Packing quite a punch: Parkinson’s patients box their way to strength

By Will Bellamy
Aug. 14, 2016

Carolyn “The Cunning Edge” Ashbaugh, right, ducks a punch thrown by Madeleine “Tiny Terror” Kenefick during a recent Rock Steady Boxing training session. The intensive exercise helps people with Parkinson’s disease, like these women, maintain balance, mobility and a heightened sense of well-being. Sue Cockrell/Enterprise photo

Melissa Tafoya takes an unconventional approach to helping those with Parkinson’s disease thrive in the face of adversity.

Tafoya, who will speak at the August meeting of Parkinson’s of Davis support group on Thursday, leads boxing classes intended to bolster the physical and mental well-being of people living with the neurodegenerative disease.

The classes fall under the umbrella of Rock Steady Boxing, a nationwide program originally created by a former prosecutor from Marion County, Indiana, in 2006. The program offers trainers like Tafoya the opportunity to earn certifications that enable them to teach Rock Steady Boxing classes at their local gyms.

During her classes at Capitol City Strength and Conditioning gym in Sacramento, Tafoya works to break down the techniques of boxing into movements that her fighters can master more easily.

According to the National Parkinson Foundation, intensive exercise plays a critical role in maintaining the balance and mobility of individuals diagnosed with the disease. It also can reduce the risk of falling and provide a heightened sense of well-being.

In addition to the benefits of exercise itself, Tafoya said she also has seen the positive impact of community on participants. The camaraderie she witnessed while observing a Rock Steady Boxing program in San Francisco influenced her decision to obtain certification.

“It was incredible to see the passion not only from the coaches, but also the members,” she said. “There was a real sense of strength.”

Tafoya originally earned a bachelor of science in applied art and design from Cal Poly and worked for seven years in graphic design. Along the way, she tried a variety of sports, including running and mixed martial arts. However, boxing stood out to her more than anything due to the impact of the sport on her motor skills, peripheral vision and other facets of her life.

Eventually, she decided to begin pursuing certifications in functional training. Today, she is a National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist with certifications in both TRX suspension training and Rock Steady Boxing.

“I needed to keep moving and I liked being connected with people quite a bit,” she said of her change in career.

Tafoya also has participated in two TRX competitions and she took first place in the women’s division of the 2014 TRX Trainer Summit 40/40 Challenge.

During her speech at the Parkinson’s of Davis support group meeting Thursday, Aug. 18, Tafoya will discuss her classes and take questions on the RSB program. Additionally, several of her fighters will shadow-box and showcase the various movements that they have learned, as well as the military-style cadence chant with which they begin their classes.

Three participants from her classes — Madeleine “Tiny Terror” Kenefick, Carolyn “The Cunning Edge” Ashbaugh and Jack “Jumping Jack Flash” Goldberg — hail from Davis.

The Parkinson’s of Davis meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Davis Senior Center, 646 A St. All are welcome.

http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/parkinsons-patients-box-their-way-to-strength/