On the Defensive

by Tami Fertig

Jackie Chan can't help you this weekend, and neither can your kung fu video game. You just won't understand martial arts until you've experienced them firsthand. "Martial arts in action movies are purely physical," says Tom Klein, manager of Philadelphia Aikido, the city's oldest aikido martial arts school. "There's no stress on the mental and spiritual groundedness. It's not close to what normal everyday people can do." Klein believes that anyone, and that includes you, can master the martial arts.

So here's your chance: Nearly six months after relocating from Center City to Wynnefield Heights, Philadelphia Aikido is about to invite the public in. With their new neighbor, Zhang-Sah Martial Arts, they will host Budo Bash-O, a day of defensive-arts entertainment and awareness for the whole family. Klein hopes Budo Bash-O will present a clearer picture of what the martial arts are really about: building confidence, developing positive values and dealing with pressure in any situation — aggressive or otherwise — where people interact. And it's not all blood and guts. Aikido in particular avoids the use of brute force and instead focuses on deflecting attacks in a nonviolent manner.

In addition to martial arts demonstrations throughout the day, the festival will include balance games, food, Asian music, table and chair massages, black-belt qualifying tests, a professional magician (with a third degree black belt in aikido, no less) and sumo wrestling for any size guy or gal (massive inflatable suits will help cushion the slams).

Budo Bash-O Defensive Arts Festival, Sat., June 5, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., free (but parking is $5), Defensive Arts Center, 3901 Conshohocken Ave., 215-877-6304.

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