Performing medically-recommended and adequately adapted martial arts exercizes can, among other activities that require mobility, help in maintaining a higher level of functioning for a longer period of time. This is why it is recommended for patients to practice performing boxing punches with lighter weights in their hands.
Sometimes the gloves themselves can bear enough weight for the patient. Depending on the person, some find themselves in the first and some in the second phase of the disease. Light bag punching that lasts for several minutes can be used as a good aerobic training for the patient.
He or she can perform certain exercizes, e.g. boxing punches or hand blocks used in karate (tae kwon do) while sitting on a chair if the person is too weak to stand on his/her own. In the third and most difficult phase of the disease, the patient can lightly perform the punches or various hand blocks by even laying in bed. Some other light martial arts exercizes can also be done this way, e.g. light leg kicks.
In the second phase of the disease, patients can become more irritable and can sometimes be uncontrollably or inexplicably aggressive. This is usually so among male patients. Aggressive behavior can be best avoided by actively listening, with an efficient verbal response as well as by removing the cause for the problem. Among such patients, in come situations, exercize and light boxing bag punching can help with lowering their irritability level and uncontrolled aggressiveness. Punching the bag will reduce their anger as well as the patients wish to harm other unknown persons, i.e. "strangers”. It will also reduce the possibility of self-harm that is caused by an aggressive outburst.
Also, well-picked and dosed martial arts exercizes help the patients with their sleeping and resting night cycles. A lack of exercize can prevent the ability to sleep well, especially if a person often sleeps during the day and is unsettled and awake during nighttime.
This is why it is recommended for the patients to train a certain martial art, at least three times a week for 40 minutes. It is also good to listen to some relaxing music or melody that the patient likes while training because it helps them if they are upset or confused.
The music, along with the well-chosen and professionally led martial arts exercizes, will improve the patient's mood and will benefit his or her life when suffering from the disease.
Practicing martial arts is widely considered to be beneficial in the context of physical wellness and cognitive health because it boosts one's mood, reduces anxiety and enhances one's resistance to stress.
Martial Arts Help
in the Treatment of
Alzheimer's Disease
Part 2
By David " Sensei" Stainko