Rock Steady Boxing

by Isabella Coote

Parkinsons is a progressive neurological disease, and overtime people may develop problems with movement. Symptoms include: tremors, slow movement, stiffness of limbs and balance problems. There is no cure but the mission of Rock Steady Boxing is ‘to equip our affiliates and empower the coaches to improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s disease through a non-contact, boxing-based fitness curriculum’. 

They have challenged themselves to not place the participants against an opponent but their disease. They do this by practising rigorous exercises that are meant to exceed the perceived capabilities that are assumed to come with Parkinsons. This rigorous exercise could help with increased range of motion and, alongside specific food plans, new research has shown for it to be neuro-protectiues - so slowing down the disease's progression. 

It was founded by former Marion County prosecutor in Indiana - Scott Newman who is living with Parkinsons. He started it through a friendship with Vince Perez. Scott was diagnosed in his early 40s’, and Vince wanted to help and so used his knowledge as a Golden Gloves boxer to design a program that ‘attacks Parkinsons at its vulnerable neurological points’. They then replicated this, in order to help others, and that is how the non-profit organisation started.

Their logo is the statue of liberty holding out a boxing glove, this glove represents a beacon of light for those with Parkinsons and helps to empower people to fight back. 

It is estimated that more than 3,000 people in North America use boxing to help manage Parkinson's disease and there are now more than 800 gyms that offer boxing classes with parkinsons and they are all affiliated with rock steady boxing. 

Even though more research is needed in order to fully understand the benefits of boxing, it is an amazing start and is such motivation for people to fight back.