Meet the Yorkshire farmer who says boxing is helping him in his battle with Parkinson’s

Richard played rugby for Selby for many years and has found that boxing is a perfect release helping body and mind, and earlier this year he committed himself to another seemingly crazy exercise when he decided to raise awareness of fitness and good health in Parkinson sufferers by completing a challenge of 1000 press-ups in 31 consecutive days in January.

“It all seems a bit counter intuitive doesn’t it,” says Richard with a chuckle. “But I went into boxing because I’d heard it was good for Parkinson’s, plus I liked the idea of a boxing match against someone.

While that part hasn’t actually come to fruition and may never for obvious reasons, Richard enjoys the boxing training of punchbags and the rest of the training that goes with it.

“I think all exercise is good and that’s certainly the case for those with Parkinson’s. The benefit boxing has is that you’re exercising the brain and body together. I talked with the coach at St Paul’s Boxing Club in Hull a few years ago and he said he’d give it a try with me and I haven’t looked back.

“Using body and brain in concert is one of the things that Parkinson’s takes away from you or tries to. My best description of Parkinson’s is your brain tells your body to do something and the body says, no.

“When a boxing coach is shouting numbers for which punch to throw, that acts as the trigger and the concept of triggers is very important in mitigating effects of Parkinson’s.

Richard was diagnosed with Parkinson’s seven years ago but says looking back he possibly started with it up to seven years before that.

“My right arm wasn’t swinging when I walked. The right hand side of my body was slowly but surely getting weaker. Parkinson’s tends to attack the dominant side of your body.

“But my biggest frustration is that the neurologist just wants to talk about reviewing my medication. That’s the sole topic of conversation. That was the reason I wanted to get the message across about fitness and how boxing helps.

“Every year, for the past fifteen, one day a year, I’ve aimed to do 1000 press ups in less than an hour just to benchmark my general fitness. My thought was could I do 1000 each day for 31 days, to raise awareness of fitness and show others what good it can do.

“When I mentioned it to my boxing coach even he said I was mad.

Television crews were interested immediately, leading to several interviews and Richard filmed in the gym.

“It certainly seemed to strike a chord with a lot of people and we’ve raised over £22,000,” says Richard. “One third of the money is going to Parkinson’s UK, with the other thirds going to St Paul’s Boxing Club and Goole Boxing Club who both support what we’re doing.

“Raising of awareness is what I was really after and when BBC’s Look North got hold of the story former rugby players Mike Tindall and James Haskell also got involved.

“Two Saturdays ago a new guy walked in to the boxing club for his first session. He’d arrived by saying Parkinson’s is crap isn’t it, meaning that he couldn’t do things, but half an hour later he turned to me, sweat pouring and said ‘Hey Richard, this is bloody great’. Comments like that make it all worthwhile and it’s what I see in everybody that comes to the gym.

Richard is hoping that the NHS might one day take what he is doing seriously, rather than see him purely as someone with a sports obsession.

“It’s outside of the NHS’ comfort zone. They are more comfortable talking about medication regimes.

“But I don’t want to compromise. I’ve just been at a boxing club meeting and someone pointed me to a song on YouTube called Don’t Let The Old Man In. That’s where I am at, plus I have Parkinson’s, but I’m still here, still fit and it’s all doing me good.

Richard says he won’t be trying the 31 days again though.

“Now I know what it’s like I wouldn’t dream of doing it again. It was hard, but it did have some fun sides. My wife Diana was at the hairdressers a few weeks ago and someone said ‘I saw your son doing press ups’.

“The one that really got me though was our daughter Anna’s son, also Richard who’s 10 years old and had recently spent his holiday time working with Anna. At the end of the week he said to his mum, can I give my wages to Gramps’ Parkinson’s appeal. That brings a lump to my throat every time.

Richard has now turned his focus more to waving the Parkinson’s banner.

“I’m not really involved day-to-day on farm these days. Our son Jonathan runs that and very well. I’m still involved in industry training schemes and apprenticeships but the world of Parkinson’s seems to be rapidly taking over.

“There’s so much to do. The standard provision the NHS offers is very good but where it is less good it is disjointed, old fashioned and inefficient. There’s a fantastic podcast called Movers & Shakers and former BBC correspondents Rory Cellan-Jones and Jeremy Paxman are spot on the money.

“Parkinson’s is a very misunderstood disease and there could be a much more holistic approach to managing it than there currently is. Many think of Parkinson’s as having a tremble, but the tremble thing is the least of our problems, there’s a whole host of other issues not discussed like waterworks, constipation, depression and anxiety, so it is quite relieving hearing other people talking about it.