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| The Corner Boxing Club and Salvation Army/Red Shield, offer Parkinson's sufferers an alternative |
Nearly one million Americans are affected by Parkinson's disease, for which there is no cure, but there is a new program using boxing techniques to counter punch the neurological disorder. The Corner Boxing Club, owned and operated by Kirsten S. Barry and Carrie Barry, is located at 5500 Central Ave. #115, in Boulder, and began offering 'Parkinson’s Power Punch Program' classes November 7, conducted every Saturday morning from 8-9:15AM. Carrie Barry is a numerous times Golden Gloves, PAL, USA Boxing National Champion as well as a Level 3 USA Boxing Coach and Fellow of Applied Functional Science (AFS). The Corner Boxing Club’s Parkinson’s Power Punch Program is set in a comfortable environment where participants are positively encouraged to participate both physically and socially.
Strenuous exercise has been proven to help regain physical attributes lost due to the deterioration from Parkinson’s disease but the boxing regimen is more than your average work-out routine, it has recent physical therapy research advising boxing to be effective in improving balance, mobility and quality of life for their participants.
Credited with starting the 'Boxing for Parkinson’s' movement is former Marion, Indiana, County Prosecutor, Scott C. Newman, who was himself diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 41 and started his own high intensity workout program that he felt gave him better overall health. In 2006, Newman founded Rock Steady Boxing, at the time the only boxing program in the USA aimed directly at people with Parkinson's disease. Newman began with a small gym and boxing ring, hiring former world champion professional boxer Kristy Follmar to help build Rock Steady's program during its early stages. Today, Follmar is the Head Trainer at Rock Steady Boxing, located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Corner Boxing Club offers boxing training for Parkinson's sufferers, incorporating workouts with lots of fun. It’s also a way of forming friendships with other’s suffering from the effects of the disease who totally understand what it’s like to have to live with Parkinson's. Kirsten and Carrie Barry hope to reach as many of the individuals dealing with Parkinson's in their Boulder and surrounding communities as possible who need help with coordination, agility, balance, strength, daily function and overall physical health. The training classes (all non-contact) focus on attacking Parkinson's at its most vulnerable neurological points with concentration on overall fitness a goal as well. The routine consists of calisthenics, core work, focus mitts, heavy bag, jump rope, ring work, speed bags and circuit weight training. Boxing training moves the human body in all planes of motion, movements are unpredictable and routines are forever changing as you progress through the workout. Studies have proven that these type classes help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life and overall health of Parkinson’s patients.
'Power Punch for Parkinson's' classes are conducted at the Salvation Army/Red Shield Boxing Gym, 2915 High Street in Denver, led by former Colorado Golden Gloves boxer, Anthony Mora. The Red Shield Gym is home of the Cox/Lyle Boxing program, dedicated to the late Greg Cox and his hero, the late Ron Lyle, supported by the late Bob Cox. The program is now run by former Colorado boxing star, Tito Tovar. The Power Punch for Parkinson’s classes offered at Salvation Army/Red Shield are conducted Wednesday’s beginning at 10AM and Saturday’s beginning at 9:15AM. Providing that strenuous, non-contact boxing workout has shown to be effective in not only building strength and confidence but in some cases, has lowered medication intake.
PAR (Parkinson Association of the Rockies), since its formation in 1981, has been a valuable resource to the Colorado community, providing direct care services including support groups, in-home case assessment and an information hotline to individuals living with Parkinson’s, their families and care partners, as well as the general community. There are an estimated 17,000 individuals in the Rocky Mountain community living with Parkinson’s disease and The Parkinson Association of the Rockies aims to serve each of these individuals in a meaningful way.
For further information on The Corner Boxing Club and their 'Parkinson’s Power Punch Program', call 303-954-9005 and ask for Kirsten or Carrie Barry. For more information on the Salvation Army/Red Shield 'Power Punch for Parkinson’s' classes, contact Anthony Mora at 303-295-2107.
http://www.examiner.com/article/the-corner-boxing-and-salvation-army-red-shield-offer-parkinson-s-sufferers-help
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