What people are saying about Suzie Cooney
Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card and how you leave others feeling after an experience with you becomes your trademark
Recent Testimonial 11/18/2024
My name is Abigail McCarthy. I’m from Seattle, and I discovered Suzie in 2018, because all the paddlers I knew were talking about her. I followed her on Instagram, and then in 2019 I asked her to help me train for the virtual half M2O. 
My biggest fitness frustrations before I started training with Suzie were not knowing how to maximize my workouts, so I’d get the biggest benefit in the shortest amount of time. I also struggled with fitting workouts into my busy life, and I really wanted someone to help me stay accountable. Also, I kept hitting plateaus and didn’t know how to level up my fitness goals.
My primary fitness goals when I first started working with Suzie were to improve my performance as a surfer and paddler, but also to look like a surfer and paddler! I wanted to get faster, get more fit, and look better in jeans!
Working with Suzie has impacted my overall health by helping me to achieve all the fitness goals I outlined above. Not just that, she’s changed my perspective on working out completely. I look forward to my workouts- especially weekly Suzie sessions- and relish the endorphins and the gains I’m seeing. She changes things up constantly- we try new exercises and mix things up all the time. It’s never boring!! I’ve also benefitted from her neuroscience expertise and learned to channel my thoughts better in the water and when I’m lifting and doing circuit training. Suzie always says, “the mind wins first”, and that’s 100% true. Working with her has helped me maintain a positive mindset and to make better choices in my workouts and in other parts of my life.
It’s hard to pick just one specific accomplishment from the last 5 years of working with Suzie, but if we’re sticking to hard facts, I’ve lost 20 lbs and kept it off. I feel happier and more comfortable in my body than I have in years. I also did the 16 mile half M2O on my (prone) paddleboard, and slowly built myself a home workout space where I love to train.
One of the biggest challenges I faced in my training was that I had trouble eating like an athlete, and I struggled with consistency both in training and in my diet. Suzie is an amazing cheerleader, and she celebrates milestones with me as well as daily achievements. For the longest time I felt like I shouldn’t need help staying on track with workouts, but as we continued to train together, she’s helped me recognize that every single day matters. I send her my workouts and talk about what I want to do next, and she’s helped me through a couple of rough patches too. In the past, I’ve tried to lose weight with crash diets and eliminating entire food groups, but the thing that’s really made a difference is consistency!
The biggest changes I’ve seen in my physical abilities and my lifestyle since I started training with Suzie are increased resilience and stamina, and increased mindfulness about workouts and what I eat. Smarter training makes for faster recovery from small injuries, and for more activities overall that are injury free. As I get older, I have to be more intentional about how I train for my favorite sports. Suzie has been enormously helpful in that.
I am a better version of myself after 5 years of working with Suzie. I feel more confident and comfortable in my physical body, which is the result of a lot of hard work. I’m also much better at slowing down and listening to my heart when I make decisions at work or in my personal life. It’s a lot easier to stay centered when you can do the things you love better!
If you’re considering hiring a personal trainer, you could not do better than to choose Suzie. Almost every fitness-minded woman I know has had the experience of going to a gym and signing up with a trainer, only to get handed off to a 20-something bro who immediately tells you to eat 120+g of protein a day and lift heavy. Suzie knows from her own experience as an athlete what it takes to get and stay strong and fit. She’ll help you start with goals that fit your life, age, and body type, and then help you recognize how much more you’re capable of achieving. I have benefitted so much from the personalized workouts she puts together from me and from having her as my coach. She’s removed a lot of my worries about aging and not being able to do the things I love because we’ve built such a strong foundation. I’ve also gotten to go hang out with her on Maui and surf, which is pretty freaking great!
There’s plenty of ways to become fitter off the water and a million personal trainers that can help you get here, but not many can offer land-based training that actually helps you become not only a fitter paddler but also a more effective paddler. That’s exactly what Suzie does though; everything she teaches is designed to improve your balance, technique and power of your stroke.
I did a couple of hour-long session with Suzie that included everything from medicine balls to TRX to kettle-bell workous, as well as a whole bunch of random exercises in between (watch out for the Rings of Fire workout, that one’s a killer).
I also counted approximately five hundred different types of balance boards and balance balls laying around Suzie’s studio, most of which come into play at some point, so expect to be humbled.
You’ll wake up the next day feeling sore but satisfied knowing you’re not only that extra bit fitter but also stronger and more effective on your paddleboard.
So next time you’re on Maui (or if you just want a consultation via Skype) get in touch with Suzie Cooney. You’ll get a tough, fun and very entertaining workout that’ll make you not only a fitter paddler, but also a more effective one.
Went home, bought a board and set the goal to complete the 22 miler across Tahoe race (supported by a lovely wife who knows I need a “focus” on a physical activity. I achieved that in 2011. Did a number of other races, many sponsored by South Lake Tahoe Stand Up Paddle. Trained more, paddled lots, coached more by Tracy Day, bought another board a Flatwater Paddle, a fricking rocket. Then won the 18-55 age group in the 12′ 6″ class in the 2012, 22 miler. By the way, all at age 50!
Suzie is definitely a high ranking ambassador of SUP awesomeness, along with many others.
Having been in professional sports for over 15 years, I have never experienced such a great improvement in so little time – too bad my Maui vacation ended so quickly. I came to Suzie specifically to improve my core strength fort he NYC marathon next week and I now feel extremely confident that my core muscles will be ready for the challenge. I can recommend Suzie to anyone at any level of fitness without hesitation.
There’s nothing like a face-to-face conversation over ono burgers at the Fish Market Restaurant in Paia, especially after all the support we’ve gained from Suzie over the past months. How did two 63 year olds from Oregon come to be trained by Suzie Cooney on Maui? That’s quite a story.
I called and arranged an appointment. It was one of the best steps I have ever taken which has had nothing, but HUGE positive effects on improving my windsurfing skills and increasing my level of enjoyment on the water. Suzie comprehends our beloved sport of sailboarding so well, that she knows exactly what core training exercises, and balance procedures to execute during our workouts. She actually works-out with me for many of the exercises, and makes absolutely certain that each exercise is performed correctly with the right breathing, and body posture.
On most training days, I usually will sail the same day, and I can immediately experience the benefits of Suzie’s tailored training. As an example, my light wind water jibes are much easier now and I hardly ever fall into the water. I also notice, that I can make stronger jumps, as well as make more aggressive cut backs on wave faces. I attribute all of these improved skills to Suzie’s training. I feel very certain that without Suzie Q’s training, I would still be a much weaker sailor. Suzie is one of the most professional, caring, brightest people I have ever had the pleasure to work with. I am so lucky to have one of the best trainers one could ever dream about, for ocean sports. Once you train with Suzie you will start sailing stronger, and happier right away. Suzie is simply the very BEST, certainly a 10 out of 10 in my life. I can’t wait for my next session with Suzie. Try her once and you will never go back or be the same on the water.
I’ve been training Mike for many years. He is very strong and an amazing windsurfer. He is focused and always performs to whatever I set forth for our session. I really enjoy training Mike. Thanks Mike for all your support! Good job and see you on the water!
— Suzie Cooney