get in shape, but also taught her how to work with clients to become a personal trainer.

“He’s very encouraging and a great listener,” Madsen said, teaching her how to use those same skills with clients.

Kimmy Navarro is doing an internship with Brooks now. She majored in data analytics at the University of Washington’s Bothell campus but has been an athlete all her life, including competing professionally in figure skating.

“Frederick is a great teacher; he’s always quizzing me about my fitness knowledge,” she said.

Navarro said she plans to become certified as a trainer in the coming month but has no desire to work anywhere but at Sound Sports and Training. She said Brooks creates an atmosphere where clients and trainers work collaboratively.

Navarro said clients range from 9 to an 82-year-old who trains every day and is in great shape.

She said that Brooks also teaches that personal training can be fun, and while clients have to engage in hard work, it doesn’t have to be dreadful.

“I enjoy the culture here,” Navarro said.

Randy Diamond: 425-339-3097; randy.diamond@heraldnet.com.