Indianapolis Healthplex is excited to announce its partnership with Rock Steady Boxing. Rock Steady is a non-profit organization and program designed to help those fighting Parkinson’s Disease to maintain or improve their life. Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative movement disorder which can cause deterioration of motor skills, balance, speech, and sensory function.
According to the Rock Steady Boxing Program, 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 mobility, stability, flexibility, posture, gait, and activities of daily living.
“Our clients attest, and academic institutions, such as University of Indianapolis and Butler University, are reporting and documenting the improved quality of life among our boxers. Discovery of a cure may be many years away but in the last seven years, there is evidence that progress is made in all stages of the disease by those participating in the RSB program,” (2020, Rock Steady Boxing, via website).
The IHP Fitness Director, Michael Clemens, is completing his training and certification as an instructor for Indianapolis Healthplex. Michael reports that, “the Rock Steady Boxing Training is intense, fun, and incredibly informative. We go into a lot of detail about Parkinson’s disease, research studies on exercise and its effect on Parkinson, training techniques, class design, and much more. We got the opportunity to speak with specialists from neuro doctors to physical therapists.” He continues, “I am incredibly excited to start this wonderful program. It will impact our community in such a positive way. We will be fighting back against Parkinson’s Disease.”