Boxing, a combatant to Parkinson’s Disease?
Freddie Roach. Age 63. Former professional boxer. Biggest pay day as a fighter – $7,500. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at age 26. One of the best boxing trainers of all time. Current net worth as a trainer – $20million.
A bit about Parkinson’s disease. It is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This leads to a reduction in a chemical called dopamine in the brain. Dopamine plays an essential role in regulating the bodies movement. A decrease in dopamine is responsible for many of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Exactly what causes the loss of nerve cells is unclear. Most experts think that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible.
Freddie Roach probably never set out to be this inspiring, what’s more likely is that he wanted to continue a career in boxing after his diagnosis, and so did just that. Check out his pad work skills with Manny Pacquiao who under Roach’s coaching is the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing and has won twelve major world title.
What makes Manny Pacquiao this good? The volume of punches he throws, at one point he averaged over 100 punches a round in a 12-round fight; his fast hand-speed; his incredible footwork, working on angles, sidesteps, circling his opponents, and spinning off with ease and fluidity; his rock-solid chin throughout his career; his unique style and diverse combinations, not ignoring the ‘Manila Ice’ right hook, that stopped his opponents.
So, putting the two together. One man, is diagnosed with a condition that causes involuntary shaking of parts of the body, slow movement, and stiff and inflexible muscles, holds boxing pads for another man who is known as pound for pound one of the best boxers of all time, put down to his fast hands, fluidity of movement, reaction speed.
It doesn’t take a thorough google search to learn that ‘forced intense exercise’ can be a combatant to Parkinson’s symptoms, but you’ll find it difficult to understand the reason that the combination created something so extraordinary. Whilst there is no scientific study or weight of medical evidence to refer to, the fact that Freddie Roach can continue coaching elite and world level boxers at the age of 63 despite being diagnosed at 26 years old is nothing short of remarkable and probably not a coincidence.
Boxing is often rated top as one of the most demanding sports, measured on various skills and attributers to athleticism: endurance & durability can make or break a fight; strength & power for explosive punches, driven through the whole body; flexibility to produce the speed and angles to land those shots; speed & agility to move forward, back, laterally and at angles to hit and not be hit; nerve – to not fear getting hit; hand-Eye coordination to land shots on a moving target; analytic aptitude, to understand your opponent and the games they’re playing.
Peaking at all these elements of fitness may be required to become the optimal fighter but using the same diversity of training with adjustments and a little creativity, not forgetting the fun and camaraderie, makes boxing something that can improve the quality of life of someone with Parkinson’s Disease.
