Stress management or life's punch in the face?

As I write this, I'm sitting on my bed trying to "multi-task."  I'm also working on some Finance homework for the MBA that I'm pursuing.  I bring this up because it's only part of the iceberg that is our life (my wife and I's).

My day, especially when doing school work, begins at 5 with an important cup of coffee (or pot of it).  I'm usually doing some school work, grading my students (more on that in a minute), working on workout plans, or just writing this blog.  I am usually to work around 7 to begin training the moment I arrive.  My day is often broken up between training, exerci
se classes, classes at the University, and every so often a meeting.

I teach four classes, identical, at the local university (keeping the name silent here).  They are all health & fitness related and I have about 80-100 students combined.  Fortunately, this is something that I've been doing for quite some time.  I usually change something up each semester because I want to be effective for my students, not boring, and want them to learn something.  There's a fair amount of outside the class preparation time associated with this, so this adds to the iceberg.

I train about 25-35 hours per week, to include any classes that I teach (usually boxing).  Most of the time, this is the fun part of my day.  Every so often my body, my focus, and even sometimes my emotions become involved with each person or each hour.

To top this all off, my day doesn't end with work.  Three kids and a wife are also part of my life.  Make no mistake, most of what I do is for them.  This usually results in me being exhausted half of the time, but in the end if they're happy and healthy because of what I do, it's worth it.

My exercise at this point is usually really quick, no longer any of the 6 mile runs that I had over the summer; though as I write this, one of my toes is likely broken, which makes exercise much more challenging.  I try to get about 3 hours a week of my own workouts, not to include the exercise that I have the privilege of "piggybacking" on mostly in boxing/kickboxing.

My stress isn't actually very high.  While this almost seems overwhelming, it has it's moments of where it is and where it isn't.  Usually, the first week of any major change, like last week, involves a mountain of stress upon my shoulders.  Afterwards, it's generally pretty easy and manageable, thanks to a good battle rhythm.

I also always revert back to times in my life where I was in worse circumstances, mostly while in the Marine Corps.  And nothing at this point is that difficult or demeaning.

Find the outlet for your stress, and keep the iceberg afloat.  Fail to do this and you'll plunge into the dark waters of stress.

Put the "Dope" in Dopamine. Knock out Parkinson's Disease!

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. 

A punch stroke

One of the things that I love about working with neurological conditions is the puzzle factor.  Each person has a uniqueness that is not as evident in healthy people.  Each person poses a unique challenge that must be overcome to be effective as a trainer.  This challenge is thrilling and satisfying in ways that are unmatched.

On 2/28 I began leading a boxing class for individuals who have been affected by strokes.  Each participant has been hand-selected to help for us to "pilot" this program and is excited for us to get it off of the ground.  The purpose behind the boxing class is for us to hone in on strength, endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, weight transfer, balance, and with any luck, neuroplasticity.

Much of what we are trying to accomplish is to take the "medical" perception out of therapy.  Our program is supervised by a Physical Therapist specializing in neurological conditions, of which I refer to her as the "strategy."  I'm next in line and the lead on the "tactical" front, of which once we're in the room and engaged in the program, what I say goes.  From there we have several physical therapy interns and other trainers to assist in safety.

I'm excited about the program and it is our intention to spawn other programs.  We have been running a Parkinson's Disease boxing program for the last year with a high degree of success and participation.  In the same capacity, I'm the lead once in the room and the class beginning.  We have our own "proprietary" program which allows for us to be different when related to other programs that are in existence.

I'm excited for what the future holds in terms of helping these people heal.  In all honesty, I never would've imagined that this is what my life had in store for me and for that I'm appreciative.