Today we’d like to introduce you to Robyn Cohen.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Robyn Cohen hit Cincinnati in the spring of 2019 by way of Los Angeles. Unintentionally, really. A certified Pilates, TRX, Yoga, and Thai Yoga practitioner, Robyn spent three years working with the LA Dodgers, aiding in players’ mobility, strengthening, and rehabilitation programs. During her time with the Dodgers, she worked very closely with Matt Kemp and Kyle Farmer, who joined the Cincinnati Reds in a 2019 trade. While they were out at spring training, Robyn while working with the Dodgers and Matt + Kyle with the Reds, the guys with their minty fresh jerseys insisted on working with Robyn while she was there. This two to three hours a day working under the Reds quickly grew to over 9 hours a day as more and more players caught wind of her, and before she knew it, LA and Cincy were playing tug of war. Spoiler alert: Cincinnati won, and Robyn had under five days to quit her job, pack up her life in LA, and get to Great American Ballpark to become a Red Leg!
Robyn’s love for movement started at the young age of 3. Her background is in dance. Originally from Kansas City, she received her BFA degree in Jazz Dance Performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Her dancing landed her in a She & Him Music Video with Zooey Deschanel, and she even starred as Baby in the 25th anniversary of Dirty Dancing at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Prior to working with the Dodgers, Robyn had a slightly different career. She was also a magician’s assistant for 7 years, touring the country as a featured dancer with renowned illusionists. To quote her site: “Some of her favorite credits include levitating in the air above Constitution Avenue in Washington DC’s 4th of July Parade for 250,000 people, opening a major league baseball game with live illusion on the field at Marlins Park Stadium in Miami, assisting in a casino show in Reno, and performing during the half time show for The Chicago Bulls and Arizona Cardinals. Robyn also appeared in the TV show “Bones” and in the CW television series “Masters of Illusion” for multiple seasons and on the show’s worldwide tour.”
Pilates may not have been at the forefront in the beginning, but it is now. Cohen is on the Cincinnati Reds’ big-league staff as their Movement and Mobility Coach. Almost all MLB teams have the same structure for their health and performance staff. There are strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, massage therapists, and dietitians. Cohen holds the unique role focused solely on Pilates, Yoga, and Thai Yoga bodywork. She’s the only person who doesn’t fit in the aforementioned categories, according to a review of all 30 teams’ media guides. She’s not aware of any other movement and mobility coaches who work with players daily before all home games, travels with the team, and has a collapsable Reformer that is transported on the team plane.
Cohen built up her career in baseball after working with a single player. Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson was interested in Pilates, and the team’s director of player performance connected the pair to start working together. Robyn was slowly sprinkled into the Dodgers system prior to connecting with Cincinnati in 2019.
Baseball is an asymmetrical sport. Players throw, swing, and rotate from one side. The benefits of Pilates are maintaining an ultimate strong and flexible balance of the body.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Following the 2019 season, Cohen packed up her stuff in Los Angeles and started shipping it to a storage unit in Cincinnati. She was committed to making it work.
Then another curveball…
The pandemic hit, the baseball season paused, and Cohen was furloughed on the day she moved into an apartment in Cincinnati.
Fortunately, she kept the job she wanted and returned to the Reds once the baseball season resumed in 2020. Since then, she’s continued to grow into a larger role with the club.
During road trips in her first few seasons, she had to find a nearby Pilates studio, barter with them to rent equipment, arrange a rental truck, set up the equipment at the stadium, and then return it before the end of the last game. That’s why it was a big moment when the team invested in her own travel reformer, which needed to be specifically designed to fit onto the team plane and light enough for her to travel with it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Ritual?
The Ritual is a plant-filled movement sanctuary in the heart of Columbia Tusculum, Cincinnati. The Ritual is an inclusive space where all clients are nurtured and supported through personalized private Pilates sessions and Thai Yoga bodywork. Robyn strives to tailor movements specifically to each individual that walks through the door.
The Ritual takes a holistic approach. Focusing not only on the physical aspect of movement but also on the mental well-being and spiritual growth. The personalized attention to meet individual’s needs, goals, and limitations, providing guidance, modifications, and complete support to each client.
The tranquil boutique atmosphere creates a warm and inviting environment to be a supportive space for your wellness journey.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The pandemic highlighted the importance of resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity. The Ritual opened its doors in 2021, just when the world tried to begin once again. My new business had to quickly adjust to new circumstances and guidelines by finding creative solutions to challenges and navigating uncertainty with courage and determination.
Pricing:
- Pilates Single Session $100
- Pilates 3/Pack $285 ($95/session)
- Pilates 5/Pack $450 ($90/session)
- Pilates 10/Pack $850 ($85/session)
- Thai Yoga Session $170 (90 minutes)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pilatestheritual.com
- Instagram: the___ritual & robyn__cohen
Image Credits
Joe Shults
