I have known Monika as a trainer for 16 years and have had a professional relationship with her for the last 11 years. She is very knowledgeable and I have sent and continue to send my patients to her for post-rehabilitation training. Monika is very proactive in seeking new medical and fitness related information from health care professionals and continuing education courses and makes it a point to provide the most up-to-date information about advances in her professional field to those of us who express interest in it. She takes very strong personal interest in her clients’ well-being and has proven a very valuable asset to my practice.

Allen Letgolts,
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Los Angeles, California

Monika Tarkowska-Carter is a superb, highly professional trainer that I’ve had the pleasure to work with for the past 5 years. I was first referred to her by my physical therapist because of frequent neck and back muscle spasms. A large part of this was due to very poor posture acquired over many decades. This took the familiar form of rounded shoulders, head protrusion, pelvic misalignment, etc.

We made postural improvement the main target of training and within a year I began to see real change and a complete elimination of the back and muscle spasms. I am back playing sports with no complaints.

Over the past years the improvements in posture as well as general orthopedic health have been great and I receive a lot of compliments from people who can easily see the difference.

Monika’s approach is highly scientific. She began with a thorough biomechanical analysis of my posture and gait, identified the problems and devised a rational training program to address the above issues.

I also like her personal style which is professional and focused on the client at all times.
I would recommend Monika extremely highly to anyone seeking to improve their orthopedic conditions or physical health in general.

A.G. * 
Professor of Medicine,
Los Angeles, California

* Prof. A.G.'s last name was withheld at his request as he wanted it be associated on the Internet only with his published scientific research. However, he is available to verify the references upon request.

In 2001 I was scheduled for a back surgery to relieve painful spinal stenosis. At the last minute I sought a second opinion from another qualified neurosurgeon. He suggested trying physical therapy first and then continuing with a physical training program. I cancelled the operation. Monika was recommended as the only trainer that my physical therapist could trust.

I am now 86 years old and can look back on the past 9 years with great satisfaction. During those years I have been meeting Monika at the gym 3 times a week. She understands the underlying anatomy and my physical limitations and capabilities. Where I was reluctant to push myself, Monika urged me on. Now I look forward to the hour-long workouts. The results have exceeded my expectations. I am virtually pain-free. My resting pulse rate is lower by 20 points. My old, poor posture, which contributed to the pains, is now greatly improved. This included strengthening my abdominals and lower and upper back muscles. An unanticipated bonus is my greatly reduced blood pressure (I was hypertensive), a loss of 14 excess pounds and 4 inches of waistline. I will say that when I do lapse into my former slouched posture pains will recur. However, the improved muscle strength and endurance helps me get through the day pain-free.

I am pleased to say that Monika has enabled me to live a life more enjoyable than almost any one of my friends in my age group. When they complain to me I refer them to Monika.

Monika is very enthusiastic about her mission to improve her clients' body and mental attitude. She attends lectures, classes and reads extensively. She is highly intelligent making each session interesting and mentally stimulating

Arthur Winthrop
Los Angeles, California

It’s with great pleasure that I write a testimonial for my trainer of 15 years, Monika Tarkowska-Carter.

At 51 with a long-standing problem with my body image and consequent preoccupation with weight loss I turned to Monika for help with training. Even though exercise had always been a part of my daily life the goal was always set with regard to losing weight rather than effective and healthy training.

Today, at 67 I am physically healthy thanks to Monika and fully recovered from a back surgery for a congenital condition. My thinking is no longer consumed with my weight.
In addition to having met all the professional requirements of a qualified trainer, Monika is also certified in both nutrition and post-rehabilitation training.

Her unique skills have combined in a way to give me a new perspective on healthy eating, effective and safe training as well as belief in the positive correlation between the two – something I never fully understood.

As a psychologist, I am impressed with the insight and understanding I have gained from my work with Monika into the mind-body connection. I feel good, look good and attribute a great deal of my progress to my continuous commitment to training.

Linda Metzner, PhD
Doctor of psychology
Los Angeles, California

I was referred to Monika by friends after suffering a dramatically bulged disc in my lower back. That injury left me without core strength and generally out of shape without much stamina. Monika very carefully analyzed my condition before we began training. She developed a great workout program and monitored it as we progressed. It was hard work but I started to see results very quickly. I was able to rebuild my core muscles and regained my strength and stamina to the point where I was very close to the best shape of my life.

Monika constantly introduced new techniques that were very cutting edge. This made the workouts fun and interesting which helped me progress rapidly. She is very professional and clearly dedicated to her craft. Her knowledge of nutrition helped steer me towards a healthier diet and I began to feel the benefits of that change immediately. Her holistic approach addressed not only my nutritional issues but considered my other lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep, work & home environment and others that impacted my physical well being.

Monika was a pleasure to train with in every respect. I highly recommend her to anyone interested in improving their health and optimizing their workout time and effort.

Michael Dean,
Los Angeles, California 

In the four years I have worked with Monika, I feel like I have gotten physically stronger, nutritionally healthier and have been educated in ways that I never imagined.  I’ve had some physical challenges during this time and my workouts with her have always inspired me and made my recuperation much easier. I find her professional knowledge and personable approach, along with her passion for her life’s work, integral to my continued well-being.

Andrea Brandt,
Ph.D, M.F.T.
Santa Monica, California

Monika was my personal trainer for 8 years. We met 2-3 times a week for regular training sessions of 60-90 minutes. Her intense and dedicated fitness routines have yielded extraordinary physical and mental results. I can honestly say that she changed my life. I lost over 40 lbs and gained strength, agility, fitness and a lot of self-confidence.

Monika was very committed to making my workouts successful, physically challenging and fun. She was always very creative in my routines leaving no room for dullness or monotony. She put great effort into monitoring each muscle movement to make sure that my workout was done properly and safely. Monika’s personal dedication and commitment to my physical achievement simply reflect her invaluable knowledge and passion for her chosen field.

Mary F. McDaniel,
DO, JD, MPH
Venice, California