 One local gym is starting to offer a new boxing class that is designed with a specific audience in mind. Sarah Winkelman shows us how takedown gym in Brainerd is now offering rock steady boxing to people with Parkinson's disease. Rock steady boxing has made its way to Brainerd and it's designed specifically to help those with Parkinson's disease. You can take medication but you have to exercise. That is the only thing that will slow the disease or reverse some of the symptoms. There's no cure and there's not a lot that will help over the long run except exercise. That's been wonderful. You gain a lot and get everything moving in your body. Jim was diagnosed with Parkinson's about a year and a half ago and his wife Betty says rock steady boxing has given him the strength to tackle the symptoms. His mental state has improved some. He's got a very better attitude. He feels like okay I can fight it and that's what he's doing. He's fighting it every single day. Jim is fighting along with 25 other boxers who are battling the disease together one punch at a time. I was scared to death. I thought this isn't going to be easy because I've never stepped foot in an exercise gym before so I'm really not the person that should have been stepping forward but I knew it was necessary. Linda played a major role in bringing the international fitness program to the Brainerd Lakes and many locals are forever grateful that she did. It's like a godsend to us. It's like God put us in this place because we were struggling for him. Where the fitness program brings new strength inside and out. I am stronger now than I've ever been in my life so the Parkinson's forces me to say I have to exercise and why not do something fun with other people. They all were doing so great and it's fun to see each other their motivation and encouraging each other is really cool. Oh it helps me a lot. I'm exhausted when I get home then. Reporting in Brainerd Sarah Winkleman, Lakeland News. Rocksteady Boxing has nearly 550 locations around the world. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News please consider making a tax deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.