“Suzie Cooney combines imagination, inspiration and perspiration. She’s a one-of-a-kind waterwoman; a brilliant and patient teacher. Oh, and she is also a complete badass, which is the highest compliment I can possibly give.”
—Susan Casey, bestselling author of The Wave and previous editor in chief of O, The Oprah Magazine and Outside magazine.
The waterwoman is still here.
But I am in a new season—and I know many of you are, too.
♦
I help active adults over 55 build strength, balance, mobility,
so they can age with confidence.
Suzie Cooney, CPT, CNTC
Suzie Trains Maui – The Mind Wins First
Aloha! I’m Suzie Cooney, I help active adults over 55 build strength, balance and mobility, so they can age with confidence. As a former sponsored ocean athlete and lifelong waterwoman now entering a new season myself, I know firsthand the importance of staying healthy so I can enjoy an active lifestyle.
I also offer sports-specific training for active adults who want to improve performance in paddling, surfing, golf, tennis, and other movement-based sports.
My Coaching Style & Experience:
From Maui, I coach clients worldwide through private training that blends functional strength, balance work, advanced neuroscience-based coaching, and a deep respect for the realities of aging well. My approach is shaped by more than 26 years as a high-level trainer, coach, athlete, and mentor, along with an earlier career in surgical sports orthopedics and physical therapy.
That combination gave me a broad understanding of how the body moves, how it recovers, and how important it is to train with both challenge and care.
What matters most to me is helping people feel capable again. I have worked with people who are rebuilding, people who are ready to level up, and people who simply want to feel strong, steady, and more at home in their bodies.
I know how to meet clients where they are, whether they are coming back from
injury, adjusting to aging, or looking to stay active with more confidence.
My coaching style is steady, adaptive, and encouraging, with enough challenge to create change and enough care to make it sustainable.
The waterwoman spirit still shows up in the way I coach: steady, adaptive, resilient, and always respectful of what the body is ready for.
(See my specialties below)
My Specialties
- Strength training for active adults 55+.
- Balance and proprioception
- Mobility and functional movement
- Core strength and body recomposition
- Injury-aware training and return to fitness
- Longevity, resilience, and sustainable movement
- Private 1:1 coaching in Maui or via Zoom
- Advanced neuroscience-based coaching — see my [Advanced Neuro-Transformational Coaching] page.
- Sports-specific training for paddling, surfing, golf, tennis, and other movement-based sports.
Wall Street Journal–published balance expert
Credentials
- Certified Personal Trainer since 2001, NASM
- Advanced Neuro-Transformational Coach, CNTC
- Certified Accelerator Group Coaching Method™.
- Author
- Contributing writer for the Wall Street Journal and other publications.
- Founder Strong Wahine Project 2025
- Public / Motivational Speaker.
- Former Professional Ocean SUP Athlete
- Former Global SUP Coach
- Mentor
- National/Internationl SUP Event Director
- Former Lifestyle and Sports Model, Television
Maui Life
When I’m not coaching, I enjoy playing guitar and piano, tending to my orchids, and staying connected to my adventurous spirit that first led me to motocross, the ocean, and a life outdoors.
The Waterwoman is Still Here
My work has grown because I have grown. In this personal essay, I share how a lifetime in the ocean, injuries, recovery, and approaching 60 shaped the way I now coach strength, balance, mobility and confidence for active adults over 55.
Read my story: The Waterwoman is Still Here
Media, Press & Career & Racing Highlights
Explore Suzie’s media features, other written publications, racing achievements, certifications, affiliations and legacy work. CLICK HERE
Ready to feel stronger, steadier, and more confident?
Let’s talk about your next season.
Book a consultation to see how we can work together
In strength,
Suzie Cooney, CPT, CNTC
