\u201cWhat do we beat?\u201d \u201cParkinson\u2019s!\u201d \u201cWho are we?\u201d \u201cRock Steady Boxing!\u201d<\/p>\n
So, goes the rallying cry that finishes each non-contact Rock Steady Boxing class. The class provides both physical exercises to specifically address the difficulties faced by those with Parkinson\u2019s disease, and a community of people fighting for the same cause.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody\u2019s in the same boat,\u201d said John \u201cFast Johnny\u201d Pistacchi.<\/p>\n Bradley \u201cBam Bam\u201d Sill added, \u201cYou put judgement out the window. There are other people here just like you.\u201d<\/p>\n While Sill just began recently, Pistacchi has attended the class since it was first offered almost two years ago in southern San Diego. The class is held at City Boxing in downtown and hosted by BoxFit San Diego.<\/p>\n Rock Steady was started in 2006 by an Indiana prosecutor who started intense boxing training just a few years after he was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson\u2019s. According to the program\u2019s bio page, the prosecutor witnessed a dramatic improvement in his physical health, agility and daily functioning. He started working to provide the program and specific training to others with Parkinson\u2019s as well.<\/p>\n Since then, there have been studies completed by the University of Indianapolis, Butler University, and Cleveland Clinic showing the benefits of intense focused exercise, and specifically boxing training, for Parkinson\u2019s patients. You could also just ask the Rock Steady boxers who keep coming back.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel so strong in this class,\u201d boxer \u201cMama P\u201d said, who preferred to go only by her boxing nickname. \u201cI can walk better. I notice I\u2019m not shuffling my feet. I can even move my right arm when I walk now.\u201d<\/p>\n Other noted victories include walkers that are no longer needed and class members being able to lift their foot and tie their shoe \u2014 a feat that fighter had no longer been able to do. Pistacchi noticed he hasn\u2019t degraded in the last three years since he was diagnosed, and he credits Rock Steady as a \u201cbig part\u201d of that.<\/p>\n Mike Reeder, founder of BoxFit, which holds outdoor boxing boot camp classes, first heard about the Rock Steady program through a CBS Sunday Morning segment. The segment focused on the husband of Lesley Stahl of \u201c60 Minutes\u201d and his fight against the disease. It also included results of the first major study on the effects of forced intense exercise through boxing on Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n Two weeks later, two women unknown to Reeder came up to him after a BoxFit class with a proposition. They asked if he\u2019d heard of Rock Steady and emphasized, \u201cWe need one in San Diego now!\u201d<\/p>\n When Reeder volunteered at the Rock Steady class already in Vista to check it out, he was hooked.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were like an army of fighters,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Reeder was volunteering in a 90-degree gym, without air conditioning, and he had so much fun he stayed for a second class. Even now, friends joke with him that they don\u2019t know who enjoys the Rock Steady classes more \u2014 the Parkinson\u2019s fighters or himself.<\/p>\n \u201cThey come in and they fight their tails off,\u201d Reeder said. \u201cEveryone works ridiculously hard. There\u2019s no complaining.\u201d<\/p>\n After volunteering in Vista, Reeder connected with the Parkinson\u2019s Association of San Diego. They were able to get him a spot at the training in Indiana \u2026 which was supposed to be a six-month waiting list. City Boxing, where he was already training, agreed to rent him the space for the daily classes. Reeder started with five class members, and now regularly averages 18-20 boxers. Some come via word of mouth, and many are recommended by their physician or therapist.<\/p>\n The classes start with a warm-up and introductions, and then break out into stations. At the various stations, fighters do activities like shadow boxing, agility exercises, speed bags and circuit work, all set to whatever music the class wants to hear. The hour-and-a-half program closes with a cool down and meditation.<\/p>\n While Reeder sticks to the basic Rock Steady tenements and boxing training, he does add a few of his own touches. For example, every class member gets a \u201cboxing nickname.\u201d Aside from the previously mentioned Mama P, Fast Johnny and Bam Bam, there\u2019s also boxers such as Mrs. Crazy, Will Do, Captain Knockout, Dr. Steelhammer and The Beast.<\/p>\n \u201cI want them to know, you\u2019re not someone with Parkinson\u2019s, you\u2019re a Parkinson\u2019s fighter,\u201d Reeder declared.<\/p>\n The class members are ecstatic not only about the strength they feel and the camaraderie they share, but their coach specifically. They brag on his energy, patience, and understanding.<\/p>\n \u201cMike is amazing,\u201d Sill said. \u201cHe\u2019s so patient, and so nice.\u201d<\/p>\n In fact, the class is gaining so much popularity, Reeder is looking to add a second group. But he needs volunteers to assist with stations and breakout groups. You don\u2019t have to have boxing experience, Reeder said, you just need to \u201cshow up and have a good attitude!\u201d<\/p>\n For more information on becoming a boxer or volunteer, visit boxfitsd.com and click the \u201cRock Steady\u201d tab. Also, on the site is information about Reeder\u2019s boxing boot camp classes, which are open to the public and held at Morley Field and Balboa Park. You can also follow or like BoxFitSD on Instagram<\/a> y Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014Joyell Nevins is a local freelance writer. Reach her at joyellc@gmail.com<\/a> or follow her blog \u201cSmall World, Big God\u201d at swbgblog.wordpress.com<\/u><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Por Joyell Nevins<\/p>","protected":false},"author":826,"featured_media":240095,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Boxing through Parkinson\u2019s","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11547,11600,11550],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-240094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-sdnews","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/826"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=240094"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/240094\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/240095"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=240094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=240094"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=240094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Boxing](\"https:\/\/sandiegodowntownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Website-Polar.jpg\")
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