Class Information

For individuals with at least 1 full year prior experience; minimum age requirement: 14 years old Weeks 1,2 &13 WESTERN BOXING…also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists for competition; typically supervised by a referee - boxers engage in a series of one- to three-minute intervals called rounds, generally of similar weight. Weeks3,4,& 14 AMERICAN KARATE …is a generic term usually referring to a system based on one of the traditional Asian karate styles but with a more eclectic approach; Critics suggest it is a watered-down version of authentic styles popularized by Americans who never stayed with their original teachers long enough to truly understand the intricacies of the art. Supporters, on the other hand, claim Asian instructors are bound by traditions that are both antiquated and impractical in the modern world. Weeks 5,6&15 MUAY THAI KICKBOXING …is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques; similar to other Indochinese styles; Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport. Referred to as the “Art of Eight Limbs” or the “Science Of Eight Limbs” because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus using eight “points of contact”, as opposed to “two points” (fists) in boxing and “four points” (hands and feet) used in sport-oriented martial arts. Weeks 7&8 WING CHUN KUNG FU …is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat; trains the awareness of one’s own body movement derived from muscular, tendon, and articular sources. Wing Chun favors a high, narrow stance with the elbows kept close to the body. Within the stance, arms are positioned across the vitals of the centerline. When the practitioner is effectively “rooted”, or aligned so as to be braced against the ground, the force of the hit is believed to be far more devastating. Weeks 9&10 JEET KUNE DO …is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee in 1967 with direct, non-classical and straightforward movements. The system works on the use of different ‘tools’ for different situations. These situations are broken down into ranges (Kicking, Punching, Trapping and Grappling), with techniques flowing smoothly between them. It is referred to as a “style without style”. Unlike more traditional martial arts, Jeet Kune Do is not fixed or patterned, and is a philosophy with guiding thoughts. It was named for the concept of interception, or attacking your opponent while he is about to attack. However the name Jeet Kune Do was often said by Bruce Lee to be just a name. He himself often referred to it as “The art of expressing the human body” in his writings and in interviews. Through his studies Bruce came to believe that styles had become too rigid, and unrealistic. He believed that combat was spontaneous, and that a martial artist cannot predict it, only react to it, and that a good martial artist should “Be like water” and move fluidly without hesitation. Weeks 11&12 KALI / ESKRIMA [DOCE PARES] …a Filipino martial art that focuses primarily on stick fighting but also covers other weapons [i.e. knives, blades] and empty-hands. The name Doce Pares is Cebuano, the Cebu Native language related to Spanish, meaning “Twelve Pairs”; also at times referred to as Arnis - Doce Pares is one of the prominent styles / organizations practiced around the globe.