Get moving

Exercise is key to maintaining quality of life

The verdict is still out as to which exercises provide “the most bang for the buck” in terms of maintaining physical and mental well-being and quality of life. We do know, however, that finding activities that you enjoy and can stick with is most important.

Getting started and developing a routine is the hardest part. Consult your doctor before you begin any exercise regimen. Your symptoms, fitness level, and overall health will determine the types of exercise that are best for you.

Choose activities that address your specific Parkinson's symptoms:

• Improve aerobic conditioning by walking, biking, gardening, swimming, and using exercise machines.
• Increase walking speed and lengthen stride by walking on a treadmill.
• Improve posture and balance through non-contact boxing.
• Practice relaxation through yoga.
• Improve balance and flexibility through Tai chi.
• Improve strength and balance through weight training.
• Improve breathing, balance, flexibility, and mobility through Pilates.

Getting started

• Exercise at least 15 minutes every day.
• Do aerobic exercise (e.g. walking, stationary cycling, swimming) three times per week.
• Avoid fatigue by exercising first thing in the morning.
• Allow time for warming up and cooling down.
• Gently stretch each joint and muscle group.
• Start with easy exercises, and slowly add more difficult ones as your fitness level improves.
• Build up to doing five -10 repetitions of each exercise.

If you experience falling or freezing:

• Do your exercises while seated.
• Hold onto a chair when performing standing exercises.
• Avoid floor exercises if you can’t get up by yourself.
• Only exercise when other people are around to help.

It is never too late to become physically active

Begin increasing your activity level by making simple adjustments to your daily routine: (from the Parkinson Society of Canada)

• Take a walk. Walk 20 steps in your normal way, then take 20 long steps followed by 20 normal steps. Swing your arms for 20 steps. Repeat for the duration of your walk
• Get off the bus one stop early or park the car one block away.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Do leg exercises while watching television.
• Play your favorite music and move to the beat.

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Boxing for fitness can be “life changing”

Much to my surprise (and that of everyone who knows me), boxing has become my favorite fitness activity. This is a sport I would not even watch on tv, let alone try, in my pre-Parkinson’s life. Rumors that I have challenged Muhammad Ali to a fight, however, are greatly exaggerated.

Boxing for fitness is very different from competitive boxing. The emphasis is on jumping rope and doing push ups, sit ups, abdominal and stretching exercises, and weight training, as opposed to hitting punching and speed bags. For me, it’s all about the red boxing gloves, the emotional release that comes from a little visualization while throwing punches, and the knowledge that my trainer won’t hit me back.

"Our message is that you can feel better tomorrow,” and that is “life changing” for people with a progressive, debilitating disease, said Scott Newman, a PWP and owner of Rock Steady Boxing (www.rocksteadyboxing.org), a non-profit group that offers free boxing classes to PWP in the Indianapolis area.

“What we’ve seen here is nothing short of miraculous,” says Kristy Follmar, former professional boxer and Executive Director of Rock Steady Boxing. “To see people who can’t even jump when they get here, four weeks later skipping rope like a pro is amazing.”

Researchers say that the high energy workouts, combining cardio and strength training, increase dopamine levels in the brain, lessen Parkinson’s symptoms, allow for a reduction in Parkinson’s medications, and improve posture, balance, gait, speed, and agility.

New Gym Gives Purpose To Punches January 23, 2007
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/10823367/detail.html

Punching out Parkinson’s at Rock Steady Boxing Gym
DAVID ALAN BECK;  February 14, 2007, nuvo.net/articles

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