Boxers strive to knock out Parkinson’s




POWER PUNCHERS—Rock Steady Boxing participants and staff take to the court to show their power. Courtesy photo

POWER PUNCHERS—Rock Steady Boxing participants and staff take to the court to show their power. Courtesy photo

In a gym tucked away behind Crossroads Church at the Camarillo Premium Outlets, a posse of coaches and volunteers cheerfully encourage a group of boxers forward, urging them to push, keep going, improve.

The boxers have all been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and have joined Rock Steady Boxing Ventura County/Los Angeles to keep their symptoms in check.

Rock Steady Boxing is a nationwide nonprofit offering an exercise program that seeks to slow the advance of Parkinson’s disease. An estimated 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s annually. Rock Steady Boxing has 871 facilities throughout the world and 43,500 boxers.

At the helm of Rock Steady VC/LA are Newbury Park residents Lisa Oliver and Yvette Israel, owners and certified head coaches of the local affiliate, established in 2014, which offers the program in Camarillo, Calabasas and online.

Energy and enthusiasm reverberate through the gym. Everyone there either has Parkinson’s or is there to support someone who does. They are there to fight back, literally, with boxing gloves. The program also incorporates basketball and other exercises. And now a group of members will be taking part in tomorrow’s Great Race.

Established in 1986 as a fundraiser for local schools, this year’s Great Race is set for Sat., April 1 to start and finish in Agoura Hills.

The race will allow the boxers to test the endurance that they’re building through the program.

On a full-sized basketball court in the gym, about 40 boxers surround the court. Coaches stand by, ready to assist. Oliver stands in the center of the court.

“It’s Jokey Thursday,” she shouts. “You know what that means! Use it or lose it!”

The entire room is filled with laughter as participants exercise their lungs. They shout out jokes to each other and respond with vigorous guffaws.

“People don’t die from Parkinson’s,” Oliver said. “They choke to death or die from a fall.”

The joke exercise is “to fight against ‘mask face’ in Parkinson’s, to work on vocalization and strengthening the diaphragm and lungs, getting air out through the throat and vocal cords. It’s an opportunity to express your happiness and joy with your fellows, laughing out loud.”

Every activity has a purpose, to exercise and strengthen bodies against the disease with the goal of living a healthy, rich and full life. Therapy begins at the door, when boxers are encouraged to write their names in big letters on the white board to combat the cramped writing typical of the disease.

Lance Kistler, 75, was diagnosed in 2021. He said running in the race is “a little scary.”

“We walk a little less than 2 miles a day. It’s 3.5 for the race. We’ve been doing extra runs at a longer distance.”

Kistler was a scoutmaster and had to quit. He came home early from a camping trip with tremors, sleep issues and gait problems.

“I’m miles ahead of where I was,” he said. “I recommend this to anybody I run into.”

The boxers and coaches share a great camaraderie that extends to their corner people, those who are there to offer support and encouragement.

One young man is decades younger than his cohorts, as most of the boxers are seniors. He was diagnosed at age 32. He has participated in the program for four years and is now able to overcome his tremors. Because he has children, he said, he is motivated to slow the progression of the disease.

Parkinson’s can strike at any age, Oliver said, though usually it is later in life. It is incurable but treatable. People who take part in exercises like the Rock Steady Boxing method can delay the progression of the disease and sometimes see improvement.

After rigorous warmups, the class is divided into skill levels. Some boxers use wheelchairs or walkers. They take part in drills that are adapted to their needs.

One woman calls herself a cheerleader. She’s there with her husband, a boxer in a wheelchair. She said the boxers like the program because “they are doing things they didn’t think they could do.”

When “Boogie Nights” starts playing on the boombox, it’s time for boxing. For the next 25 minutes boxers pair off and participate in drills intended to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease and to build resilience.

Israel and Oliver use punching bags, balance balls and just about any tool available to keep the classes lively, challenging and fun. For 90 minutes boxers keep moving through carefully crafted sequences and activities.

Like Kistler, Ron Lacoe, 70, is nervous about the Great Race. He joined Rock Steady nine months ago and is planning to run the 5K. Diagnosed in August 2020, Lacoe received standard treatment with medications and speech therapy. Then he started at Rock Steady.

“I’m stabilized,” he said. “Improvement would be nice, but it’s not a goal. I would say yes, I’m better. Balance is a challenge, and voice,” he said, speaking in the soft, hushed tones that characterize the disease.

As the race date draws near, anticipation grows.

Oliver said, “Can’t wait to see their smiles crossing the finish line having accomplished more than they believed they could and see how that catapults them to a renewed level of self-confidence and control over Parkinson’s.”

Her partner agreed.

“Rock Steady Boxing classes have been preparing them to be who they have always known they could be and to have power over Parkinson’s,” Israel said. “They are Rock Steady Boxing undefeated champions.”

For race information, go to greatrace.run. For information on Rock Steady Boxing, go to rocksteadyboxingvcla.com.