YMCA Aikido Martial Arts Class More Accessible
Mahaska County YMCA
Oskaloosa, August 30, 2013 – Whether you are new to martial arts or ready to try a different program, the Aikido class offered by the Mahaska County YMCA is a good program to consider. The program schedule is changing dramatically to increase accessibility to community members. “We loved partnering with Transform Academy but space was quite limited in times available for people who are interested,” said Dawn Collins, YMCA Executive Director. The program will now be held at the WPU PAC Wrestling Room effective September 5, 2013. Youth classes will be held on Thursday from 7-8 pm and adult classes will be held on Thursdays from 8-9:30 pm and again on Fridays from 12-1 pm. The program fee is $45 for Y members and $90 for non-member. It is free to WPU students with a current student I.D. “We believe the partnership with WPU will be of benefit to everyone. WPU students have a new activity available to them, and the Mahaska community are able to use very nice, accessible facilities for the program,” said Ryan Harkema, Sports, Fitness & Aquatics Director. A free trial class is available to anyone considering the program. All ability levels and members of the community are welcome.
Aikido is self-defense against kicks, grabs, punches and weapons. This art emphasizes balance, grace, and harmony. Aikido is different from most martial arts in that it uses the energy of the attacker to defend one’s self from harm.
Tom Boomershine, pastor at the Central United Methodist Church, is the program instructor. He sees the practice of Aikido as an extension of his pastoral ministry. Boomershine is a 3rd Kyu, intermediate practitioner of Aikido. Boomershine has been practicing Aikido since 2007 and is under the direct supervision of Motier Haskins, the Chief Instructor of Fairfield Aikido. Mo Sensei is a 5th degree black belt. Aikido at the YMCA is a satellite school of Fairfield Aikido.
Aikido is a traditional Japanese martial art created by Morihei Ueshiba (O-Sensei) in the early 20th century. As the physical practice of philosophical principles developed by O-Sensei, Aikido strives for the ultimate goal of peaceful resolution rather than defeat. Composed of three Japanese characters: Ai, meaning harmony; Ki, spirit or energy; and Do, the path or the way, the word Aikido signifies the “Way of Unifying Life Energy.” In this regard, O-Sensei created a martial art in which the preservation of one’s attacker is equally important as one’s own self defense. As such, Aikido is one of the healthiest and most revered martial arts today. Practice is high contact and high intensity but non-competitive. The goal of the practice of Aikido is stretching each other to learn and improve, rather than focusing on defeating an opponent. For more information go to www.fairfieldaikido.com or www.usaikifed.com.
To learn more about the Mahaska County YMCA’s sports programs, please contact Ryan Harkema at 641.673.8411. More information about the YMCA can be found at www.mahaskaYMCA.org.
