There's a lot of research related to Parkinson's Disease. The outward signs of this disease begin as a tremor in one or more parts of the body and can extend into another section or part of the body. While many who look into exercise and fitness look at the musculature and composition, we must remember that the nervous system and the diseases that may affect it are just as important to work on.
One thing about lifting weights is that there is a nervous system component to it. Most people only focus primarily on the muscle but we forget that the body functions as a system, a sum of its' parts. Looking at the body in its entirety is a much more effective way than looking at it in parts. Where the nervous system comes into play is really everywhere.
Without your nervous system, you can't do pretty much everything. From talking to smelling to picking up heavy objects, your nervous system is involved with everything. Parkinson's disease is essentially a disruption of your nervous system, primarily dopamine which is a neurotransmitter. With this disrupted, things that you could or were able to do start to fail.
neurotransmitter takes the signal and travels across the nerve's junction(s).
Parkinson's disease is incurable, once you have it you have it. The goal, especially the sooner you can find out, is to slow the effects of the disease. Inevitably it will win. Using boxing, ironically the sport of which Muhammed Ali performed (who recently passed from Parkinson's Disease) we, as therapists and exercise professionals, are helping to turn the tide on the disease.
About 200,000 new diagnoses of Parkinson's Disease are diagnosed each year. Therefore there are millions of people living with this really slow, brutal disease. Now an unconventional method of exercise, boxing, is being used to help fight the disease. Boxing empowers a person. It allows for an individual to feel strong and in control, even when often they don't have it. Over time, we can see an increase in functional ability and confidence, which can go hand in hand.
My classes have several components to it. We have more or less the "mindless" conditioning components, predominantly using heavy bags where an individual either focuses on strength or endurance. We have the more focused, heavier mental output, of the double-ended bag and speed bags. And finally, we have the interactive components with include punch mitts, agility ladders, cones, and strength work.
I bring this up because it is something that has now made me who I am. I love having the opportunity to work with every one of these individuals and hopefully change their lives. For further information, you can check it out yourself here.
One thing about lifting weights is that there is a nervous system component to it. Most people only focus primarily on the muscle but we forget that the body functions as a system, a sum of its' parts. Looking at the body in its entirety is a much more effective way than looking at it in parts. Where the nervous system comes into play is really everywhere.
Without your nervous system, you can't do pretty much everything. From talking to smelling to picking up heavy objects, your nervous system is involved with everything. Parkinson's disease is essentially a disruption of your nervous system, primarily dopamine which is a neurotransmitter. With this disrupted, things that you could or were able to do start to fail.
neurotransmitter takes the signal and travels across the nerve's junction(s).
Parkinson's disease is incurable, once you have it you have it. The goal, especially the sooner you can find out, is to slow the effects of the disease. Inevitably it will win. Using boxing, ironically the sport of which Muhammed Ali performed (who recently passed from Parkinson's Disease) we, as therapists and exercise professionals, are helping to turn the tide on the disease.
About 200,000 new diagnoses of Parkinson's Disease are diagnosed each year. Therefore there are millions of people living with this really slow, brutal disease. Now an unconventional method of exercise, boxing, is being used to help fight the disease. Boxing empowers a person. It allows for an individual to feel strong and in control, even when often they don't have it. Over time, we can see an increase in functional ability and confidence, which can go hand in hand. My classes have several components to it. We have more or less the "mindless" conditioning components, predominantly using heavy bags where an individual either focuses on strength or endurance. We have the more focused, heavier mental output, of the double-ended bag and speed bags. And finally, we have the interactive components with include punch mitts, agility ladders, cones, and strength work.
I bring this up because it is something that has now made me who I am. I love having the opportunity to work with every one of these individuals and hopefully change their lives. For further information, you can check it out yourself here.
