About Us

Travis Wapelhorst

My name is Travis Wapelhorst, Owner & Director of The National Personal Training Institute of Arizona.  As a graduate from this program back in 2011, I have seen and experienced first hand what a great education can do for one’s career as a fitness professional. Too many times personal trainers jump into the fitness industry with just a certification and no practical experience or further education and fail. It’s typically not from a lack of passion, but knowledge on how to get their clients results and grow their business. When the opportunity to move to Arizona and help others succeed presented itself, I immediately accepted. After living the rewarding life of being a successful fitness coach for nearly a decade, I want to help others do the same. In an industry full of average personal trainers, It’s our mission to create great trainers who will not only be highly educated but also confident and help others succeed in their fitness journeys. We’re here to help you become great, not average.

The National Personal Training Institute of Arizona is a vocational school, not a certification although we do teach the NASM certification within the program. The difference between the two is that a certification only requires one to read a book and take a test and our program makes sure you know what you learned by applying it. Also, you only get so much from a certification. Our Master Personal Trainer Diploma program goes way beyond what is learned in a book to give our students the very best education possible. Graduates of our program receive a state licensed diploma which never expires, a kettlebell certification, suspension certification, and a CPR/AED certification, and more importantly, an education that will help give you an advantage in the fitness industry.

The National Personal Training Institute of Arizona is located at The Gym Mesa. The Gym Mesa is over 40,000 square feet and has just about every piece of equipment imaginable and includes equipment that isn’t common in most box gyms. We want our students to have the best experience inside of class and out in the gym. We believe we have both covered.