After just two months of dedicated exercise effort at Empire Muscle’s Rock Steady Boxing, Ann Moore, 81, walked 40 feet without assistance, despite years of dependency on a walker. According to the program’s volunteer coach and director Will Kohler, “We would call this a Christmastime miracle, but it really is due to Ann’s own hard work and the personalized attention and encouragement she has been getting. She is a national treasure, and we cherish her.”
In fact, Ann’s tremendous effort was apparent as she muscled through her early achievement, closely flanked on either side by Kohler and fellow program participant Larry Skinner, who excitedly encouraged her and assured her security. Directly afterward, Ann glowingly said, “I always leave here walking and moving around better than when I come in. It’s amazing.” Said Skinner, also 81, “She’s a trooper, and the program has been amazing for me too.”
Empire Muscle’s Rock Steady Boxing is brand new, established in September 2019 as a service of Empire Muscle. Empire Muscle is otherwise known as a no-nonsense powerlifting, boxing and conditioning gym on Windsor’s west end, at 925 Crawford Avenue.
Well known in the Parkinson’s community, Rock Steady Boxing is a (non-contact) boxing-themed exercise program, specifically for people with Parkinson’s. The program is proven to significantly mitigate and delay the advancement of Parkinson’s symptoms. Rock Steady Boxing has almost 1,000 affiliates around the world, and now two in Windsor.