Karate not only trains a body, but also the mind
By Ginna Young
Everybody was Kung Fu fighting, hiya!
OK, maybe not, but, if anyone is interested in martial arts, then there’s a class just for you.
The free happening takes place every Monday, when Lake Holcombe School is in session, from 5-6 p.m., in the high school math room. All ability levels are welcome, but children must be at least seven years old, according to instructor Grier Belter.
“The idea of starting a karate class at Lake Holcombe was first discussed when I was hired as the new high school math teacher last May, but it took some time for me to settle down into the normal responsibilities of that position, so we didn’t start discussing the details until around Thanksgiving,” said Belter. “I’ve always loved martial arts and have wanted to start teaching it for a couple of years now, but never had the time until I made the career change.”
Belter learned karate through the Young Americans Schools of Self Defense, a karate program based in the St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minn., area. He has a second degree black belt with them, therefore qualifying him to teach their program.
“However, Young Americans isn’t administratively equipped to run classes this far away from their core,” said Belter. “Because of this, I have put together my own program, called Green Flame Karate, which is based on the Young Americans curriculum, but also teaches skills from the other martial arts I’ve studied and incorporated into my style.”
Class participants should wear clothes that are flexible and comfortable to move in, as well as athletic shoes of some variety. Water bottles are also acceptable to bring, but not necessary, as there are multiple water fountains near the classroom.
“Karate trains both your body and your mind,” said Belter. “It gives you greater discipline, which is valuable in all aspects of life and improves your physical health in ways that are constantly relevant in everyday life. This is on top of the potentially life saving capabilities of the self defense aspect of the training and beyond all that, it’s a lot of fun.”
