Bean: It's been a dream of ours

Monday marked the grand opening of the Jiketsu Martial Arts, Fitness and Natural Healing Centre.

The centre offers a huge selection of classes for all ages, including self-defence and martial arts.

“This has been a dream of ours for years,” explained Reuben Bean, the centre’s founder. “I started teaching youth martial arts classes once a week seven years ago and now we are teaching so many classes on a part time basis that we needed a centralised space for all of our students, equipment, etc.

“There is definitely a demand for programmess that teach children and adults to protect themselves, get healthy, learn to control their mind and emotions and so much more.”

There was an impressive turnout of people at the ribbon cutting on Monday with representatives from the Department of Youth & Sport to the Council for Drug Free Sports.

“After much careful deliberation, we chose our 22-month-old son, Nico, to cut the ribbon as this centre is his legacy…and he already runs it like he owns it!” Bean said. “He was even demonstrating the equipment for the photographers at the opening.”

Jiketsu Martial Productions (JMP) was founded in 2004 to promote the ancient disciplines of martial arts as a valuable medium of educational and character development for both youth and adults.

JMP aims to enable its participants to become “mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually respectable and responsible citizens”.

The Jiketsu Martial Arts Fitness and Healing Centre’s programmes include Tiny Tots martial arts classes on Saturday mornings for two to nine-year-olds and during the school year they teach an after-school youth martial arts class for ages 5-18.

For adults, they teach a 10-lesson self-defence class and specialised defensive tactics one-month courses.

In September they plan to begin a Family Safe Programme designed specifically for children and their parents.

They also teach private lessons in Wing Tsun Kung Fu and all the classes mentioned above, as well as an adult Shotokan Karate Classes under Senseis Nigel and Trevor Williams and Jazzercise with Valentina Dibbi.

And for those looking for healing treatments, they also offer personalised therapy through their Blue Sun Alchemical Healing Centre.

“We are not open like a gym, opening hours are based on specific class times,” explained Bean. “At the moment we have a summer camp running during the day and classes at night.

“We hope in the future to be open more for those looking for a different place to workout during the day as we do have exercise equipment (treadmill, bike, weights, etc).”