Black belt academy teaches class for Parkinson's sufferers

KINGWOOD, TX (KTRK) -- A married couple with black belts in Kingwood is using their love of martial arts and self-defense to people facing a serious battle -- one against Parkinson's.

Inside a Kingwood gym instructors ask students if they are ready to make some noise.

"You can't help but feel the joy," said student Phil Bozzo.

After the warm up the music picks up and the gloves go on. The punches start.

"It gives you energy," said Debbie Walters.

From small steps to faster ones the students are all in the same fight.

"It's like gravity has increased on the planet for just me," said Walters.

The opponent in this boxing match is Parkinson's disease.

Walters adds, "All I knew was Michael J Fox had it and old people had it."

While their challenges are different don't underestimate them. "I'm real active with the gloves. I love to punch my coaches over there," says Nancy Biddle as her coaches laugh.

One of them is her own daughter. Renee Battenberg and her husband Jeff brought Rock Steady Boxing to Texas.

"By saying you know what, I can do this. I'm here, I'm going to give it another punch," says Nancy's daughter Renee.

The Tae Kwon Do black belts say it's changing lives.

"She jumps in our van now. I've taken the step ladder away. Every time we go somewhere she says I can do this," said Renee.

Sometimes it's the students inspiring the coaches. Alex Flynn takes his fight around the world.

"I was 36 and it hit me like an absolute train. If you want to sit around and mope about it you get nothing done. I picked myself up and decided to race around the planet," says Flynn.

He's raising money for Parkinson's research with a goal of more than a million dollars.

Debbie Walters said, "Like anything you either give up and die or you get up and you keep living. I chose to get up and keep living."

The students say they are ready for a knock out. "We're gonna fight it. We're not going to give up until the end," said Biddle.

For more information on the program CLICK HERE and www.alexflynn.co.uk.