Rock Steady provides stability for Midland, Bay City residents with Parkinson’s Disease

For people who are battling Parkinson’s disease, Rock Steady Boxing offers a way to fight back while creating a tough foundation of support. 

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative movement disorder which can cause deterioration of motor skills, balance, speech and sensory function. 

Rock Steady Boxing is a nonprofit organization, which aims to provide hope to people with Parkinson’s disease by improving their quality of life through a non-contact boxing based fitness curriculum. Midland is home of Michigan’s fourth location of the boxing affiliate, which recently moved into the Midland Mall, across from near Orion Sports and Planet Fitness units. 

“We have we just did the ‘1500-Workout.’ There are 1,500 affiliates,” said Joan Billingsley, who opened the local location. “There should be more gyms and there should be more people able to go.”

Michigan has a higher prevalence of Parkinson’s Disease than the national average, with an estimated 35,000 people diagnosed with this disease. According to MyMichigan Health, neurologists see more than 500 patients with Parkinson’s disease each year.

“And I only have my hands on about 20 of them,” said Stacey Hitsman, head coach.

Participant turnout has grown from an original 10 to about 24 “fighters.” Members of the class are self-proclaimed and dubbed fighters of the non-curable disease by those who provide support. 

Hitsman said non-contact boxing classes can lessen symptoms at any level of Parkinson’s disease.

“They’re fighters and the corner coaches are the support staff,” Hitsman said. 

The classes are made with intention to target the common symptoms of the disease. For example, participants in class are encouraged to speak up and count as a group to display camaraderie and combat low voice. 

She described boxing works by moving addressing “all parts” of the body, in all planes of motion while continuously changing the routine through workout progression. The goal is to lessen symptoms and redirect healthy habits for a happier life. 

“The routine is set to target those symptoms into aggravate them,” Hitsman said. “We don’t want to lessen them during the workout, we want to make your life difficult in the gym. So, it is easier at home.”

Billingsley notes that many people facing Parkinson’s Disease experience depression. She said physical activity can help improve a person’s mental health and mood. 

An intake evaluation process is conducted prior to the first class to determine the recommended class level. Some participants will require a caregiver partner to assist in each session. Individuals of all ages are benefiting from the program, according to the website.

Rock Steady reports that its clients attest, and academic institutions, such as University of Indianapolis and Butler University, are reporting and documenting the improved quality of life among the program’s participants.Various studies in the 1980s and 1990s supported the notion that rigorous exercise, emphasizing gross motor movement, balance, core strength, and rhythm, could favorably impact range of motion, flexibility, posture and activities of daily living.

More recent studies, notably at Cleveland Clinic, focus on the concept of “intense forced” exercise. New studies suggest that certain kinds of exercise may be neuro-protective. 

Those interested in classes should consult with a physician and obtain a release. For more information, visit rocksteadyboxing.org/.