REGINA -- The University of Regina is offering a boxing program aimed at improving the lives of people living with Parkinson’s disease.
Rock Steady began in March 2019, and focuses on forced intense exercise. The workout begins with a warmup, followed by more rigorous movements in the gymnasium, and finishes with different boxing movements.
“It’s based around the idea that boxing requires a high degree of skill and challenge and a lot of the different parameters that we like to see improve with people with Parkinson’s. So things like strength, power, agility, coordination, balance,” Clinical Exercise Physiologist and Rock Steady Coach Patrick Bernat said.
Studies suggest certain kinds of exercise may actually slow the disease down.
"In terms of cardio vascular conditioning, strength has improved, power, things like being able to sit easily down into a chair and getting back up,” Clinical Exercise Physiologist and Rock Steady Coach Carmen Agar said.
"There is certain steps that are hard to do, you know, stepping and punching. But it just takes work, and it (Parkinson's) seems to at least stay the same, not worsen," Rock Steady participant Darwin Mott said.
Around 20 people have participated in the program so far. Each class costs about $10. Exercises are modified to each person’s abilities. No boxing experience is needed, but each participant must be medically referred from their physician or specialist.
The partnership began when the Regina Parkinson’s support group was looking for a facility to try the workouts. The group was turned down by boxing clubs, and decided to reach out to the University, which researched the best process to deliver the program.
Currently the classes are only offered from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. on Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Friday’s. Organizers hope if more people sign up they can expand the program to offer more days and different times.
