Rock Steady Kickboxing helps those living with Parkinson’s

Can exercise and cognitive challenge slow Parkinson’s disease? For Rock Steady Kickboxing participants, the answer is becoming clear.

One million Americans live with Parkinson’s disease, and across Wisconsin alone, 20,000 people have the condition. The disease stems from the brain’s inability to produce dopamine, causing tremors, stiffness, slow movement, balance problems and speech changes.

Rock Steady Kickboxing was born from personal need. Scott C. Newman started the program in 2006, just after his own Parkinson’s diagnosis at age 40. What began as one man’s response has grown into a national program serving those with Parkinson’s.

The Wisconsin Athletic Club Lake Country has run Rock Steady Kickboxing classes for eight years. Leslie Goodnetter, who received her Parkinson’s diagnosis four years ago, joined the program at Lake Country in January.

The method weaves together exercise, cognitive work, functional movement and voice activation. Boxing combinations anchor the mental challenge: “Jab is one. Cross is a two. Hook is a three.” When you pair a punch with a number sequence, your brain and body must coordinate—building strength and mental clarity at once.

Similar programs have become more available nearby. The Wisconsin Athletic Club runs Parkinson’s disease exercise classes at its Wauwatosa and Menomonee Falls locations. Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin offer a Parkinson’s disease exercise class as well.