Stay Active Saturday - Martial Arts Center for Health

Looking to exercise your body and mind with an activity the whole family can enjoy? Martial Arts Center for Health in Altamonte Springs offers group classes that promote overall health in a safe, encouraging environment. The mission of helping each student achieve their personal best in a non-competitive setting is what really sets the center apart from many other martial arts schools.

Specializing in ancient internal arts, the center teaches forms such as Bagua, Qigong, Kung Fu and Tai Chi, as well as practical self defense. Group classes focus on building physical and mental strength while improving flexibility, control and focus. Unlike many activities, the movements engage the entire body, stimulating the brain and internal organs to increase energy and circulation while relieving stress.

Hour-long adult classes are offered several times a day Monday through Saturday. Kids' classes are currently held on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays at 5:30, coinciding with the adult class at the same time so the whole family can work out at once.

 Open to kids ages four and up, these classes are similar in content to the adult classes but with plenty of fun and games mixed in to hold the little ones' attention. In addition to the physical workout, the kids gain knowledge about how their body works and are encouraged to develop discipline and communication skills while treating their instructors and classmates with kindness and respect.

Jim has been a student at the center for a little over two years, and he always enjoys both the physical and the mind-clearing effects of his workouts there. Both of our Sprouts have taken classes on and off for the past few years as their interest and our schedule permit, and I truly hope that they will return to it when they are ready.

From my many visits to the center, I've found all the instructors and students to be extremely welcoming. They host events such as picnics, parties and lunches several times a year as an opportunity to students to get to know each other - and their instructors - on a social level, and there is a strong, family-oriented feel. Most of all, I love that they've made it a place that everyone - regardless of age, gender or current physical condition - can feel comfortable pursuing better health.

Additional information can be found on their website. If you have questions or are interested in classes, you can contact the center at 407-774-1186 or via e-mail. Be sure to tell them that Growing Healthy Sprouts sent you!