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09/27/2017 12:00 AMCindy Lignar will be celebrating the eight-year anniversary of Squared Circle Studio in Deep River in January 2018. This November, the studio will celebrate another milestone: the first anniversary of offering the Rock Steady Boxing program for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. After witnessing the benefits that the boxers enrolled in the program have received, Cindy and business partner Stacy Meisner are excited to see the program continue to thrive.
Cindy, a Chester resident, met her colleague several years ago while she and Meisner were both enrolled in a kickboxing class at a local gym. After becoming fast friends, Cindy and Meisner started contemplating opening their own studio in order to focus on providing a consistent approach to fitness that centered around what they each knew best.
“We always thought it would be great to have our own fitness studio. Then we came to the decision to just go for it and do it,” says Cindy. “We both have very supportive husbands, which put us in a position to be able to do that. The reason we wanted to get out on our own was to be able to provide fitness that played to our strengths.”
A lot of the studio’s exercises are based on kickboxing techniques, including the use of striking bags, as well as focus mitts worn by a partner. Cindy says that striking can benefit the body much more than what most people do at a gym.
“When you throw a punch, you’re turning, you’re pivoting, you’re using your body. It’s multiple movements on multiple planes that use multiple muscle groups and joints. We’re looking to properly condition the front and back of the body and the upper and lower body,” says Cindy. “If you run on a treadmill and that’s all you do, you’ll get some benefit, but then your body will get used to that. You want to work your entire body and strengthen and condition with aerobic and anaerobic exercise.”
Cindy is a registered nurse and, although she can’t diagnose conditions since she isn’t a doctor, Cindy can advise participants within the scope of her practice. Cindy says the movements involved with the workouts at Rock Steady Boxing are effective in alleviating symptoms for those who have Parkinson’s disease, although the program goes well beyond boxing.
“It’s been demonstrated through medical studies that Rock Steady Boxing focuses on everything that a person with Parkinson’s loses: agility, coordination, power, balance,” Cindy says. “It’s counteracted by boxing training, but it’s not just boxing. Boxing is the focus, but we also work on agility, power, endurance, balance, and cognitive skills.”
On the other hand, Cindy says the program is not a cure-all. Rather, it’s a component that can help someone with Parkinson’s disease lead a more comfortable life.
“What we see is that it’s a combination of medication, exercise, proper rest, and nutrition—and very fundamental is the social and emotional support aspect. The boxers, they’ve all bonded with each other. They are jokesters, too,” says Cindy. “They are so inspiring and so wonderful. It’s the best program. We love it, and we love them. We often hug before we leave. I’ve had someone say that getting a hug is their favorite part of class.”
Fran Lo, one of the Rock Steady boxers at Squared Circle, has experienced relief from some of her symptoms by working hard in the program and receiving support from people at the studio.
“My balance, which is not great, has improved. I have pins and needles in my legs, and that’s mostly gone away because of the boxing. And my handwriting got better–that’s one of the big problems with Parkinson’s,” Lo says. “They really make us work hard and do what we can do, and they know what challenges us...Everybody is so encouraging and tries to help you to push yourself a little bit and challenge yourself. It makes you want to be there. It’s one of the most important things I do. It’s the hardest I’ve ever worked, but I’m probably in better shape that I’ve ever been in.”