Dooley Noted: 9/9/2014 Last night, I was helping a patient build intra-abdominal pressure to support a heavy load she was carrying. As she sat down the weights, she stated what many ladies have before her: “I feel so silly hissing like this.” The hiss is a controlled exhale. Imagine the hiss like slowly letting the air out of a balloon. You maintain the tension around that globe, even with the last bit of air you … Read more
Dooley Noted: 9/8/2014 In college, I belonged to a local gym. A self-professed cardio queen, I was always treading away like a hamster on a wheel, chasing fitness with aerobic classes. I even had a Stairmaster in my home. I found myself in every class, from “sculpting” to “spinning” to whatever had a catchy name and an empty promise. And man, did I log some road miles jogging. Cardio was fun. But something was missing. … Read more
Dooley Noted: 9/7/2014 These last two weeks have been wonderful, and I return to NYC renewed and invigorated. I’m also armed with some things I learned. 1. Show up, and others will, too. 2. When you’re injured, you, too, must deload. And patients are right: it stinks. But the gain outweighs the loss. 3. Ask your loved ones to watch you teach. They get that look on their face of understanding – of all the … Read more
Dooley Noted: 9/6/2014 If you’ve ever played a sport, you’ve been told to keep your body “fast and loose” between times of tension. Watch sprinters prep. They are bouncing around like they’re on trampolines. Watch fighters before a punch or kick, and they are moving around as if they were made of jelly. This is genius. Maximal tension doesn’t come from a place of preexisting tension. It comes from true relaxation. One has to learn … Read more
Dooley Noted: 9/4/2014 Make no mistake: No one is a bigger fan of my patients or students than I. But I am no cheerleader. I am a tough and tender coach. I will applaud you, but I will always bring you right back down to earth to show you how much more there is to learn. I will never apologize for the way I teach nor the way I coach or rehabilitate. I absolutely believe … Read more
Dooley Noted: 9/3/2014 Throughout my entire adult life, I had people asking me about finding “my other half.” They were speaking of finding a significant other, of course. But this phrase has powerful language to a young child, then a young girl, and even a grown woman. Frankly, that phrase never sat well with me. Even as a teenager, I thought, “Why would my partner be my other half?” It left me to believe I … Read more
Dooley Noted: 9/2/2014 I thought becoming a co-owner of my own gym would provide me with ample ability to workout when I chose. Here’s the truth that no one tells you: When you co-own the gym – and rent space out of it for your practice – your time in the gym as a member is no longer perceived as your own. Now, I pride myself in being an approachable doctor and teacher. But, maintaining … Read more
Dooley Noted: 9/1/2014 I’m going to admit it: In the past, I loved to jog. I would pull a 14 hour day, just to speed home so I could change into Mizunos. It’s been about 5 years since I’ve run more than 5 miles. So, last night, I wanted to go on a long run, to see if I still loved jogging. What I found myself doing was sprinting. Every time I saw a hill … Read more
Dooley Noted: 8/31/2014 I offered to hold a lab review session at a rather unfavorable time for most: 9 am on Sunday. I never expect anyone to show up on a Sunday morning to a volunteer review session. But the turnout can be seen in these pictures: These are the future doctors of our world. They do whatever it takes to make sure they can serve people in one of the most challenging jobs known … Read more
Dooley Noted: 8/28/2014 Every single day, I receive emails from practitioners asking me to guide their cases. While I’m honored they chose me to help, I find my advice to be very limited. How can I advise on a patient I have never seen? Truly, I can’t do it with the utmost efficiency. I am simply advising on what the practitioner has reported to have seen. I might see something completely different if the patient … Read more