Fighting Back Against Parkinson’s

by Brendan Smith
Weirs Times Editor

“Are We Ready?”
“Rock, Steady Ready!”
This chant can be heard seven times a week at the Downtown Gym in Laconia as members of the Rock Steady Boxing Class go through their paces.
It might seem at first that this is just another exercise class getting motivated at the gym, but the participants all have one thing in common – they all have Parkinson’s Disease.
“There are over 7,000 people in the state of New Hampshire with Parkinson’s and we have about sixty-five of them here,” said Peter Drouin who works as a certified coach, along with several other coaches, in implementing this life changing class.
Drouin himself also has Parkinson’s.
“This class helps develop a range of motion which is important to people with Parkinson’s,” said Drouin. “It helps to give that range of motion which extends beyond their daily routine. It gives them back their coordination, their strength and their confidence in their ability to do different things.”
Parkinson’s is a degenerative movement disorder which can cause deterioration of motor skills, balance, speech and sensory function. According to Drouin the only method used in years past to deal with the disease was to have a doctor give you a prescription for medication and nothing beyond that.

Rock Steady Boxing, the first boxing program of its kind in the country, was founded in 2006 by former Marion County, Indiana Prosecutor, Scott C. Newman, who is living with Parkinson’s.
It is based on recent studies that focus on the concept of intense forced exercise and how certain types of these exercises may be neuro-protective, actually slowing the disease’s progression.
“This program has helped me tremendously,” said Drouin. “I don’t know where I would be today without it. My meds have dropped since I started this program and I only go to the doctor once a year now.”
Even though the Rock Steady Boxing Program now has classes around the world in twelve countries, there are still many who deal with the disease, as well as caregivers and others in the medical profession, who don’t know of its existence and benefits. In fact, this program, which is changing lives everyday, is not covered under insurance or Medicare plans.
That is pretty amazing when you consider that there are an estimated one million people in the U.S with Parkinson’s with more than 60,000 diagnosed every year and these numbers will only be multiplying in the decades to come.
So how did the Downtown Gym in Laconia end up being only one of two places in New Hampshire as well as one of 871 places around the world with a Rock Steady Boxing program that can provide those with Parkinson’s with a better quality of life?
“I live locally but I used to go to Concord for this program about four years ago,” said Drouin. “When they changed the schedule and I could no longer attend, I asked J.P. (Janine Page the owner of the Downtown Gym) if she would start a program here. She said she would, but if she was going to do it, then I was going to do it with her.”
This led to Pete and J.P attending a two-day course in Indianapolis to be certified as Rock Steady Boxing Coaches and Instructors. (There are now 7 certified Rock Steady Boxing Coaches at the Downtown Gym.)
Certified coaches are responsible for developing the class based on suggestions from the home base in Indianapolis, but then designed to fit each sites specific “Fighters’ – which are what the programs participants are called.

In fact, each fighter gets his or her own fighter name to be used during the program. “Pistol Pete” is Drouin’s fighter name.
The Rock Steady website program’s website best describes the program:
“….exercises are largely adapted from boxing drills. Boxers condition for optimal agility, speed, muscular endurance, accuracy, hand-eye coordination, footwork and overall strength to defend against and overcome opponents. At RSB, Parkinson’s disease is the opponent. Exercises vary in purpose and form but share one common trait: they are rigorous and intended to extend the perceived capabilities of the participant.”
Each class starts with minute and a half exercises which focus on balance and strength and cognitive skills followed by a few rounds of punching bags and heavy bags using real boxing gloves.
In the future the Downtown Gym will be adding an actual boxing ring which will add a new dimension to the program.
“One of our major focusses we do once a month is how to fall down and get up,” said Drouin. “It’s very important for those with Parkinson’s. We use mats now, but with a boxing ring it will make it much easier.”
Besides being a coach, Drouin is also one of the ambassadors of the program.
“The Ambassador program is me and two other guys,” said Drouin, “We have been to Plymouth State and UNH among other places, giving presentations to some doctorate classes in physical therapy and nursing programs and alike, teaching them about the program. We also reach out to other groups to try and get more volunteers.”
And the volunteers are crucial to the program. Some are sponsors of fighters, some family members as well as others with Parkinson’s.
As mentioned before, the Rock Steady Boxing program is not covered by insurance, but J.P and others at the Downtown Gym won’t turn anyone away from the program, so they have developed the Adopt A Boxer program where 100% of all donations made go directly to the program which provides financial assistance to a fighter who may not be able to afford the program otherwise.
“We are planning on adding more classes to meet specific needs and are also working to get another program started on the other side of the lake,” said Janine Page. “We are also meeting with a group from Vermont to help them get up and running.”
The boisterous and spirited enthusiasm by all participants from fighters to coaches to volunteers is apparent from the first “Rock Steady Ready” yell to the last. Everyone is having a great time and all are benefitting in their own way.
“One of my favorite stories is of on fighter who came to class, all hunched over and using a walking stick,” said Drouin. “Now he comes in walking straight up and boxing like Muhammed Ali and we haven’t seen that walking stick in maybe two years.”
To learn more about Rock Steady Boxing visit Rocksteadyboxing.org. To learn more about the Downtown Gym, to Adopt A Boxer or to sign up for the Second Annual 5K walk/run to benefit the program visit downtowngymlaconia.com