Martial Arts Family Fitness (MAFF), a family-owned and operated school dedicated to improving lives through martial arts, announced today that the real Karate Kid is in Santa Barbara this weekend. Actually, the students from MAFF will conduct demonstrations in conjunction with the opening weekend of the remake of the Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith and martial arts superstar Jackie Chan. The event, organized to promote the positive principals martial arts for youth, will take place at Paseo Nuevo this Saturday and Sunday. Demonstrations will take place between showings of the film between the 1:40 and 3:20 shows.
“We are pleased that Metropolitan Theaters invited us to demonstrate Hapkido, the martial art we teach at Martial Arts Family Fitness,” said David Wheaton, owner and Chief Instructor of Martial Arts Family Fitness. “Our staff works hard at the school to not only teach Hapkido but important life skills. This is especially valuable with our youth students. Martial arts, when taught properly, can give a young boy or girl, or an adult for that matter, a great foundation to meet life’s challenges.”
“The remake of the Karate Kid, being released this weekend, is expected to be a major box office success,” added Melodee Meyer, co-owner of Martial Arts Family Fitness. “As is the case with many films seen by large audiences, interest in the film’s subject matter, in this case martial arts, will certainly increase in the general public. Our goal is to offer demonstrations by some of our youth students and black belts and letting people know that martial arts provide personal development, are educational and a great physical activity. ”
Students and staff from Martial Arts Family Fitness will demonstrate one-step sparring, weapons, sell-defense techniques and board breaking. “The original Karate Kid and the remake tell the story of a young man that is bullied,” added Mr. Wheaton. “Bullying is a problem and we teach our youth students how to deal with it. Every day we work to create the Karate Kid in each of our students.”