Rock Steady co-owners Lisa Oliver and Yvette Israel
For people living with Parkinson’s disease, Rock Steady Boxing VC/LA offers a path toward improved mobility —and a renewed sense of hope. What began as a small operation in Thousand Oaks has grown into a four-location program, with a fifth gym scheduled to open in March 2026. Each site offers a scientifically backed, non-contact boxing regimen designed to help combat the disorder’s debilitating symptoms.
The program grew out of a personal story. After co-owner Lisa Oliver learned that a friend diagnosed with Parkinson’s had experienced significant improvements in gait, balance and cognition through the Rock Steady method in Indianapolis, she shared the information with now-business partner Yvette Israel.
“When we saw what this method could do, we knew we had to bring it home,” said Israel, a Newbury Park resident with an extensive background in movement, fitness and business. “We saw lives change right before our eyes.”
In 2014, Oliver took a team of coaches and physical therapists to be certified at Rock Steady Boxing headquarters in Indianapolis. Soon after, classes launched in Newbury Park. Demand was immediate and the program quickly expanded. It now operates in Calabasas, Westlake Village and Camarillo, with a virtual Zoom option as well. The Thousand Oaks location is set to reopen in March with new evening and weekend classes designed for people with young-onset Parkinson’s disease.
The Rock Steady method is a high-intensity workout considered “neuroprotective,” helping delay the onset of new symptoms and slow disease progression.
The program is open to anyone with Parkinson’s and their families.
“Whether someone is physically fit or uses a walker or a wheelchair, they will benefit from our boxing-inspired group classes,” Oliver said. Participants who attend two to three classes a week often see significant improvements.
“Our members fight Parkinson’s in the gym and thrive through ongoing support from their fighting family,” she said.
The program targets balance, posture, walking, speech, flexibility, strength, mental focus, mood, movement speed and sleep. Many participants report reduced symptoms and, in some cases, partial reversal.
Owners say the program also helps lift “diagnosis depression” by providing a safe, encouraging space and reframing a Parkinson’s diagnosis as something people can actively fight. “We want to empower our members to fight back, to realize they can and will continue to live the life they imagined for themselves and their families,” Israel said.
“Our goal is to give them health, happiness and, most importantly, hope.”
Rock Steady Boxing VC/LA is supported by partnerships with the Parkinson’s Foundation, UCLA Health and the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Doctors and neurologists refer patients regularly, citing “dramatic improvements” with consistent participation.
The program offers free orientation, assessment and a trial class to remove barriers for newcomers.
Beyond fitness, the organization builds community through support groups—some on Zoom—for people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers.
Social events include an annual “Fighting Family Picnic” that draws up to 150 people, a monthly club with weekend courses on topics such as fall prevention and dance, and activities including pickleball and “Caregiver Time- Outs.” These gatherings emphasize that fighting Parkinson’s is a collective effort.
For more information, call Rock Steady Boxing VC/LA at (805) 814-6333 or (805) 558-6020, or visit rocksteadyboxingvcla.com. Locations are 5727 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas; 2360 Townsgate Road, Westlake Village; and 161 Plaza La Vista, Camarillo. The Thousand Oaks gym will reopen in March on Moorpark Road.