Stories of Salem: Fighting Back Against Parkinson's with Rock Steady Boxing
Produced by Meghan Jonas, Ashley Jackson Lawrence and Ashley Johnson. Story by Meghan Jonas.
When one thinks of Parkinson’s disease and boxing, the two may not seem to align immediately.
Parkinson’s disease can cause difficulties with balance and coordination, a loss of motor skills and increased tremors. Boxing is a sport that heavily relies on speed and agility. But Rock Steady Boxing is showing that the two go together better than many people might think.
Through Rock Steady Boxing, people with Parkinson’s are fighting back against the disease, utilizing non-contact boxing drills to increase their overall health and quality of life. “Rock Steady Boxing provides hope to people with Parkinson’s disease,” says head coach and owner August Peterson. “It’s kind of a one-stop-shop.”
Classes at Rock Steady Boxing focus on balance, endurance, strength, cognitive function, fall prevention, multi-tasking, vocal activities and brain busters. Coaches use invigorating exercises to increase dopamine levels, which are typically low in patients with Parkinson’s. “[We] have a lot of fun and kind of mask that hard work with being goofy and having a good time,” he says.
There have even been classes where Peterson and other coaches set up tape around the room, Mission Impossible style, to work on balance, agility and problem-solving. And the class nearly always dances, at least a little bit.
“Just so everything's clear, it's a non-contact boxing program,” Peterson says with a grin. “We don't have anybody hit each other or even try to come close. So when I first started, that was my initial question.”
Classes begin with a typical warm-up that last 15-20 minutes and focus on ice-breakers and gait and balance training. Next up is circuit training, which utilizes 8-12 different stations and uses numbers associated with different movements and footwork to get folks boxing. Peterson and other coaches choose different things to focus on in each class, so one day may be about fall prevention while another is about strength and endurance exercises.
Founded in 2006 in Indiana by two friends, one a former county prosecutor living with Parkinson’s disease and the other a Golden Gloves boxer, Rock Steady Boxing has spread across the world. There are over 900 affiliations of Rock Steady Boxing worldwide, but Peterson’s gym is the only one in Salem that offers the classes.
Peterson says he loves encouraging people living with Parkinson’s to fight back against the disease. “I enjoy helping others and I enjoy motivating others,” Peterson says.
Born and raised in Oregon, Peterson started boxing in high school before picking up the sport again at 24.
“I've been a boxing fan and a fight fan for most of my life, trained for a really long time. So when I found out about this program, it just made a lot of sense for me to kind of jump headfirst and start helping out,” he continued.
Peterson was introduced to the program when there were only five members working out at Northwest Rehabilitation Associates. The group continued to grow and eventually became too big for the space, moving over to Combat Sports Center before closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, they found their current home at 1127 Broadway St NE and have been there since, where the group has grown to its current size of over 40 members.
Rock Steady Boxing is highly recommended by local neurologists and physical therapists and Peterson hopes to spread the word of the program across the city, especially to people living with Parkinson’s disease who may not know about the program.
Peterson has witnessed the impacts of Parkinson’s disease first-hand. “I've seen people go from [being] really strong to needing a walker or a wheelchair,” he says. Programs like Rock Steady Boxing empower people to fight back against the disease as they work to slow symptoms that they might otherwise have no control over.
“On the other side of that though, I've seen people come into these rooms in a walker or wheelchair, and within four weeks [they] aren’t even using a cane. And they're fully on their two feet, and they're running around and they're getting on the floor, and they're getting up off the floor without assistance,” Peterson says.
Seven years ago, Peterson was working in a bank and training in martial arts and says he was working hard himself. “But seeing how hard [the boxers] work, it’s so inspirational to me, and it makes me want to do so much more in my life.”
People are able to reclaim their independence due to their participation in the program, Peterson says. If they fell, they’d be able to get back up. Boxers develop friendships, participate in support groups together, and quickly become as close as family.
“I’ve really become close with the Parkinsons community in Salem,” Peterson says. When asked how he’s seen the community change over the past few years, he describes seeing a community that was filled with sadness become reinvigorated. “I see it really blooming and becoming something important that all of these people are getting a lot of benefit from.”
One member, Brian Erland, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s two and a half years ago. He watched his father battle Parkinson’s for 31 years and was looking for a way to keep his strength and stamina up. Now he organizes barbeques for his fellow boxers and publishes a monthly newsletter for Rock Steady Boxing.
Another member, Jayne Wilson, organizes support groups. While exercising, the sound of friendly joking and encouragement fills the room. Families and loved ones are also encouraged to volunteer at Rock Steady Boxing and attend classes to support their loved ones.
“That's what really what we've tried to bring into these rooms, aside from just the fight back against Parkinson's, but the camaraderie that goes with the individuals that have it,” Peterson says.
Peterson’s ultimate goal is to give hope to those living with Parkinson’s disease. “Learn about the resources out there. Learn that there are resources that are free, that are informative, not just for you, but for your families,” he says.
For more information about Rock Steady Boxing, visit http://salem.rsbaffiliate.com or call (503) 302-1852
Level A Classes: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30 - 3:00
Level B Classes: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:00 - 4:30
Rock Steady Boxing suggested donation is $100, but no one will ever be turned away due to lack of funds.
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