Special Programs

Karate Program

This class is offered on:

Tuesday – 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Thursday – 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Saturday – 10:00 11:00 AM

The Belleville Health and Sports Center’s Karate Program provides training in Shorin-Ryu Karate. The goal of this program is to provide an alternative means of exercise for those individuals who have not participated in a regular exercise program or who would like to vary their present program to achieve fitness.

What is Shorin-Ryu Karate? Karate, which originated in Okinawa, is a martial art developed for the purpose of self-defense without weapons. Shorin-Ryu (Matsubayashi-Ryu) is one form of Okinawan Karate-Do.

What Benefits will I receive from training in Karate? Karate contributes to the training of body and spirit. Through regular participation, you will:

• Increase endurance
• Improve mobility and flexibility
• Reduce stress
• Gain self-esteem and self-confidence

Yoga

Classes offered on:

Monday 9 AM classic yoga

Tuesday 6:30 PM classic yoga with Stacy 

Wednesday 5 PM classic yoga with Stacy 

Thursday 5:30 PM TRX yoga with Lisa 

Friday 9 AM. Classic yoga with Julie.

Linze Aya
Certified Yoga Instructor

Linze Aya is a 500 hour certified yoga instructor who enjoys teaching a variety of different lineages of yoga, meditation, and dance. She also enjoys gardening, farming, hiking, writing, art, and outdoors activities.

Tai Chi

This class is offered on Saturday mornings at 8:15 AM.

It is free for members. Nonmembers can pay a $10 guest fee to attend. 

Gary Brandt: Instructor

Again, under his bio, it should say Gary has studied tai chi for 20 years and teaching for 15.

The Tai Chi form being taught is of the Yang style and is a short form.  The short form is taught by Gary has been choreographed by Mr. Peter Ralston who is the only non-Asian martial artist to have won the World Martial Arts Competition.  Gary is continuing his studies of the art of Cheng Hsin with Pete Ralston of Pipe Creek, Texas.

Tai Chi, pronounced “tie chee”, is a gentle exercise program that is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Derived from the martial arts, tai chi is composed of slow, deliberate movements, meditation, and deep breathing, which enhance physical health and emotional well-being.  The Tai Chi form is being taught for health purposes, not marital.

This class is designed to teach you a short Tai Chi form and with it guide you to re-experience your body as an object in space connected to the ground.  This will all be done through gentle, repetitive movements while working with a slow relaxed breath.  Gary will lead you through the five basic principles or states of being that will help you connect your mind, your body, and the experience of being.  This work is not limited by age or ability and can be applied to everything you do.  Keep in mind always that you can only do what you can do today with your body and that everyone has different abilities and limitations.