STROKE PATIENT BEN ORDONEZ USED BOXING TO RECOVER FROM A STROKE
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- Boxing Helped Ben Recover from a stroke
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- Stroke Patients full recovery
This is a true “Life Story” of Ben Ordonez and how he used Boxing to change his life. In mid June of 2011 a man walked into our boxing gym and introduced himself. Ben was a very polite 52 year old man who asked a few question regarding our boxing gym. He mentioned that he wanted to learn how to box and that it was something that he had always wanted to do. “I want to learn how to box, can you train me and get me into shape?. I want to lose weight and eventually get into the ring and actually compete if possible”.
Normally this isn’t a reason to write this up as a story but this particular customer was different. I had noticed immediately that his mobility was a little off when he first walked in. Ben explained to me that he was recovering from a stroke he had suffered on January 2010. It had hit the left side of his body causing his eye to sink into his skull.
At the time of his stroke he was weighing in at a hefty 245 lbs on his 5’ 7” on a lucky day frame. I remember thinking to myself, “I am good, but I don’t know if I can give him what he wants?”
“Ben get in the ring and move around a bit so that I could evaluate your physical movement i asked”. Mentally he was good, sharp as a tack but he did have physical limitations. I assumed it was caused by his stroke. So I decided to take Ben on as one of our private students. This way he would have 100% of our attention all to himself in a 1 on 1 setting. After going over the costs and what his program would consist of Ben agreed.
So our journey began with a program that would consist of two sessions per day. His morning session would focus on stability, agility and strength training and his second evening session would consist of Boxing. I must admit that Ben had a great work ethic that I wished more of my students had. But with his wife Olga’s endless support, his eagerness to follow instructions, I thought this will work.
the program we put him on and our vast knowledge, I am pleased to say that Ben today is a new man. He is a FIT and Healthy 175 pound “Beast” of man. Today after 10 months at our boxing gym, Ben spars twice per week; works 10 rounds of mitts 3 times per week and can give me a solid hour of anaerobic exercises twice per week.
All this was accomplished without running and done inside our boxing gym; this goes to show you that with dedication and Coaches that know what they are doing, all things are possible.The proof is right here for you to see. A big thank you to my son Mike Franco for doing his part in Ben’s recovery.
A healthy life can be obtained through Boxing and knowledgeable coaches.