I believe it was noted Fitness Industry consultant Thomas Plummer who said words to the effect of “Fitness Professionals of the baby boom generation were great at training people to run faster, jump higher and lift heavier weights and maybe add a six pack waistline here and there. This type of training regime made you faster, slimmer, more athletic and stronger, all while not being able to scratch your back or tie yours shoe laces without calling for assistance. 

     Admittedly this is a very broad description that some of our regular Yoga enthusiasts would totally refute. Plummer’s main point was that today’s personal trainers are being taught to incorporate more functional movements in their training  that makes for a much more balanced approach to Physical Fitness.

    These thoughts ran through my mind as I recently observed my colleague Maria Malca take 20 members of the "LSVT Move Big" class at The Virginian residences in Fairfax, Virginia.  As described in my previous Blogs I have been working closely with Maria by providing Boxing based exercise classes to people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) many of whom have been Maria’s regular clients in her Move big Classes

    Based on the LSVT BIG therapy program, Move BIG is a Parkinson- Specific class to improve quality of movement, walking, strength and endurance. The format also includes postural and stretching exercises. It is based on the principle that the brain can learn and change (neuroplasticity). It has been formulated from an existing program to help with speech for people with PD called the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT).

The Big Class

    Held in a large assembly room with nary a dumbbell, barbell, dynaband or fitness prop in sight Maria began the session by leading the group through some Basic walking that used different gait patterns, forward and backward steps, and figure 8 patterns between chairs. Vocal inhibition and memory can also be affected by PD, so Maria engaged the participant’s brain and voices by having them yell out the names of Airports in the United States while they walked in a circle. 

     Following this was a series of seated exercise working through different body planes. As Maria's clients moved, forward, upward, sideways from seated to standing etc. they were encouraged to follow her cues in a series vocal exercises with forced exhalation.  Maria encouraged each participant to speak loudly, and confidently.  Facial stretches were also included to help engage the facial muscles which can suffer from palsy with the onset of PD. Basic stretches and relaxation concluded the 50 minute session

Boxing for PD

     As I watched Marie and her clients, my thoughts turned to my boxing class and how I could incorporate the same principles in my teaching. Boxing training, minus the lumps and bumps of contact, is becoming a very popular activity for our PD population.  If taught properly the many punch combinations, Jab, cross, hook and uppercuts when combined with total body movement like ducking weaving and slipping punches can be used very effectively to seek the same type of total body movement. 

     In the following video one of boxing’s premier trainers Freddie Roach who himself has PD mentions that the hand eye coordination he developed through pad work has been instrumental in his delaying the progression of his PD symptoms.

     While currently my class is based primarily on pad work and all its many variations. I look forward to working on a newly installed speedbag with the folks in the coming weeks. It is definitely a skill that can be taught to beginners as the following video shows

Some Final Thoughts

After viewing the LSVT Big Session at the Virginian I came away with 3 main impressions.

1.    A skilled leader like Maria Malca is essential.  It should be noted that while Maria has been taught the LSVT Big format she also has over 30 years of experience as a Group exercise instructor at the World Bank Fitness Centers. So not only is Maria knowledgeable, she also knows how to engage and lead groups of people  with the right combination of assertiveness while still making it fun for her clients.

2.    The exercises are very effective in working all aspects of fitness like  strength, muscle endurance, aerobic and flexibility while also including specific drills that encourage use of the voice, balance, gait and memory to address specific concerns for this population

3.    Finally over the years I have seen Degrees in my chosen field of Physical education adopt all types of pseudo-scientific nomenclature.  

       Back in 1983 when I received my degree,it was given the grandiose title of Bachelor of Applied Science (Phys Ed) Since then I have seen other names given to basically the same degree ranging from  Bachelors of Kinesiology, Exercise Sciences, Health and Physical Education, Sports and Exercise Science, Biomechanics , Exercise Physiology etc. etc.  

      However, I also remember that the very first degree available in my hometown of Melbourne Australia was at the Melbourne University in 1937.  It was call a Diploma in “Human Movement Studies”

     Human Movement is the oldest and the definitely the best title.  At its essence exercise is not just about running faster, lifting more and showing off a 6 pack. Exercise is about Human Movement in all its variations, for all sectors of the population.

      Like Maria Malca and her wonderful clients at the Virginian, when we think about our Fitness regimes, we should think BIG and incorporate all types of Human Movement into our program!