Ex-champion teaches people with Parkinson's to box

2 hours ago

Malia Cartyand

Owen Shipton,East Midlands

Jawaid Khaliq runs the class in partnership with his charity, PowerUP, which he started with his friends five years ago

BBC Nine elderly people in workout clothes in a boxing gym with their fists up being led by a man at the front of the room doing a similar pose. — Jawaid Khaliq runs the class in partnership with his charity, PowerUP, which he started with his friends five years ago

A former world boxing champion is teaching people with Parkinson's his craft "to give back" to the community.

In the UK, the current total number of people diagnosed with Parkinson's is about 166,000. It is a progressive neurological condition that can affect a person's mobility, speech, focus, sleep and independence.

Former IBO Welter Weight champion of the world Jawaid Khaliq, 56, from The Meadows in Nottingham, began running the no-contact boxing classes in March.

"It just feels really good to be able to give something back and see the change that happens in them," said Khaliq.

Khaliq holds these particular sessions at the Sycamore Millennium Centre in St Ann's in Nottingham.

He said he structured the class to help reduce symptoms of the condition and help stimulate focus, memory and mental sharpness.

"We make it more than a training session, it's a get-together," said Khaliq

Man smiling at the camera in a boxing gym — "We make it more than a training session, it's a get-together," said Khaliq

Khaliq has said the lessons give the participants confidence and help them to do the "simple things" in their daily lives.

"They can move better, they feel happier, and that is amazing," he added.

Khaliq said he enjoyed leading the sessions, adding: "It's not something that I'm forced to do, I actually love it."

He said he also tried to make his class fun and enjoyable for the participants.

"We push them hard, but we make it fun, it makes them smile and laughter is one of the best medicines," he added.

"Being a part of the community or family, as we call it, it's amazing for your confidence. I think the movement helps and you're letting out aggression and frustrations too.

"Most people who come to the boxing [lessons] get addicted to it."

He also said an important part of the Parkinson's boxing class was the social aspect.

"When we've got problems in life, we isolate ourselves," he said.

"Here, we make them feel included, going out and seeing people with similar issues, training together and having a laugh together."

Khaliq also encourages the friends and family members of participants to attend the lessons, just like Malcolm Pritchard's wife Liz did

Two elderly people in front of a boxing ring in matching T-shirts, a man is looking at the camera but not smiling and the woman next to him is smiling. — Khaliq also encourages the friends and family members of participants to attend the lessons, just like Malcolm Pritchard's wife Liz did

The NHS advises that regular exercise is "particularly important" in helping to relieve muscle stiffness in people with Parkinson's as well as helping to improve mood and relieve stress.

Malcolm Pritchard, 79, feels the lessons improve his condition.

He said getting the diagnosis was "bewildering" and recommended exercising to anyone else struggling.

Pritchard added he liked mixing with other people who have the same condition.

Ray and Sophie Straw both attend Khaliq's lessons every week.

Ray, 76, said: "Most people with Parkinson's have exercises which are very specific, this is just a fun one."

Sophie, 75, added: "It's very difficult to motivate yourself to exercise at home."

Khaliq runs the class in partnership with his charity, PowerUP, a Nottingham mental health and fitness charity.

Muskan Bains, social media manager and volunteer for the charity, said: "From the first session in comparison to now, we've seen a lot of changes in terms of their mobility.

"[Parkinson's] can be lonely for them as well, everyone's got a shared experience, so it's just nice for them to speak to each other.

"For myself, it's just about making a difference.

"We want to go as big as we can, just help as many people as we can as well."

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