Here is an example of thriving in spite of a disease like M.S. It isn't for everybody...the great boxing trainer Freddie Roach clauims that being active in his Wildcard Boxing Gym helps him fight his Parkinson's disease.
I have been boxing for the last four years as a way to cope with my multiple sclerosis. I box three times a week in the summertime as a means to increase my endurance for the other sports I play. I enjoy swimming, boxing, horseback riding, cycling, and playing baseball to name just a few of the sports I enjoy. Boxing helps me to build more endurance to last longer at these sports, which is the reason I enjoy boxing.
There are numerous reasons that boxing is beneficial to anybody's health, but I'm going to give you the top five reasons I find boxing beneficial to me in my battle with multiple sclerosis.
Benefit number one
The first reason I ever picked up a pair of boxing gloves was a defense against stress. Stress in a multiple sclerosis patient like me is not good. Boxing gives me a way to release this stress in a healthy manner, and provides for a great exercise routine as well. I can put on a pair of boxing gloves and hit the bags. This allows me to take my stress out on an object instead of bottling it up inside.
I have seen the results of bottling stress up inside of myself, since my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis back in 2006. I lived at an apartment which a stressful environment for me, because of the noise level and I ended up in the hospital for observations. I had called the office several times because of a neighbor and hey did nothing about the problem. So I started to build up stress inside of myself, and I had ended up having a bad flare up. I was admitted to the hospital for what was thought to be a mini-stroke at the time. It ended up being a bad flare up from my stress level.
Benefit number two
The second benefit I get out of boxing is the friendships I have built through boxing at the local gym. I have built numerous friendships with both the men and women at the gym by taking up boxing. These guys are always asking me why I took up boxing with a condition like multiple sclerosis. I always tell them about the stress not be good for me, and that this is how I get rid of my stress level.
These are friends of mine that I not only train and spare with but that I also hangout with outside the gym. Before my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis I did not hangout much with my friends outside of work. Now that I have multiple sclerosis I'm finding myself more involved with other people in the community. This is one of the reason I enjoy boxing.
Benefit number three
I have been using boxing as a weight control mechanism as well. Boxing is a full body workout that will definitely help keep the weight off. Through all the time I spent in the hospital and fighting depression I had put on a little weight. I can say today that through boxing and hard work I have shredded those pounds off.
I have dropped to the lowest weight I have been at in several years through my boxing routine that I follow very strictly. I go to the gym to box every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for two hours at a time. This has been the reason I have been able to take those extra pounds off that my multiple sclerosis had put on me.
Benefit number four
I have used boxing to train myself in self-defense. Boxing is a good tool to use if you ever find yourself in a position that you need to fight back. I do not start fights, or even participate in them. I would only use my boxing skills to defend myself if I was ever faced with this need.
I know that I can fight back if the situation ever presented itself, but for people looking for a fight I just walk away. I'm glad I learned how to box, because I'm often times home by myself at night since my husband works graveyards. Knowing how to box has given me and my husband the peace of mind that I can protect myself if need be.
Benefit number five
I have learned many life lessons through boxing. The sport of boxing has taught me to give back to the community. This was a feat that was accomplished through the coaches giving me their time, and knowledge about the sport of boxing. The boxing coaches I have dealt with have been an inspiration to me since I first started boxing.
I have since given back to the community of Colorado Springs. I have helped out in fundraising events for organizations that raise education about multiple sclerosis. I have volunteered my time with other organization in the state of Colorado such as the YMCA, and the Boys and Girls Club of America. I educated others about the sport of boxing within these organizations so that they understand there are ways to get out of the street life.
I have been boxing for four years as a way to fight back against multiple sclerosis.
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