Joanne Duncan-Carnesciali

Way to go Donna!!! I also had JoAnn. I believe she had 4 of us. I met with my new naeitrr Dave today. It was a fantastic workout!! He figured out my it's too light face pretty quickly .lol. If I don't feel anything, I feel it is a waste of my time doing the exercise, and I want to get everything out of every workout!! Keep up the good work!! Maybe I'll see you at the gym tomorrow! GO RED!!

They don't get any better than Joanne! Her commitment to your success is extraordinary. She is passionate and equally compassionate. I had the pleasure and benefit of her expertise through the NYC WAlk-Fit program. I was so pumped to get to class every week and went through serious withdrawal once the program ended. I definitely saw tremendous physical improvements in terms of stamina and inches lost, but I was equally impacted by the emotional lift OI got through seeing my body transform. She is a powerhouse that anyone who gets the privilege of working with will never forget. I know I wont!

Thank You!!

First off- I'm not anonymous- just a dweeb who can't figure out how to get my name listed next to the icon! My name is Sylvia and I'm actually the granddaughter of an 87 year old client Jo started working with in March 2011. Grandma was diagnosed with Parkinson's 4 years ago and in a slow but steady pace, she went from unassisted walking, to using a cane, then a fixed leg walker, a walker with wheels and finally to a wheelchair. By the time Jo came to us, grandma was resigned to a future where she'd never walk more than a few steps again. Physical Therapists had been of little use because rather than returning her to strength, they instructed her on how to manage the handicaps she had developed ("Oh, you're shuffling now- ok, shuffle slower and watch the carpet so you don't trip."). Fiercely independent, survivor of the War and beholden to no one for anything in her entire life- this was a living nightmare for grandma. At the very first evaluation, Jo asked grandma what she wanted from the time they'd work together and grandma answered, "I want to walk again". Jo answered, "Then that's going to be our goal." She spent two hours talking to grandma, testing her strength and flexibility and generally learning what she could to create a game plan focused on grandma's ultimate goal and ALWAYS with references to the SCIENCE behind what she was doing and what was happening to grandma's body. Without exaggerating in a "Miracle Worker" sort of way, Jo's work with Grandma has been, for us, miraculous. Grandma's Parkinson's affected her by stiffening and locking her muscles. Rather than uncontrollable shaking, grandma's muscles had become short and atrophied. With 2 sessions a week, grandma's muscles were put to rigorous use. Not only were there exercises to regain strength and flexibility, but there was focus on balance, posture correction, foot placement, diet- all little things which affected grandma's ability to stand and move, but which no one had noticed or corrected before. Jo's constant monitoring of grandma's progress made it so much more personal than just a trainer/client relationship. Grandma looked forward to the challenges Jo brought. She made grandma SWEAT-which made grandma feel alive and gave her back some of the sense of body ownership she had lost to the disease. Her mood lifted, her appetite returned and yes, she started to walk. It is 5 months now and grandma can walk: not alone, not for long, not like she did before she had the disease. But holding onto someone's arm, walking slowly, keeping her head up and her steps wide, she is able to walk around. Of course she still relies on a walker and wheelchair, but the miracle for us is that she isn't bedridden, isn't in a nursing home and isn't looking at those two looming in her future. Rather than this ultimate fate for so many elderly and those suffering with Parkinson's, each session with Jo gives grandma more strength and more confidence to think of a future outside her home. It is no exaggeration therefore, to say that this woman- Joanne Duncan-Carnesciali- has given my grandma a reason to live. Forever thankful can not express the gratitude or entirety of the feelings we have for her.

Joanne is an Exceptional instructor. She was my instructor for the past 6 weeks. She was teaching a Personal Fitness Trainer course and I learned a lot. She knows the material very well. She also, has a lot of knowledge in anatomy. I wish we had more instructors like Joanne with all that knowledge and people skills. I am prepared now to pass my certification exam thanks to Joanne!!

Charles Thomas
Jo is the most dedicated instructor I've ever had. She did her best to make sure that the entire class knew the information. She made sure that all of us was well prepared for the W.I.T.S. exam. She is very qualified and really knows her stuff. It was a great experience being in her class because I learned a lot of things that I didn't know about exercise even though I had previously been very physically active. Any person seeking training, career advice or just to simply learn something new should definitely go to her.

Jo is so passionate about what she does! She has a deep knowledge of science and has tailored her approach to my fitness and wellness needs. She has been sage counsel on steps to my overall balance and well-being (wellness coaching, fitness, and food). We have worked together to establish realistic goals. I look at life differently; the smallest adjustments can have a big impact (eg stretching daily, everyday tools/resources to use to facilate movement (stairs, doorways, etc.) and estabish boundaries to my work life) She will work you hard and make you realize your own potential. I look forward to our continued journey. Thank you Jo! XOXO

Joanne knows her stuff! She has such a deep understanding of the human body especially as it relates to health and fitness; I am a wiser and more prepared professional after having gone through a course with her as my teacher. She really wants to educate people and empower them to understand and employ the principles of fitness in order to really make a difference in the quality of their lives. If you have the opportunity to interact with Joanne, I say take it! She even has a great heart and sense of humor on top of it all.

Jo was my personal trainer certification teacher and I was immediately impressed with her knowledge and enthusiam. She is passionate about what she does and it shows as well as motivates everyone around her. She went out of her way to make sure all the students understood the material and took the time to help us when we were having trouble. As a result I feel prepared and confident to begin my career as a personal trainer!
Jo is an excellent teacher and I would highly recommend her classes and personal training sessions!

I know first hand that Joanne is a great fitness instructor and wellness coach! A close family member loss 70 pounds in six months working with Joanne.
Joanne loves what she does and this is made evident with the positive results she gets with her clients.
I look forward to beginning my exercise program with Joanne.

Jo was my personal training certification class instructor. She took time to break things down - put an emphasis on using the science to think about training and program design. I felt like I was prepared to walk into a training job with confidence and ease...and I did!
Jo cares for her students - making herself available even post-course. She is clearly invested in her students learning the material and feeling comfortable with it. And it all comes with a wonderful sense of humor.
I would train with her. I would take her classes. I would work for her. She's one of a kind.