Chiropractor Dr. Leonardi's Better Life Seminars. Take Control Of the Only Person You Actually Can; Yourself. Once you do this, you will live a healthier, more fit and happier life.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
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Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
CARBOHYDRATE ADDICTION — a slow suicide | OBESITY UNDONE IS FAT THEN FIT NOW
CARBOHYDRATE ADDICTION — a slow suicide | OBESITY UNDONE IS FAT THEN FIT NOW
Doc Joe's latest e-book for the kindle and kindle app, CARBOHYDRATE ADDICTION --- a slow suicide, will be released on September 22, 2015.
A thirty day snapshot of one person's life long struggle with carbohydrate addiction.
For some of us, the reason undoing addiction is so difficult, is because no matter how long we have lived, or how far we have traveled --- the broken twelve year old child remains ever present.
Doc Joe's latest e-book for the kindle and kindle app, CARBOHYDRATE ADDICTION --- a slow suicide, will be released on September 22, 2015.Click the photo, or copy and paste the below link:
Monday, March 23, 2015
Injury Prevention Requires Focus | Chiropractor Doc Joe Leonardi
Injury Prevention Requires Focus | Chiropractor Doc Joe Leonardi
However, if you do everything correctly, and still experience an injury, then it is time to call your chiropractor, if you don't have one, feel free to contact me. Call (570) 451-3404 and tell Marion or Tiffany that you would like an appointment with Doc Joe. Utilizing my almost 20 years of clinical experience treating many local athletes, I will keep you working out and get you back to full strength in as little time as possible.
I am not an esoteric sort of person. I don’t believe much in signs being sent my way; however after this week, I might have to rethink that attitude.
I have had three signs telling me that I need to write a posting concerning injury prevention. I will be posting this to both my fitness/weight loss blog and my chiropractic blog, because it has significance for both.
I’m not trying to sell anyone out, and while I encourage comments, if you work out where I do, I ask that you not to speculate on who I am discussing. It isn’t my intent to condemn or criticize any one individual, but to use these incidences as cautionary examples.
Can we prevent every potential injury while working out? Of course not.
No matter how focused we are, how proper our bio-mechanics are or how strong we are feeling — sometimes an injury happens. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take steps to prevent an injury.
Many people have different opinions about what is the most important aspect of preventing injuries, yes being in a strong bio-mechanical position, as it pertains to an individual’s structure and function is important, and since I neither warm up nor stretch prior to a workout,(I know, let the condemnation begin), I don’t talk much about that. To me there is no greater aid when it comes to injury prevention than focus and concentration.
I am astounded to see the lack of focus when I am at the gym, and that lack of focus comes not only from those working out, but on occasion, a personal trainer, which was one of my signs.
First off, let’s discuss the signs:
1- I was in the middle of a set of seated rows, pulling the weight back when a person with whom I am familiar said hello to me. Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but when I am in the middle of a set — I do NOT have conversations, or for that matter even acknowledge anyone else. I am focused on the exercise, making sure that I am getting the most out of what I am doing, and also ensuring I don’t get injured. When I am done, if the other person is between sets, I will go over apologize and say hello. Well, this person must have felt rebuffed, because he then got in my field of vision and waved, then mimicked the exercise I was doing. At that point, my concentration gone, I simply let the handle go and stopped the set.
2- This morning one of the personal trainers was training a group of three. I was between sets and happened to glance over because of the loud conversation emanating from the multi-purpose rack. While one person was doing overhead presses, the other two and the trainer were rambling on and on about some topic not related to training. Then, for some inexplicable reason, the person doing the overhead presses turned their head to the side and back a little --- in the middle of a repetition. I couldn’t believe the trainer did not correct this; does anyone not realize the stress and strain that intervertebral discs are under during an overhead press? The spine can handle it because that stress is distributed evenly as long as the head is facing straight ahead, once twisting and torque is added to the equation —- the risk of bulging, herniation and or even fragmentation is increased. Shocked at what I saw, I resisted the urge to say something, because I know it is pointless, I blocked them out and went about my workout.
3- Finally, this morning, as I am driving to my office, a person is jogging on the sidewalk, when in the middle of the block the jogger decides to abruptly cross the street, directly in front of my car. I gave a tap on the horn, but the jogger simply ignored me and then made another cut in front of another vehicle. It was then I noticed the earbuds in each ear. I was dumbfounded. I mean really, blasting music or whatever, directly into your ears when jogging near, or in this case, in traffic? Where is the common f*&^ing sense?
My advice concerning focus is rather simple. Once you, or another person, are approaching a barbell, dumbbell or any other weightlifting machine to perform a repetition or set, no conversation, acknowledgement or any other signs of contact should occur. (Not including encouragement from a training partner or spotter) If you are doing the lifting, your attention should be focused 100% on the task at hand. If you are nearing someone who is performing a set or repetition, show them that you respect not only the fact they are working out, but that you respect them. Yes, I say hello to people, and on rare occasion have a conversation but only between one of my supersets or their sets, never when anyone is actually performing a rep, once my attention is directed at the exercise — that’s it, everything else is blocked out.
As far as headphones, in the gym is one thing. They help block out noise and distractions, but don't have them so loud you are unaware of what is going on around you. However, when outdoors, in traffic, I don't recommend them at all. When I am jogging, I want to be in tune with myself; I want to be focused on the motion of my legs and arms, the pace of my breathing and yes the sounds around me; especially if traffic is nearby.
In the gym, I will use them, but not so loud I am unable to hear. Wen lifting weights, I use my auditory feedback to pace myself and garner feedback. I get a kick out of everyone starring at the mirror, but they don’t realize the importance of sound as they are lifting weights. Today, as I was doing leg extensions on an old Nautilus® machine; I listened to the chain clicking around the big old cam. That noise allows me to know just where I am in the exercise, allowing me to pause just prior to the weight stack coming to rest. While doing stiff legged deadlifts, if I hear the clang of the weights at the top, I know I’ve gone just a little too far; so I am listening for silence.
Additionally, if someone in the gym is in distress, by keeping the volume low, I can hear their verbal cues that they may need assistance. And, am I the only one who has ever had someone playing air drums bump into them when doing a set because they are more focused on their performance than others around them?
I know people are attached to their world canceling, isolating devices, but try working out with it turned down for a few weeks. Pay attention to every move, every breath, each and every bang and clang from the weights — and instead of detaching yourself from the energy surrounding you, become part of it. You might realize you have been missing an important part of the experience.
This was a little long, but I hope that you can see the important of focus and concentration when exercising. One little out of place twist or pull or step can cause a preventable injury. So respect yourself, your surroundings and others — when the weight is being moved, keep conversation, not including a spotter’s encouragement, out of the equation until the weight is placed down or re-racked.
However, if you do everything correctly, and still experience an injury, then it is time to call your chiropractor, if you don't have one, feel free to contact me. Call (570) 451-3404 and tell Marion or Tiffany that you would like an appointment with Doc Joe. Utilizing my almost 20 years of clinical experience treating many local athletes, I will keep you working out and get you back to full strength in as little time as possible.[contact-form][contact-field label='Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Website' type='url'/][contact-field label='Comment' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]
Friday, March 20, 2015
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Must Exercise Be Fun?
Classic Doc Joe: For the next several weeks I will be re-posting some of my original writings. Sadly, the last several months, I lost sight of what I had previously written.
".... to go into a cold gym takes a lot of discipline, boy, I'll tell ya. ... I never liked to exercise, but I like results." Jack LaLanne
"One can exist for an indefinite period without exercise, but one cannot really and truly live without it." Bernarr MacFadden
I was reading on one of the many Facebook pages I belong to and someone was asking about not feeling up to a workout. Some of the responses suggested that workouts must be fun. As I read them I had to ask myself two questions:
Are my workouts fun? Do they need to be?
My exercise routine is spit into two portions:
Strength training, in which I use weight lifting.
Endurance training, in which I use a combination of jogging, sprints and rope skipping.
Yes, I will admit that there is something exhilarating about pitting myself against cold, unyielding iron. I look forward to my mornings in the gym. If I am pressed for time, I always get in some sort of weight training. While I do relish weightlifting, I'm not sure if the word fun would be an apt descriptor.
When it comes to jogging; I like the the time alone {except for the bats circling overhead}, free from distractions, outside enjoying the weather --- but do I have fun?
No, not really. I am not even sure I even enjoy the activity itself. I am not really built for running, either physically or mentally, but because of the results I attain --- I get out there and I do it.
I am not sure if fun should be part of the criteria for going out and exercising or even in the choice of a particular exercise. I pick and chose my routine for the results I desire to achieve. When I am bulking up and adding strength, my weight training is slower and the weights I use are much heavier. I still jog, but I cover less distance and I do it at a much slower pace. When I a leaning out, I decrease the poundages and I move much quicker. I cover more distance when I jog, I do it at a faster pace and I include rope skipping and sprints.
No matter what my particular goal is, I always include both progressive resistance and endurance training. They both contribute to the overall result I desire to achieve.
Is fun important? I guess it could be, but it isn't a requirement. Exercise should be done to improve the overall quality of life. While I don't really consider my exercise routine fun, it makes much of the other activities that I engage in much more fun. When I was in Chiropractic school I spent hours upon hours studying for classes, quizzes, exams and boards. Did I have fun during all that study time? I would have to say no, but it was necessary to achieve my goal. I look at exercise much the same way. My goal in regards to exercise is not to have fun during my exercise time; it is to achieve an improved level of fitness. The fun is in the results ---
- Image via Wikipedia
-because I am fit, I am able to hike longer and more difficult trails.
-because I am fit, I am able to participate more actively in beach and ocean activities
-because I am fit, I am able to live every aspect of my life much fuller and with much greater joy.
So, is fun a requirement when it comes to choosing an exercise routine? Perhaps to some, but it wasn't to Jack LaLanne and it really isn't to me.
I am much more concerned with the results of the exercises I pick. Taking into account travel to the track, then to the gym, showering and dressing --- only about ninety minutes of my day is focused on exercise. While fun is nice; I prefer effectiveness, which in turn improves the quality of the remaining twenty-two and a half hours (and, yes, I sleep better because of exercise) of my day.
Life is lived in color, but sometimes the answers remain black and white.
Aloha, Ciao and Stay Healthy,
Joe
*****************************************************
Doc Joe Leonardi is the author of two books on weight loss and fitness. Obesity Undone and Sometimes the Bastard Returns. Both available on CreatSpace.com and Amazon.com.
Obesity Undone, is the 2nd edition of the life changing book Fat Then Fit Now. Obesity undone is weight loss and fitness uncomplicated. On March 1, 2008, Physical Culturist and Chiropractor Doc Joe weighed a ponderous, pachydermian and unhealthy 340 pounds. One year later he weighed in at 210 pounds.
In Sometimes The Bastard Returns Doc Joe Leonardi discusses the very real 
problem of obesity relapse. How it happened to him, and how on the verge of giving up,he reclaimed his health, wellness and fitness.
problem of obesity relapse. How it happened to him, and how on the verge of giving up,he reclaimed his health, wellness and fitness.
Doc Joe is also available to speak to your group, and for interviews. You may reach him at FatThenFitNow39@gmail.com
************The posting that I write do not apply to those with an underlying medical or hormonal condition. I advise anyone embarking on a weight loss and fitness plan to have a thorough medical evaluation. You want to be sure that you are physically able to exercise and you don’t have any underlying medical conditions.*************
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