Cohen is a popular trainer who teaches at Life Time’s New York location, where he inspires class members to find new jobs or make other major life changes
At four Life Time facilities in New York City, dynamic NASM certified personal trainer Casey Cohen is leading a cathartic fitness movement. Her motto is “You never need external validation to validate yourself,” which is reflected in her AMP Cycle, Xtreme HIIT, and Maxout Core classes, which offer members more than just calorie-burning and strength-training opportunities; The sense of community and camaraderie.
The fitness expert is an ambitious native New Yorker who has worked in service roles and launched a nightlife career in top clubs while attending New York University before turning to fitness.
Cohen was easily recruited by Life Time vice president of scouting Efonda L. Sproles.she is now extreme face, a bootcamp-style HIIT class, and guides her fitness sessions in an authentic way.The approach resonated life Membership, allowing Cohen to build impactful, lasting connections with fitness enthusiasts looking to unleash their energy, connect and transform their lives.
CohenHaving taught at Life Time’s NoHo, 23rd Street, Wall Street and Sky locations, he is passionate about the luxury lifestyle operator and impressed with its growth.
“Life Time is expanding rapidly,” Cohen said, noting the new amenities at Life Time Penn 1. The new fitness club is located adjacent to Madison Square Garden, a hub for New York City workers, commuters and residents. The two-phase project, now in its final stages, features the largest number of indoor pickleball courts in Manhattan and a dedicated training facility.
“Life Time continues to grow here,” she said of Life Time’s continued growth. “They’re opening two more locations in Brooklyn. That’s a lot.”
Life Time has always been committed to providing members with a top-notch experience and recently launched the Class Collection, which brings together more than 40 classes to provide a truly boutique fitness experience, covering barre, boxing/kickboxing, cardio, cycling, dance, strength and yoga , as well as Life Time’s signature courses Alpha, GTX, Ultra Fit, and MB360 and Arora courses suitable for mature fitness members. The Class Collection also includes new formats such as Remixx Step, Danze Jam, Maxout Core and Xtreme Kettlebell.
Like Cohen, Life Time is service-oriented, listening to fitness consumers to discover their motivations and needs. The leading high-end sports club operator gave Cohen creative freedom, which in turn benefited from the experience of her class members, who ranged in age from approximately 20 to 80 years old.
“The best thing is I’m encouraged to be myself,” she said of the luxury fitness brand. “What I find most amazing is that something I talk about in class or something I’m teaching, I can really target everyone in the room. Everyone is connected to each other in some way.”
Find your own teaching style
Cohen is the first to admit that she has a rather interesting teaching style that developed organically from her education and experience in the fitness ecosystem. As with any creative approach, she injects her signature flair.
“There are people who interest me in fitness, who I learn from, who I think are successful—they are who they are,” she explains.
Rumble co-founder Noah Neiman is one of the most influential mentors and a key part of Cohen’s professional fitness journey. She attended his classes every day and was inspired by his teaching techniques.
“Sometimes when you have a student in the room who wants to be a fitness instructor, there are competitions like this,” she said. “But he was very encouraging. He knew this was what I wanted to do.”
Peloton trainer Kendall Toole also reminded Cohen of her talents and abilities and encouraged her along the way.
“Every time I see her, I say, ‘You know, people like you are the reason I teach,’ because sometimes you don’t see what you’re capable of — what you’re capable of,” Cohen said.
She also credits the Vice President of Scouting for Life for reminding her of her self-worth and rekindling her passion for teaching.
“I tell people all the time, he saved my life,” Cohen said of Sprowls’ impact. “I was in an environment that wasn’t healthy for me, and he would say, ‘You’re one of those people.'” It’s very powerful to have someone really instill that in you. That’s why I love the moments of my life. Even my manager asks, “How can I help you?” It makes me shine. “
Cohen also values the constant feedback provided by her direct manager, Johnny de Triquet.
“He’s very supportive,” she said, adding that Detrikai is a big part of her daily life at Life Time.
The power of open dialogue
Cohen fine-tunes her community-based teaching style, using conversation to connect and draw attention away from how physically challenging exercise can be. It’s a symbiotic relationship, with Cohen showing his vulnerability and expanding his relationships with his classmates.
“Especially in my cycling classes, there’s what we call a ‘moment,'” Cohen said. In one of the moments, she began sharing that she traveled to Miami to visit her father for the first time in years.
“I brought that experience back into the room, and you’d be surprised how many people haven’t met their parents,” she reflects. “I reminded them to call them. The parents present were also moved by this story.”
Cohen noticed that her class population was all at different stages of life and that they were united in wondering what their next step should be, both in their careers and in their relationships. Cohen has experienced the same thing at different points in her life.
“My journey has not been start to finish at all,” she said. “So anything I can offer – even if it’s my own mistakes or challenges or positive things – I’ll do it. I’m like an open book and want people to benefit from it, and my feedback has been very positive.”
Cohen’s raw authenticity clearly appeals to Life Time members, as she is waitlisted at all of her teaching locations, some of whom even take two or three classes a day.
“They became friends,” she said of the bond that had developed. “That’s something I encourage because New York City can be a lonely place. (Class members) are not closed off. They are very encouraging to other people. The more you come to my classes, the more you become part of a community. “
Class participants tell Cohen that she inspired them to find new jobs or make other major life changes after connecting with her class conversations.
“I love watching people get stronger and be themselves and grow into themselves,” Cohen said. “You see the transformation, not just physically but mentally. Everybody in my room is so strong. It’s outrageous.”
Give members an “acceptable space” no “It’s okay” also benefits Cohen’s own well-being. She was juggling a major initiative while teaching 20 classes, and it came at her most vulnerable time.
“Those classes are probably the strongest,” she said. “I was like, ‘I have to be happy and grateful for what I have and not focus on all the things that could go wrong.‘”
In between teaching classes at Life Time, side projects, and enjoying hot yoga, Cohen is considering a return to television, having starred in Bravo’s reality TV show Princess: Long Island.
“The testimonials I get from people who take my classes — it’s not even about weight loss,” she said. “It’s just the mindset and feeling good about yourself and really playing to your strengths… I’d love to do that on a bigger scale.”
