Current Employment
1. Adjunct Faculty, Physical Education Department, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA ~ designs and teaches courses in Pilates, Yoga & Tai Chi
2. Pilates Mat Instructor, UCSF Bakar Fitness & Recreation Center
3. Qigong / Tai Chi Instructor, USF Koret Health & Recreation Center
4. Pilates / Kettlebell Trainer (privates, duets), Hayes Valley, San Francisco
Coming Soon to San Francisco! (Summer 2008)
My own studio, prAxis Kettlebell Athletica, offering group classes & individual instruction in the most effective modalities for strength training and movement education.
Training
1. Certified RKC Russian Kettlebell Instructor by Pavel Tsatsouline
2. Certified Pilates Instructor with Master Teacher Carol Appel / Body Kinetics
(comprehensive 650-hour training including full mat and equipment repertoire)
3. Certified Fletcher Towelwork Instructor (training that focuses on shoulder girdle
stability, mobility and strength)
4. Yin Yoga Teacher Training with Sarah Powers
5. Certified Yoga Teacher with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center
6. Certificate in Integrated Yoga Studies from the California Institute of Integral
Studies
7. Attended workshops within the last 5 years with the following teachers: Michael Reed
Gach (acupressure & yoga), Laura Cornell (yoga), Sophia Reinders (yoga & Jungian
psychology), Anna Halprin (dance & movement ritual), Richard Rosen (yoga), and
Patricia Sullivan (yoga)
8. Upcoming: Z Health R-Phase certification, July / September 2008
Dance
I have danced and performed with
1. Peony Performing Arts (Chinese classical dance)
2. Kaiwen You’s China Dance School (Chinese classical dance)
3. Bruce “Mui” Ghent’s Chidori Taiko Troupe
Martial Arts
Since 1995 I have studied various styles of traditional Chinese kung fu. I learned
Yang-style Tai Chi (Cheng Man Ching 37-posture short form) from Master Terry
Li in San Francisco. For the last six years, I have trained exclusively at Brent
Hamby’s EBM Kung Fu Academy, also home of the Oakland Sanshou Team.
The systems that I practice include Northern Shaolin, Xing Yi, Shaolin Marrow
Washing Qigong, Taoist White Crane Qigong, and Sanshou kickboxing.
Other Fun Stuff
1. Completed one year of static trapeze training at the San Francisco Circus Center
2. Completed one year (Levels 1-6) of pole dancing classes at Sheila Kelley’s S
Factor
Education
1. BA in Economics & International Relations, Stanford University
2. MA in International Policy Studies, Stanford University
Professionally my interest is in training for functional fitness and athleticism.
Personally, I like to think of myself as a Renaissance monkey. I don’t do cardio and I
don’t exercise :-) I engage in physical activities that I enjoy, and aesthetic
quality and mindfulness are important aspects in how I relate with and experience my
body in movement.
Customer reviews of:
Cecilia Tom
Average Rating: 10.0 in 8 reviews
A Spreader of Knowledge and Inspiration
Rated 10 out of 10
Cecilia Tom knows her stuff. Within seconds of showing her my shaky self taught swing technique she pointed out several glaring mistakes I was making, which were invisible to me but quite obvious to her. The tools she gave me for correcting my form has made my swing 'practices' exponentially safer and more rewarding. The next two times I met with her she put me through pilates courses that were humbling, to say the least. Cecilia has the gift of inspiring people to push themselves to their limits, then blow right past them. You will work harder than you thought yourself capable of! It was eye opening to see how intense and energizing core work can be. All my ab training for the past year paled in comparison to the 1/2 hour I spent on the pilates machine under Cecilia's guidance. During my third session Cecilia had me do a few Z-Health moves that made me scary flexible, and also taught me the basics of the clean and press and snatch. Cecilia's breadth of knowledge is staggering. From pilates to Z-Health to kettlebells, I came away from every session time feeling inspired and very well informed. I can't wait till I'm back in San Francisco to learn more!
Micah Davis - Santa Fe, NM USA
Cecilia will get you strong and healthy without experiencing pain
Rated 10 out of 10
Cecilia is knowledgeable in so many modalities. After a year of training with her i still learn so much, and that's also cause she keeps learning and building her knowledge. I've always exercised and felt pain but this is not her approach. It's about developing health and core strength without injury. If you're scared of gyms but seek health then Cecilia is definitely your teacher. Even when you hope she didn't see your mistakes she'll catch it every time and guide you safely. It's so true that she can push your perceived limits. Where surgeons have failed me completely with shoulder pain issues Cecilia has truly guided me in how i can strengthen them without that crippling pain. I've trained with many teachers but Cecilia is the one i owe so much to. Her joint-mobility class at the USF Koret Center is excellent.
Mark Hall - San Francisco
Simple and effective
Rated 10 out of 10
Cecilia brings a wealth of experience to the table, including her knowledge of kettlebells and Z-health. Working together these two factors can help turn around even the seemingly most hopeless of souls. Remember that just because YOU may not think it can be done, does not mean it is impossible. It is just a matter of engaging a trainer with the knowledge and skillset necessary to help you get to where you want to be. Cecilia is just such a trainer.
Jordan Vezina RKC - Palo Alto, CA
Supportive Coach and Instructor
Rated 10 out of 10
I recently attended a Russian Kettlebell instructor certification program in San Jose. Cecilia Tom was one of the instructors for my team. Her training advice concerning kettlebell technique and strategies for correcting neurological dysfunction were key to my success and improvement during the course.
Cecilia was encouraging and offered sage advice concerning the career aspects of kettlebell training and instruction.
Cecilia's voracious appetite for understanding functional fitness, athleticism and how the human body moves clearly manifested itself in the quality of instruction she provided.
If you desire a mindful approach to your fitness and desire a true lifestyle of health, wellness, and physical tuning seek out Cecilia Tom.
Stephen M. Nepa - Rabun Gap, GA
Hard Core
Rated 10 out of 10
Since I also take pilates lessons from Cecilia--in addition to weekly kettlebell classes--I can vouch for her appreciation of the whole-body workout, where brawny demonstrations are only impressive if achieved through conscious movement and excellent form. Cecilia makes it her priority to get fine-tune your form and movement, making it safer to snatch those big bells! Her athletic theory is thoughtful and effective. This is *not* to say that you won't break a sweat--she'll push you just beyond your self-perceived limits for a challenging workout that satisfies. She does a body good.
Leilani Marie Labong - San Francisco, CA
In a quiet, sublte way, awesome at correcting technique
Rated 10 out of 10
I had the privilege of attending the San Jose RKC certification workshop. Cecilia was one of my instructors. She had a very quiet, yet relevant presence throughout the weekend. Very knowledgeable. She was able to correct more than one of my dysfunctional techniques, and I still think of keeping my "hips straight" each time I swing or snatch. Cecilia has the ability to touch people in a non-threatening way, and I feel truly blessed to have been one of her "victims". Thanks Cecilia! I look forward to working with you in the future!
Stephanie Myers - Lansdale, PA
Cecilia Possesses all the qualities of a great instructor
Rated 10 out of 10
Cecilia possesses the rare distinction of being able to both "do" and as well as teach, and she does so with patience and direction. She presents the information differently to each person, adapting to their abilities, and when one technique doesn't work, she adjusts her approach to better suit the student's needs. Cecilia also flows the information incrementally, making it easier to comprehend the movements as you advance, and never allows dangerous or bad habits to persist.
In short, with Cecilia, you get solid, safe instruction in an inspiring environment.
H. Serang - San Francisco, CA
An amazing instructor!
Rated 10 out of 10
Cecilia Tom is a fantastic instructor. I'm not new to Kettlebell, having completed my RKC in April, 2009; the depth of expertise Cecilia displays is phenomenal. She diagnosed my mobility issues in great detail, taught me multiple patterns to increase mobility, and made me sore in spots I didn't know existed. I literally had to go home and write notes to myself about the variety of topics and movements we covered in our training sessions together so I practicing them.
How highly would I recommend working with Cecilia? The instruction was worth every penny and then some; I've referred my colleagues at my day to her for their introduction to kettlebells. I plan on following up with additional training sessions with her the next time I'm in San Francisco. I don't think there's a higher recommendation than that.
