Knocking Out Parkinson’s: Boxing Class Celebrates One Year Anniversary

The class is hosted by TNT Fitness two times a week

FARGO, N.D. — After Mary Louise Murphy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a year ago, one of the last places she’d expect to end up was in a boxing class.

But flash forward a year, and you’ll find Mary Louise and her classmates thriving on the bags, throwing haymakers, and building strong bonds with her fellow boxers.

“I know on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I know that I’m looking forward to come here. This is for us, this is for Parkinson’s, this is what I need to do. And there’s good days and bad days of course, but we come here and we work out each muscle and each thing,” said Murphy.

Murphy was one of the first students to sign up for boxing classes at TNT Fitness.

The program’s instructor, Chris Haile, loves how the class has developed far beyond the techniques he could teach.

“To see these people who have Parkinson’s go from thinking ‘I have this disease and it’s a death sentence and my life is over’ to taking a hold of their journey and fighting back using something tangible that they can control is pretty cool,” Haile said.

The boxers love coming to TNT not just because the bond with their classmates, but they to develop skills like balance and strength.

“When you experience it and how it can help you combat what Parkinson’s is taking away, and getting to see other people around you being successful, it’s pretty emotional at times,” said Haile.

For some of the boxers, they know what’s on the line when they square up with the bag.

“We all are going through the same thing, and we all know we have bad days and we bring each other up and we all just gather together and do it,” said Murphy.

TNT offers boxing classes two times a week at their location on Main Avenue, as well as off–site classes at Edgewood Vista Retirement Home.