Work Smarter, Not Harder

Chain Gang: Sam Cooke

Diagnosed: May 25, 2012 Video: Feb 13, 2023

Our workout,

Exercise or practice?

We are off to workout.

We know that exercise is beneficial in our battle with Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s attacks our mobility by basically inhibiting our brain from getting proper input from our 8 senses . Take away a bit of vision here, a little bit of voice there. Next thing you know our sense of touch, hearing, taste have all donated small portions to the disease and we now have limited mobility which takes it toll on our muscles and bones.

So to help combat this we use exercise.

But there should be a plan to this exercise. An understanding to its purpose.

We are in a contest with an opponent. This contest requires more from us than just

Our physical effort .

It requires our understanding so that we may properly channel our effort.

This is not exercise we are doing it is PRACTICE!

We are preparing ourselves to compete in a competition where we are the underdogs.

Let’s look at a method that we used in our goalie school.

We called them the 4 P’s of Practice .

The 4 P’s of a Parkinson’s workout

We , Parkies must have more impact and more involvement, in our own day to day care.

To often we let our doctors and therapists design a program for us with out any involvement from us.

We must get more comfortable with providing them with our own information.

It happens to often that the health experts lead us down a path designed for the many and not a path for us, the individual.

We can start taking charge by using what I like to call the “4Ps” and use the 4Ps every time we work out.

We have all heard the phrase “Practice makes Perfect”.

However that phrase is one of the biggest myths one may hear.

Practicing something wrong over and over, does not make one better.

It just makes them better at doing it wrong.

Too often we get caught up in the theory that being physically active is what an exercise or therapy program is all about.

Parkinson’s takes its toll on not only our Physical skills but our Mental, our Visual and our Oral skills as well.

So in order to maintain a “perfect practice makes perfect” agenda we must realize that the fundamentals need to be constantly worked on.

Any Parkinson’s work out plan must use the combination of body movement. mental complexities, visual acuity and oral communication.

The outside observer can sometimes become so fixated on the physical movements of a drill, that the movement looks like the participant is actively engaged in the drill.

However that engagement may be limited if it only involves the Physical component.

People with Parkinson’s can experience OFF moments at any time and if a drill is not working for them in one aspect they may still benefit from the drill by incorporating one or all of the other three.

In order to do this we must use the “Work smarter, not harder approach.”

We achieve this approach by understanding and using the 4P’s

1: Purpose – before the start of each workout and drill we must ask ourselves a number of questions. Why am I here? What is the purpose of the drill? How can I get the most out of the drill? How can each drill make me better than I was before? How can I use this drill to get better every day? ***** The purpose of each work out and drill is to not only make us stronger physically but mentally, visually and orally as well.****

2: Precision – Since perfect practice makes perfect. It only makes sense that we strive to be as precise as possible. Most drills have a starting point and ending point. A target that we, visually can focus on. This is where our Vision plays a role. Vision provides the brain the visual cues needed so that the brain can command the body to respond physically. Visual attachment and reducing Visual Resets can enable us to move easier by adding visual clarity to our movements. **** Actually Vision probably is the most important aspect of any drill. As Vision tells us where we go, how to get there and what we do when we get there.****

3: Power – Power is another tool that aids us in precise movement. We should strive to be powerful in our actions. Using our voice is a way to aid us as well. Using our voice can help us memorize any pattern that the drill may incorporate. ***watch any Marching band drill team they use cadence as not only a way to march in unison to the beat, but as way to add power and precision to their steps.***

4; Patience – It takes time to achieve the benefit out of most drills. As the saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” If you patiently follow the first 3 Ps, your confidence will grow over time.

This confidence will assist you in being more comfortable about discussing your Parkinson’s treatment with your Physio Therapist.

Again this involvement will help enable them to use their expertise to assist you down your own individual path.

So discuss the 4 Ps!

By using the 4 Ps in your work outs on a daily basis this will ensure the establishment of fundamentals and advancement or maintaining of skills.

You will then display to those around you the most important P of all.

Passion!