Last month we profiled the PWR! Moves Program as one of the two exercise programs now accredited by the Parkinson’s Foundation that is offered in the greater Cincinnati area. The second of those two is known around the world and is very popular – Rock Steady Boxing. As included in their mission statement, their goal is “to improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease through a non-contact, boxing-based fitness curriculum.”
Why is boxing good for Parkinson’s? There are skills that a boxing workout focuses on that address some of the deficits in PD – agility (which targets lack of balance and coordination), speed– or even just a varied pace (for bradykinesia or slowness of movement), endurance (fatigue), strength (weakness), and coordination (lack of coordination). Even cognitive issues are addressed such as memory when you try to remember a tricky punch combination. So what is the reason that RSB makes a difference? According to the RSB website, research from the past (30-40 years ago) “supported the notion that rigorous exercise, emphasizing gross motor movement, balance, core strength, and rhythm could favorably impact range of motion, flexibility, posture, gait, and activities of daily living. More recent studies, most notably at Cleveland Clinic, focus on the concept of intense “forced” exercise, and have begun to suggest that certain kinds of exercise may be neuroprotective, i.e., actually slowing disease progression.” Even more recently (within the last seven years), there is evidence that progress is made in all stages of the disease by those participating in the RSB program.
Why is this program so popular? Because (in addition to being effective) it is fun! And because it makes one feel strong again despite having a debilitating movement disorder. And because it seems an impressive thing for someone with Parkinson’s to participate in. Someone saw my gloves in the car one time and asked my husband who in the family was a boxer. When he said it was me, the guy was impressed.
Rock Steady Boxing classes are offered in the Cincinnati area by three providers: foreverfitness (where Sarah Palmer offers two levels, each twice a week, and has lots of other PD-specific training as well as more than 25 years experience with PWPs – 513-404-1918); the NeuroFit Gym in Hamilton (where Amy Bertram and Colleen Schuster are physical therapists with 3 RSB classes a week — 513-543-3188) and Queen City RSB at Title Boxing in Loveland (Mark Fox– 513-900-9150). Rock Steady Boxing is also available in Dayton, Fairborn, Kettering, Oxford, and Eaton, OH, and Richmond and Connersville IN.