After my son had lost interest, and therefore stopped making progress in gymnastics, we began looking for alternative activities that he might enjoy. We heard about Wilmington Martial Arts Center through a friend who spoke very highly of the instructor (Dan Bourelle) and thought it was worth investigating. Our hope was that our son would enjoy it enough to attend once or twice a week at most. Once he started, he so enjoyed the class that he insisted on going four times weekly, and has progressed swiftly as a result. Dan strikes the perfect balance between making the class challenging and fun, while ensuring that his students master both the techniques and founding principles of the art he teaches. He is an excellent instructor and mentor.
I can’t say enough about my experience with BMA. The instructor, Dan Bourelle, has all of the attributes of an effective teacher. Patient, dedicated, knowledgable, engaging, and motivational are just some of the qualities that he possesses. I started taking hapkido about 3 years ago because of it’s practical nature and the style taught here, combat hapkido. Along the way, I developed an interest in the more traditional arts as well and am now fully immersed in taekwondo and gum-do. The variation between styles provides something for everyone.
After taking my son to class at Wilmington Martial Arts Center for several months, I thought that as long as I was going to be there several times a week I might as well participate and gain something for myself, so I enrolled. While I have taken martial arts, it has been decades since and I was therefore reluctant to give it another try – I am 45 and not especially flexible. But I figured this would be a good opportunity to spend time with my son, even if I struggled. What I have found in the two months since I joined is not only is this a fabulous parent/child activity, but moreover it is the only activity that requires so much focus of me that it enables me to set aside all other worries and stress. It is challenging, but it is also meditative and energizing. I would strongly encourage anyone seeking a physical challenge and/or a way to gain mental focus to explore Wilmington Martial Arts Center.
The conditioning classes through BMA are some of the most challenging I’ve ever participated in. One of the reasons I enrolled in the class was I’d found myself increasingly bored by the same gym routine. The BMA conditioning class provides a group environment where everyone supports and challenges each other. Boredom is never an issue. Routines are varied on a per class basis all planned out on a long range basis. Sparring (stand-up and ground), cardio, plyometrics, exercises to sharpen motor skills, and weight lifting are just some of the different exercises that may be planned for an individual class.
Our daughter goes to WMAF for taekwondo and it’s been a terrific confidence booster for her. Not initially the most coordinated child in the world, she has learned to control her movements in ways that she never could before and this has helped her both in terms of confidence and in terms of social play with her friends and at school. Dan is a patient and considering trainer. We’ve been extremely pleased with the program and the pacing. And importantly for us, the focus for the kids is on developing skills and movements. Although they rise to sparring and are being taught self defense, the focus has not been on discourses of combat or “fighting”–which we appreciate. So bravo WMAF! I’ve recommended it to friends with kids.