NIFS Healthy Living Blog

Five years ago, NIFS experienced success with the introduction of our Parkinson’s-based fitness program in the senior living communities we serve across the country. Two years ago, we started hosting an annual event, Pump it for Parkinson’s, to raise awareness on the benefits of exercise for those living with Parkinson’s Disease and the momentum is only growing. The event has provided education to thousands and generated over 22 million steps in 40+ states across the US and Canada and has garnered media attention at our downtown Indianapolis location. The response we have received from people with Parkinson’s, their families, and the communities we serve has been overwhelming in identifying a need. We need to continue the fight to bring the stigma of a Parkinson’s diagnosis out of the shadows and provide quality fitness programs to serve the interests and needs of people with Parkinson’s.

Consider this…

…You are a lifelong exerciser and sport enthusiast, and you receive a diagnosis. You love competition and staying in the game. Does the inner athlete you see in yourself change upon receiving a diagnosis? Do you have the same resources and programs available to stay engaged?

…You don’t exercise, and you receive a diagnosis. You benefit from the structure and guidance of physical therapy, but you are discharged, and your doctor tells you to keep exercising. Do you know how to find a gym? Do the programs and services meet your needs, interest and passions as someone living with Parkinson’s?

With 90,000 people receiving a diagnosis every year in the US, these questions and many others are what people with Parkinson’s face every day along with anxiety for what the future holds. Research indicates that nearly 40% of people experience depression in the year following their diagnosis. Through Pump it for Parkinson’s, we have received countless thanks from people with Parkinson’s and their family for not only raising awareness but celebrating the wins we see people with Parkinson’s achieve when they are exercising. When you focus on the abilities of someone with a new diagnosis, it can help eliminate fear and empower them to pursue lifestyle changes to manage the disease.

NIFS not only has a huge goal of 25 million steps for Pump it for Parkinson’s 2025, but we are also hosting a basketball game at NIFS called Hoop it for Parkinson’s. We have registrants from across the country showing interest in this safe and inclusive environment for halfcourt play while demonstrating to others that the joy of competition has no limits. NIFS partner with Parkinson’s, Bill McCleery shared, “As someone living with Parkinson’s since my 40’s, I appreciate the people at NIFS for embracing the incredible value of exercise and advancing the cause through such great events as Pump it for Parkinson’s and Hoop it for Parkinson’s. I look forward to playing ball at NIFS on April 10!” Our goal is that this inaugural game is only the beginning of bringing additional sports and more friendly competition to the Parkinson’s community. Afterall, Indianapolis is the sporting event powerhouse of the Midwest and NIFS is thrilled to extend that Hoosier hospitality to the PD community.

“You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.” – Michael Phelps

Recently I heard someone say something along the lines of, “That sixth-grade basketball player is ranked #1 in the country.” That got me thinking: How in the world are we ranking sixth-graders? They haven’t even gone through puberty yet!

Early sport specialization basically refers to putting a child into one sport before puberty and keeping them in that one specific sport their whole childhood and adolescent life. Parents think that if their child is focused on one sport, they have a higher chance of getting an athletic collegiate scholarship and possibly going pro at their respective sport. This is the furthest thing from the truth. Early sport specialization is actually detrimental to young children physiologically, psychologically, and fundamentally.

Children Should Learn a Variety of Sports

Children should be exposed to as many sports as possible as they grow up because this allows them to learn different skills that they might not learn if they are focused on only one sport. If a child focuses on the skills required to play baseball or tennis, that child will not master the physical literacy that every athlete should have. Physical literacy is the basic sport and movement skills required for sports that include agility, balance, coordination, and speed (Brenner, 2016).

Variety Will Help with Injury Prevention and Avoiding Burnout

Being a strength coach and personal trainer, a lot of parents ask me to train their child from as early as 10 years old because they think their child is the next LeBron James or Usain Bolt. What I have found out is that those kids typically can’t perform a simple movement like a skip or jumping jack. It actually is sad to see kids struggle with basic movements like this. Allowing kids to play sports for fun is the best way to keep them from burning out or getting seriously hurt before they reach puberty.

Let Kids Play to Have Fun

At the end of the day, we need to allow kids to be kids and play to have fun. Putting too much pressure on kids takes away from their experience and they begin to get scared of failing or not being good enough. They need to learn to fail in certain situations when it comes to athletics or they will not know how to deal with it on their own. Parents and coaches need to work together to eliminate the concept of trying to get their kid to be a professional athlete because chances are it won’t happen. Allow them to enjoy their young years without the pressure.

This blog was written by Pedro Mendez, CSCS, FMS, Health/Fitness Instructor and Strength Coach at NIFS. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.