Kate Royer, Parkinson’s Boxer
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in January 2015, I was able to immediately join a Rock Steady program already existent in my home state of Kansas. I was disappointed to find that there was not a Rock Steady program in Green Valley when we moved here in Spring 2020 and am delighted that Laura and Steve McMurtry have now established the program with locations in Quail Creek and Green Valley.
Parkinson’s is a progressive, neurological disease that negatively affects both motor and nonmotor functions. Currently, there is no cure for the disease, and the medications for use in the treatment of the disease only lessen the impact of the increasingly debilitating motor and nonmotor symptoms.
The only known treatment for Parkinson’s that actually slows the progression of the disease and helps maintain a better quality of life is vigorous exercise. While exercise is important for everyone, it is vital for people with Parkinson’s in helping to maintain balance, flexibility, and mobility.
Rock Steady programs are dedicated to the individual’s fight against Parkinson’s at all stages of the disease. Originally based on noncontact boxing skills, Rock Steady programs vary in their content but share a common trait in that they are built on the assumption that any person with Parkinson’s, regardless of age or how bad their condition is because of Parkinson’s, is still capable of rigorous training and conditioning.
What does Rock Steady do for me?
* Gives me the ability to fight for me. I am not just a person subject to the doctors, caregivers, and other members of my care team. I am an active participant in the battle for my own health. Knowing that I can, in a major way, be responsible for improving the quality of my own life is very empowering in my battle against Parkinson’s and helps me get out of bed on my bad days.
* Helps my balance, flexibility, and mobility on a daily basis and slows the overall rate of progression of the disease. Since I was lucky to be diagnosed early and started Rock Steady right after my diagnosis, I wasn’t initially able to see any improvement in the symptoms. However, I do notice how quickly I deteriorate when I take even a one- or two-week break for a vacation. My motor symptoms worsened substantially during the COVID year when in-person Rock Steady was not available, but since I have been able to get back into the program, my motor skills have greatly improved.
* Inspires me. I am in awe daily of the courage and grit of my fellow boxers. Over the years, I have worked out with boxers from their early 30s to early 90s and from Stage 1 to Stage 4 along the symptom range. I have seen people come to the program in various stages of exhaustion, in walkers and wheelchairs unable to walk, in pain from constricted muscles and warping bodies, and then stand up with smiles on their faces as they hit the bags with all their strength and move around the gym, negotiating obstacles and moving freely without assistance. I have seen men and women realize Parkinson’s is not a death sentence, that their lives are not yet over, and rise to the challenge of a good fight. I have seen and loved the little old ladies who strap on their gloves and show the world what a little old lady can do. I have loved and been inspired by them all.
If you are interested in learning more about the Rock Steady Quail Creek classes at the Anza Athletic Club, personal trainers Laura and Steve McMurtry can be reached at 520-548-2358 or 480-881-3464.