"Rock Steady Boxing" at the YMCA provides tremendous help to Parkinson's Disease patients

The Washington County Family YMCA (WCFYMCA) has plenty to offer. Ranging from kickboxing, yoga, and line dancing, there is something for everyone – all in the name of wellness and community.

A more recent addition to the YMCA is the Rock Steady Boxing class. This class is designed for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in order to help them regain balance and control. These classes have proven to be an effective way to dramatically improve the ability of people living with Parkinson’s in order to live independently with a higher quality of life.

Richard Deaton (left) and Stan Chastain (right)

Rock Steady Boxing launched in January at the WCFYMCA after strong advocacy by the people in our community that would benefit greatly from it. Several Washington County residents with Parkinson’s, along with their families, pushed to bring Rock Steady Boxing to the area. Many had heard about Rock Steady programs in Louisville and New Albany and wanted something closer to home.

The YMCA eventually became an official affiliate after receiving grant support from Lilly Endowment grants. To meet program requirements, the Y partnered with PT Solutions, which provided a trained and certified coach: Physical Therapist Bailey Acord.

“I had heard about Rock Steady Boxing when I was in undergrad in Bloomington, before I'd gone for my doctorate for PT,” said Acord. “I had heard of it and knew that it was for people that had Parkinson's and my grandfather had Parkinson's. So, I was already interested in it. Then when I got to my doctorate program in my neuro class, there was a lady named Connie, and she works for the headquarters of Rock Steady Boxing. It really reminded me of this program. I remembered learning about this years ago, and I really wanted to get into it. And after I became a PT graduate, I got connected here.”

Parkinson’s symptoms often include tremors, balance problems, slowed movement, and a noticeable decrease in strength. Rock Steady Boxing targets those issues with large, intentional motions like big steps, strong punches on heavy bags, and exercises that challenge balance and coordination. Acord explained that research shows at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week slows symptom progression. Boxing, with its emphasis on hand-eye coordination and cognitive engagement, is especially effective.

“As far as the research goes, 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week is the goal,” continued Acord. “The research supports a high intensity regimen similar to what a boxer would go through. So, we obviously aren't boxing each other, it's non-contact. But those high intensity exercises and those powerful movements really fight back against Parkinson's. A lot of times with Parkinson's, everything gets smaller. Your voice can get softer, and you can't hear that. The people around you can, but you don’t notice it. Your handwriting gets smaller and less legible and your steps get smaller. And so those big, powerful movements of boxing help fight against all of those things that are weighing you down as far as symptoms go, and it can reduce other symptoms like tremors and speech deficits and those kinds of things. It's a great workout for them, but I also get a workout while I'm here. It's great for mental health for everyone in addition to physical health. We have a lot of fun. We're rowdy.”

Coach Bailey Acord

One particular story that the group was eager to share was when Bailey Acord put them through a particularly strenuous exercise, so the group greeted her with a funny surprise at the following session.

“One of the funny stories that happened early on was she was having us do exercises that day that we didn't like, and she was really giving us a workout,” said Richard Deaton. “Well, this was a Tuesday, and when she came in on Thursday, we had a picture on each side of the punching bags. Everybody wanted to hit it! Bailey is just great though. She leads the fun. She gives it to us, and we give it right back to her.”

Several Rock Steady participants shared personal stories about when they first realized something was wrong. For instance, a foot dragging during walks, tremors, overwhelming fatigue, or seeing themselves slumped in a reflection for the first time. Some considered delaying seeking help, not realizing the early signs could be Parkinson’s.

“I started getting really fatigued,” said Richard Deaton. “Not doing much, just really getting fatigued. I thought, 'this is not right. It just doesn't seem right.' And I hadn't gone to the doctor. I was working at the Salem Leader at the time, and I was walking down the alley between H&R Bakery and the Leader. And Robin said, 'straighten up. You're walking like an old man.' I said, 'well, I am an old man.' she said, 'you've never walked like that before.'

“My daughter thinks she’s a doctor just because she’s married to one,” laughed Deaton. “She went ahead and diagnosed it. She said, 'you've got Parkinson's.' Well, my family doctor, she finally said, 'we're going to run these tests. If they all come back okay, you're going to go see a neurologist.' All the tests that she ran came back fine. And she said, 'I'm going to make an appointment right now with this neurologist in New Albany.' And I still wasn't sure if I was going to go to the neurologist or not. I was thinking, 'I may cancel this.' I ended up having some knee surgery at the time, and I was sitting in the waiting room. It was getting late in the afternoon, just me and this lady that was there. We were sitting in the waiting room, and she started talking about her husband and that he had Parkinson's. I said, 'oh yeah. I am supposed to go see a neurologist here in a couple of weeks.' She started listing off the symptoms, and I checked one box after another. I mean, just about everything she said, I was experiencing it. And so I ended up going to the neurologist, and within five minutes I was diagnosed with Parkinson's.”

“They say exercise is actually the best thing you can do for Parkinson's,” said Gail Napier. “These medicines have been out for a long time. Michael J. Fox has tried to fix it, but they still haven’t come up with a cure. He has raised over $2 billion for Parkinson’s research.”

“Depression is a big part of it, too, because they don't like how they are,” added a member.

“It's hard to give up things that you could do that you can't do now,” added another. “That's a hard thing because you're still not that old.”

The Rock Steady Boxing participants went on to say that they are always eagerly looking for people to join them.

“We know there are more people around here who could really benefit,” one member said. “We hope they’ll come. The sooner you start, the better.”

This Washington County Family YMCA program means so much to those participating, as well as their family members. The exercises performed in the Rock Steady Boxing classes are of tremendous help to those diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. But for many in the group, the benefits extend far beyond physical strength and balance. Rock Steady Boxing has helped to create a group of friends within our community with one common goal: fighting back against Parkinson’s, and helping each other along the way. As Marianne Nelson put it, “it's good that we all have the same thing. And that we have this in common. And we're friends... We're a family now. We really are close. Really  close.”

If you or anyone you know is struggling with Parkinson’s Disease, the Rock Steady Boxing members would like to encourage you to reach out to the Washington County Family YMCA. Each session offers a chance not only to improve balance and mobility, but also to share laughs, build friendships, and reclaim confidence in your everyday life. This class has helped many members overcome their Parkinson’s symptoms to a tremendous degree, and they know it can help you too.

Enjoy more photos from Rock Steady Boxing below!