Tim's story
"I've been using the gym a lot for a couple of years, but now is the time to up the intensity and take control back."
Up until he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Tim used to take part in triathlons and IRONMAN races (a long-distance triathlon race).
Parkinson’s disease is a condition where parts of the brain progressively damage over time, and many of its symptoms affect mobility. These include stiff and inflexible muscles, and balance problems.
Tim knows there is a lot of evidence out there that exercise, particularly when it’s done at a high intensity, can slow the symptom progression of Parkinson’s. Aerobic activities, such as walking, cycling, dancing, or swimming, are recommended.
So, his aim this year is to get stuck into doing more exercise and become fitter.
“I've been using the gym a lot for a couple of years, but now is the time to up the intensity and take control back.” he says.
Exercise is of course an important part of healthy living for everyone, but it’s a vital component to maintaining balance, mobility, and the ability to do daily activities. Establishing positive exercise habits early on in Parkinson’s helps with the overall management of the disease.
Dopamine – a neurotransmitter that helps regulate emotions and coordinate movement – declines with Parkinson’s disease. This is what makes high intensity exercise so important for people who have Parkinson’s as research has indicated that it can stimulate dopamine release, which can help to reduce symptoms and temporarily improve motor function.
Tim also hopes to enter an Olympic distance triathlon this summer, and wants to use the pool and gym to achieve this goal and get him back to doing what he’s previously enjoyed.
As stiff muscles and coordination are common symptoms of Parkinson’s, using the pool and the gym are ideal places for Tim to train. The natural buoyancy of the water helps to take some of the weight off of our bodies, while balance training exercises in the gym can also aid with stability and spatial awareness.
Since getting started, Tim is getting one step closer to his goals. In the gym, he's been doing a mixture of cable and dumbbell exercises with the help of staff at Middleton Pool and Fitness Centre. Now that summer is on its way, Tim has also been making use of the lighter evenings by going for runs! We're so proud of what Tim has achieved so far.
If you have been inspired by Tim’s story and are looking to set yourself a challenge for 2024, we have a range of facilities across a wealth of our centres which can cater to all abilities. Our main goal is to create active spaces for health people and communities to thrive in, so it is important to us to ensure the landscape is accessible for all.
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