Jesse Pineiro needed to take a breath between exercises.

The Nelson Boxing Club coach gestured to his student, a 79-year-old man who had gingerly taken a seat nearby, and said, 乌鸦传媒淵ou乌鸦传媒檙e getting fitter, I乌鸦传媒檓 getting worse.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檒l give you some of my pills,乌鸦传媒� quipped Bob Browning.

Browning has been training at the gym, twice a week for about three months. Five years ago soreness in his arm led to Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚, which is a neurodegenerative disease that affects movement. What that乌鸦传媒檚 meant for Browning is stiff muscles, poor balance and a hoarse voice.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a sneaky disease,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淵ou can have it for 10 years and not know it. It kind of sneaks up on you real slow.乌鸦传媒�

He乌鸦传媒檚 not a boxing fan 乌鸦传媒� his interest began and ended with Muhammad Ali, who also suffered from Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚. But, after reading online that the sport could help restore movement in people with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚, Browning showed up on Pineiro乌鸦传媒檚 doorstep.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 not so much into the boxing. It乌鸦传媒檚 the exercises that I乌鸦传媒檓 after,乌鸦传媒� said Browning.

A 2011 published in Physical Therapy showed boxing training can benefit people living with Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚, but Pineiro hadn乌鸦传媒檛 previously had experience working with the disease. While with Team B.C. in Salmon Arm, Pineiro consulted with coach Peggy Maerz, who trains groups of people suffering from Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e not really training boxing, we乌鸦传媒檙e training Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚,乌鸦传媒� said Pineiro, who said the disease is forcing Browning乌鸦传媒檚 movements and balance to fold in. The exercises, therefore, are focused on getting Browning to open up with exaggerated motions in his hands and feet while standing tall.

乌鸦传媒淚f we repeat it over and over and over again, the big motions that (Browning) doesn乌鸦传媒檛 do in his everyday life or he does less and less, we乌鸦传媒檙e hoping to turn back the clock a little on Parkinson乌鸦传媒檚.乌鸦传媒�

On this day, Pineiro and Browning began their hour-long workout by passing a soccer ball to get Browning moving his legs. Pineiro also had Browning move clockwise around a square while throwing punches, and used traditional boxing equipment like a speed bag to stimulate Browning乌鸦传媒檚 reaction time.

Browning hopes all this work pays off in little improvements to his daily life with the disease.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 something you can live with and you can last a long time,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淢ichael J. Fox has lasted a long time. He got it when he was 29. 乌鸦传媒� It乌鸦传媒檚 something you can tolerate but it乌鸦传媒檚 a pain in the neck.乌鸦传媒�

At one point, Pineiro pulls out a mat and asks Browning to try five pushups.

乌鸦传媒淭wenty years ago I could have done it,乌鸦传媒� says Browning, to which Pineiro replies, 乌鸦传媒淭his thing乌鸦传媒檚 a time machine.乌鸦传媒�

Browning completes two pushups. The next time he visits, the pair agree, he乌鸦传媒檒l do three.

tyler.harper@nelsonstar.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter