Tal Cohen is an ideal personal trainer for me. I wanted to add some strength, flexibility and balance elements to the swimming, kayaking and walking that I was already doing. I knew that just using the weight machines (which I enjoy) wasn't enough, so I asked the Fitness Director at the Longmont Recreation Center who she'd recommend for a couple of sessions.
I explained that I needed a good match, because I had had a training session with someone who made me feel less than bright, which meant I didn't return, and I've taken kayak lessons from people who made me want to whack them with my paddle. I went on to explain I don't learn physical things easily, which makes me irrationally, immaturely cranky and that doesn't make me happy with myself, either. She laughed and suggested Tal Cohen.
Tal is just right for me. She is low-key, almost neutral. She didn't say, "Oh, wow, you're going to start working out at your age; that's wonderful!" Nor did she say, "Hum, weird, you just did that exercise on your right side and you don't remember what to do now that you've rolled over?" She just asked what I hoped to get out of the sessions and explained clearly why people need more than the weight machines.
What she did do is say, repeatedly, "If it hurts, let me know. There are lots of ways to work muscles and I'll find exercises that are right for you." That put me at ease in the beginning, because I thought I needed to baby one knee and my lower back clicked alarmingly during some floor work.
She also never made me feel uncoordinated or foolish. I know I looked pretty hopeless a lot of the time, but with her calm pointers it never bothered me. For me that has been wonderful.
As the first couple of weeks were ending I moved into a longer-range commitment. This is what I said after five months: "I work with Tal two times a week. Since I started my balance is much better, my flexibility has improved, I am stronger, I can duplicate physical actions she shows me more easily, and I am so proud of myself. Some days we still do exercises that make me look silly because I don't have the coordination, or balance or strength, but I know I'm doing things my body needs to stay active and I don't care. Other days most of the exercises seem familiar and I feel like an athlete; that's awesome!"
More than four years later I am still working out with Tal. As my abilities developed she commented on the improvements in subtle ways. When she says I've improved, she's believable because she's specific and she's not effusive; I have confidence in her because I feel her evaluations are honest.
I like that she's confident in her teaching abilities. She recognizes that she instinctively tailors what she's teaching to different abilities and different learning styles. She can think of an incredible number of ways to work what needs working; a session with her is not a routine and it's never boring! She also keeps a mental record of what we've done and what needs extra work during the next session. She values my feedback, for example when I say, "Let's to that again; that feels like it's something I especially need to work on."
I have also enjoyed getting to know her personally. She's definitely "at work" when she's training--it's not time to chat like girls at lunch--but she shares bits about her life and listens to bits about mine to just the right extent. We're in a mentor-client relationship, but I feel like I've gained a friend, too. read more
