Reviews

I don't live in the Bay area, but I was in town for a conference and wanted to book a session with a local kettlebell instructor. I found Cecilia's profile here on Dragon Door and she looked like "the one" to work with.

I sought feedback to improve my technique in the fundamental kettlebell movements. Over the last few years I have trained with half a dozen other certified kettlebell instructors, and find that I get the most from Cecilia's keen observations and astute feedback. Her cues are spot on, unique from other trainers, and enable me to make immediate improvements. Even focusing solely on technique and not a traditional workout of sets, reps, or timed intervals, I left our session totally spent and sore for days afterward!

I don't get to see Cecilia as often as I would like, but I leave with plenty of "homework" that carries me through for awhile afterward! I highly recommend Cecilia to anyone who wants to move better, get stronger, and become the most awesome version of yourself!

I booked a personal session with Cecilia Tom to help with my kettle bell work, which was self-taught up to that point. I knew I needed some direction and was a bit leery to hear everything that was wrong (I thought). Ceclia was kind, and gentle with her cues and tips. She was not condescending or rude about what needed help. She gave as many compliments as she did corrections. I was nervous to go because in my opinion all RKCs are bad-asses and I am not (yet). She was so easy to work with and I got specific instruction on what I did well, what needed changing and how to change it. I really was pleasantly surprised and now I will practice what she taught me and definitely book another session after I've mastered these first tips.

I first started working with Cecilia three years ago, as I was referred to her by my chiropractor to help recover from an injury. I was a little nervous about kettle bells, but with her guidance and expert knowledge I soon became very comfortable with them and feel much stronger and balanced. Her mobility exercises have been a great addition to my training also. A great benefit is her skill in making the exercise not only effective but efficient….I spend far less time training than before working with her, but get better results! She builds a nice community in her practice also, with classes and special holiday workouts that are fun and interesting.

Cecillia is a fantastic teacher of Kettlbell and other types of exercise and flexibility training. She has helped me gain flexibility in my injured neck and greatly increase my abdominal strength. I look forward to our sessions and I always feel better afterwards. I would recommend (and I have) Cecillia to anyone who wants to learn low-impact, highly effective strength and flexibility exercises.

Cecilia is a very knowledgeable Kettlebell instructor, as well as other areas of physical training. I started training with Cecilia about 6 months ago as I was looking for help in pursuit of my goal of passing the RKC. Having a few physical ailments, Cecilia has been helping me using Z-health. Cecilia also opened my eyes to using Indian Clubs to help with my shoulder problems. She has shown me various techniques that I use to improve areas where I lack of mobility.
She is very observant during our training sessions, and is great about pointing out improvements that I can make in my technique.
Every training session is an opportunity to learn something new. Cecilia is a very innovative trainer. During the time that I have been training with Cecilia my cardio and strength have improved dramatically. I highly recommend having Cecilia as a trainer.

I have been training with Cecilia for over a year. This woman is a keen observer and knows how to make your movement harder or easier or just more efficient and has the discernment to know which would better serve you. She seems to know when to push and how far. She gives thought to her workouts and is keenly observant throughout the workout. She has a huge toolbox full of surprising ideas. She brings a sense of fun to her workouts. She is also an expert at Z-Health. I am (almost) 64 and doing something this intense has been a challenge (especially with a shoulder with limited movement), but Cecilia has worked with me at my beginning level and has made me much stronger and, better yet, my physical movements in day-to-day living has been much more effortless. When I started I, intended to learn just enough proper form to do at home as it is a 20 mile (one-way) trip to the City, but working with Cecilia in person is a special treat - for the workout, the fun and the tremendous support. So, I do both. Cecilia is about living and not just about kettlebells. Thank you Cecilia!

I have been training with with Cecilia for over a year. Cecilia is smart, observant, and precise. She never says too much, but when she speaks you better listen. She saves her words to articulate the best feedback and response possible in hopes to improve her client's performance. I would recommend Cecilia to anyone who is looking to work hard and cut out a lot of the BS you may find with other trainers and instructors.

I have now worked with Cecilia for over three years. I first discovered hear after learning about kettlebells and doing som on-line research. She has been great to work with and brings expert knowledge of kettle bells/RKC protocls and theories, but is also very well versed in other modalities such as Z-health. Every work-out is new and interesting and she is very tuned in to my body and what works and what doesn't. Highly reccomend her.

As soon as I saw Cecilia's DragonDoor profile, I knew she was the one I needed to connect with to get me on the right kettlebell path. I needed help, badly. I had a couple private sessions with her and joined her for one group class. She took the time at each step, dead lift, goblet squat, swing, press, & TGU to provide me with a wonderful RKC foundation. I just attained RKC status in Chicago this month and I owe much of my success to her getting me off on the right foot.

-Forever Indebted

I had the pleasure of being an assistant with Cecilia on Team Nepodal at a RKC Level II certification in July, 2011. She is an amazing instructor. She has a lot of great knowledge and demonstrates unreal technique. Cecilia is also a very caring instructor who does go above and beyond the call of duty to help her students learn. Cecilia is also a strong lady. I highly encourage you to have Cecilia as your instructor. No matter what you are trying to achieve, whether it be strength, endurance, conditioning, flexiblity or fat-loss, Cecilia is your answer.

I was a pretty serious athlete in high school and college, which meant two things: 1) my body was used up like a crushed beer can, and 2) I had basically been doing the same kind of workout continuously for the past 15 years. I was bored with the gym, and every joint had an issue. I'm really glad I started working out with Cecilia.

In addition to really challenging and engaging me, Cecilia's integration of Pilades into her workouts, her uncanny ability to inspire proprioception, and really solid understanding of how the human body works netted me quick results and had me feeling fitter than I had in years.

And then I had to move to New York... dammit.

Small, steely, and strong. That is the description of a kettlebell that i would offer to anyone who did not know what i know.

Small, steely, and strong. Cecilia Tom. Unobtrusive enough to refrain from demanding a leadership position, yet groovy enough to know that she could hold one, CT will likely floor with with the initials after her name [Stanford!] and then reanimate you with yoga, kettlebells, Z-Health, and the like.

I have only worked with this young lady a few times, still i'm aware that it is her nature to seek her best self in order to help you acquire your own. Go ahead and get silly enough to think that the Tiny Tank can't make it happen. You may not get up off the floor.

My wife and I have been learning Kettlebells under Cecilia's instruction for 8 months.

She has taken us from weak and novice, to confident, competent and strong.

Classes incorporate components of other disciplines, such as Yoga, Pilates, and Z-health, which draw on Cecilia's considerable and diverse experience. The body awareness that she has fostered in us could not have been achieved through bells alone, and I believe we're better at bells as a result.

Her instruction is concise, refined, and personal. Patronization isn't in her nature, which is an enormous plus.

Cecilia has built us up to a level where we are both more than confident enough to safely workout at home (and we do), yet her instruction and classes are unique and challenging enough to keep us coming back, week after week.

I had the privilege of attending Cecilia's introductory class in San Francisco. Her attention to detail and her clear instruction on the basic movements paired with her depth of knowledge make her an excellent teacher. In a class of first timers she was able to address individual needs while maintaining the energy of the group.

I look forward to learning more from her.

I met Cecilia Tom at the USF Joint Mobility class. After three or four months of physical therapy, core strengthening and pain management work I had reached a plateau, was in pain and un-energized. Then hope was restored ... one 75 minute class with Cecilia and I felt an awakening of strength, energy and confidence.

Cecilia leads her classes with continual instruction throughout each move, which allows students the opportunity to make corrections and maximize both learning and performance. I have experienced the benefit of her expansive and ever evolving training and expertise.

Since I felt the best after Cecilia's Joint Mobility classes, I started taking kettle ball classes with her. I was nervous about the class due to a lower back injury and knee surgery recovery. I shared my concerns with Cecelia and she took the time to explain the benefits of the kettle ball workout both verbally and in writing, addressing each of my questions and concerns. The class is a needed challenge and Cecilia's instruction style, motivation and attention to my physical concerns provide the push to keep going and to celebrate strength. Thank you!

Cecilia Tom is a top notch instructor. She smart, quiet, watches carefully, and gives articulate pointed comments, backed up with practical tips for improvement. I had trained with kettlebells for a couple of years before attending one of her clinics, which brought me back for her group classes and privates. She has been a great help in helping me refine and improve get-ups, snatches, swings, and presses, all of which have improved markedly with her assistance, and I look forward to working with her on more advanced exercises such as push-presses and jerks. In addition to her RKC training she has extensive training in yoga, pilates, and related disciplines which bring breadth and depth to her coaching. Very highly recommended.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!