Parkinson's: Boxing the Beastly Parky's Ear Lugs

 Hiay from Team Snarky Parky

Nancy is detained at the minute so I am posting until she gets here. 

Oops, she's HERE lol! 

 

Snarky Parky & me

A Journey Into Parkinson's with Nancy Mellon

Coordinated by Corrine Bayraktaroglu

Boxing? Who Me?

Ara said, “I think you would like her. Cynthia teaches “Rock Steady Boxing.” She also does online classes. I've been taking Pilates from her for years and I love her.”  (That helped, anyone that Ara loves, I could love too!)

I'd read about the advantages of Boxing for people with Parkinson's.  For most of my life, my mental image of myself has been as a mouse.  (I even have a blue mouse stuffed toy, that has sat in a place of honor on my bureau for years.) So the visual of a Me Boxing kind of tickled me.  I was a little leery of the actual boxing part.  It sounded too sweaty and fast paced.  The only boxing I had ever seen was of Muhammad Ali - and that was just short news clips of fancy footwork, ducking, speed, and Whammo! with a lot of black eyes and swollen body parts thrown into the mix.  And ewwww,  this was the winner!

 But, and this is a Big But- Rock Steady Boxing is a non contact sport.  (“non contact” I like , “sport” not so much.) So I went on line to her web site.

Cynthia Khoury Badrak

 Rock Steady Boxing of Central Florida

This is what her site said:  “Researchers have validated physical and neurological improvement in Parkinson's patients participating in intense, forced workouts. These studies have shown that those participating in this program can see delay, reversal and/or reduction in symptoms. Although exercise cannot increase dopamine levels, forced intensive exercises have proven to help the body/brain use its dopamine more efficiently and increase the neuroplasticity of the brain.”

“Rock Steady Boxing exists for one reason - to empower people with Parkinson's disease..... to fight back!”

CYNTHIA KHOURY BADRAK …. besides being a certified Rock Steady Boxing coach representing Central Florida, Cynthia is also a Pilates Master Trainer,  She is also trained in Bartenieff Fundamentals and Laban Full Effort work. (What the heck are those two?) Cynthia has earned a purple belt in Muay Thai Kick Boxing. (Kick Boxing! Sounds very tough!

Could I do it?  I emailed her and 2 months later, after much dithering on my part and with my Cardiologist's approval, I finally went to my first online Boxing class.

 I LOVED IT.

Cynthia immediately greeted me, and introduced me to the other people there in zoomland.  Best of all, she was an older woman. I hadn't realized that I was expecting someone 27, in spandex that sculpted a perfectly toned body.  It was a relief to see Cynthia, casually dressed, looking kinda like me.  As we got going, I could see that she is strong and has energy.  But she wiped the sweat from her face, and worked with us in a way, that made it real, that I too can get stronger.

Right off the bat, I relaxed, I can do this.

Cynthia is amazing.  She is wise and friendly and knows just how much to push and when to let go. She had us do a chant-“I'm pissed! And I'm Fighting Back!” It made me smile each time.

(I was so tempted to use this chant as my title for this blog post.)

I have now done my 3^rd class in boxing.  I still love it.

I find myself practicing the boxing moves at other times. It's fun.

And one time...., when I was angry, I went to my room and shut the door and said “uppercut, uppercut, and visualized it being a contact sport.

 “We fight the beast and wont give up.

That's why our dukes are always up!”

 Cheers,

Nancy & the Snark

(“We fight the beast” is the chant from Cynthia's class this past week.  I might just adopt it, but change it to “I fight the Snark and won't give up. That's why my dukes are always up!”)

Footnotes From Corrine

Cynthia sounds amazing and I love the chants and mantra's.