Punching through the pain

Icon Boxing Club offers boxing therapy for Parkinson’s patients

Posted 7/26/16

Some may find irony in the idea that people with Parkinson’s are training in a sport that is believed to have led boxing legend Muhammad Ali to develop the disease.But many in Bristol are doing …

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Punching through the pain

Icon Boxing Club offers boxing therapy for Parkinson’s patients

Posted

Some may find irony in the idea that people with Parkinson’s are training in a sport that is believed to have led boxing legend Muhammad Ali to develop the disease.

But many in Bristol are doing just that, finding therapy in boxing at Icon Boxing Club on Gooding Avenue, though the program is a bit less violent than the actual sport. The “Rock Steady” fighters take no hits. Rather, the boxing drills largely focus on developing coordination, strength and endurance.

The boxing classes adapted for people with Parkinson's give local patients new hope as they battle the debilitating disease, according to Jesse Amarelo, owner of the boxing club. Some patients who take part in the boxing therapy see improvements in their symptoms, including better mobility and strength. Vigorous exercise like boxing demands is thought to be therapeutic for those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that affects movement. It is progressive, and there is no cure. But it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. Research links regular, vigorous exercise with a delay in the disease’s progression.

Rock Steady Boxing uses professional boxing techniques to slow and even reverse the effects of Parkinson’s, the club said in a release. The workouts target different muscles affected by the disease. The boxers confine punching to a heavy bag and jabbing to the speed bag in order to strengthen their shoulders and help with tremors. Jumping improves motion in the lower body and stretching relieves stiffness.

Icon offers the Rock Steady Boxing class Thursdays at 11:15 a.m. The class costs $50 a month. Members also have access to open gym time and use of the fitness center. More classes are expected to be offered in the future.

Melinda Allaire, director of the RI Rehabilitation, partnered with Mr. Amarelo to launch the program in Bristol. Robin Ness, a certified Rock Steady Boxing trainer and therapist at RI Rehabilitation, will lead the classes. 

To learn more about the Rock Steady boxing program at ICON Boxing Club, visit iconboxingclub.com.

Icon Boxing Club, Parkinson's Disease, boxing therapy

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