Man stands in his own shadow and wonders why it is dark.
- Zen saying

 

Empower yourself.
We offer several classes to improve your skills and life.


Fix Back and Neck Pain – Medical Breakthroughs in Non-Surgical Treatment
Fix your neck pain, upper and lower back pain, hip pain, discs, impingement, sciatica, SI joint, and more. Learn to fix the source of your own pain, right in class. Cheaper (and safer) than your Vioxx. Taught by Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed. PhD, FAWM, Sports medicine specialist, named "St. Jude of the Joints" by Harvard Medical School clinicians.


Next Workshop Locations and Dates:

In this fun, active class, learn to get rid of neck and back pain and keep it from coming back. Fix stiffness, aches, sciatica, herniated and degenerating discs, stenosis, arthritis, upper crossed syndrome, numb fingers, forward head, lordosis, swayback, "spondys," and facet pain. Pain when standing, pain when sitting. Identify common injurious body mechanics, ergonomics, and habits. Learn therapeutic exercises and muscle retraining, and how to not get stiff and sore in the first place. Combination lecture and non-strenuous practice. Suitable for the out-of-shape as well as the athlete. Wear comfortable ordinary clothing. If you have to change your clothes to fix back pain, how are you supposed to have an ongoing normal life without pain?
Class textbook - Fix Your Own Pain Without Drugs or Surgery. Available at discount at first class.
Class syllabus - Course description and free on-line readings to prepare before class and review after.

 
Kick-Boxing
Taught by Dr. Jolie Bookspan, 4th degree black belt, Undefeated full-contact Muay Thai fighter, International Black Belt Hall of Fame, Instructor rank of Master. International Martial Arts Association 2004 Woman of the Year

Current class, Tues May 13- July 8, 5:45-7pm is full and sold out. Temple U Center City (TUCC) Philadelphia. For waiting list for Fall class beginning September 16, e-mail kwood@temple.edu or call (215) 204-6946.

Learn mental and physical discipline, self confidence, history and theory of martial arts, sports medicine, good behavior, safer, healthier movement and life habits, and real martial arts skills. For men and women. Strenuous workout. No experience needed, just a desire to truly improve, learn, and change unhealthful movement patterns to healthy technique. Punching, kicking, sparring, stretching, rope skipping, striking various target baffles, and drills for body and mind. Music used, exercise class style. We start at the beginning and build with each class.

Class text book- Healthy Martial Arts - Winner of the EUSA Martial Arts Hall of Fame Readers Choice Award.
Class syllabus - Click for photos, class skills, and free readings to prepare for class each week.

 

Advanced (Continuing) Kick-Boxing - Muay Thai
with Dr. Jolie Bookspan
To be announced.
e-mail kwood@temple.edu or call (215) 204-6565.
For students completing the kick boxing class. Improve technique and fitness. Muay Thai (Thai kick boxing) and other styles covered. Heavy bag and partner work, speed work, ring and street defense techniques. Develop the ferocious Thai roundhouse kick. Includes advanced ab and back conditioning, rope skipping, drills, and kicking flexibility. Bring gloves. Wraps provided.
Class textbook - Healthy Martial Arts.
Class syllabus - Click for class photos, skills, vocabulary, and descriptions.


Not The Same Old Stretches - Stretching Smarter Stretching Healthier

  • Pittsburgh, PA - Stretching Smarter for the Martial Artist. Sun Nov 16, 2008. International Martial Arts Black Belt Hall of Fame awards weekend. Contact Grandmaster Kanzler, Exec. Director, or call 1 (800) 456-3872.
  • Snowmass Colorado - Wilderness Medical Society International Wilderness Medicine Conference. Same class offered twice: Sunday July 27 2008 1-3pm, and Tues July 29th 1-3pm. Register through link above, e-mail, or call WMS at 801-990-2988.
  • Temple U. Fort Washington campus, Fort Washington, PA. Saturday April 12, 2008. 2:30-4:30pm. Bring lunch and take it together with the Fix Back Pain workshop, described above. Make it the healthiest day you ever spent. Contact Rhonda Geyer, Director. rgeyer@temple.edu (267) 468-8500.
  • Townsend Tennessee - Wilderness Medical Elective. Feb. 19, 2008. Contact Dr. Tom Kessler, Director.
  • Other locations on request.
This wonderful little doll was made
for Jolie by student Dana Chandler.
Does it really look like Jolie?
Click to find out.

Some of the most common stretches don't work to prevent or fix injuries, and can make things worse. Learn what to do instead and how your body needs to move during real life to be comfortable and healthy, with better posture. Learn innovative, effective techniques to reduce stiffness, muscle soreness, stress, and back pain, and how to not get tight and sore in the first place. Fun, rejuvenating class for body and mind, suitable for the out-of-shape as well as the athlete. Combination lecture and non-strenuous practice.
Class textbook - Stretching Smarter Stretching Healthier.
Class syllabus - Click for Stretch Class description, info, and free readings.

 

Functional Core Training - The Ab Revolution™ No More Crunches No More Back Pain

  • Snowmass Colorado. Wilderness Medical Society Annual Medicine Conference. Same class offered twice: Saturday July 26 2008 10am-12pm, and Monday July 28 10am-12pm. Register through link above, e-mail, or call 801-990-2988.
  • Pittsburgh, PA - Ab Revolution™ Core Training for the Martial Artist. Sun Nov 11, 2007. International Martial Arts Black Belt Hall of Fame awards weekend. Contact Grandmaster Kanzler, Exec. Director.
  • Special workshops and instructor training. Contact Dr. Jolie Bookspan

A revolution in core training - no forward bending that stresses discs. Special workshop with Dr. Bookspan, the award winning scientist who developed this method. Learn the way your abs need to work to hold healthy spine positioning (neutral spine) for real life while standing and all activities. Not just a bunch of exercises, this is a system you can use to restore neutral spine, stop hyper-lordosis, facet injury, SI joint pain, lower back pain from long standing, walking, or running, and get healthier exercise. Learn fun quick techniques to straighten posture, fix hyperlordotic lower back pain, and functionally strengthen, from simple moves to the toughest you can get. Combination lecture and increasingly strenuous practice. Change your thinking about what abs do (and don't do).

Used by SEAL and law enforcement members, and the nation's top spine docs.

Class textbook - Class students can purchase new third edition book at discount.
Class syllabus - Ab Revolution™ Core Training syllabus.

 


  

 

 

Fix and Prevent Injuries - Ankles, Arches, Discs, Knee, Back, & Neck

Fast moving, jam packed, hands-on workshop to prevent and rehab sprains, bad arches, knee, disc, shoulder, upper back, lower back, SI joint, and mystery back pain.
Class textbook - Fix Your Own Pain Without Drugs or Surgery. Class students can purchase through me at discount.

 


Lower Body Revolution
Temple University Center City. For information call TUCC Director Kevin Wood (215) 204-6565.
Take core training further to "foundation training" to retrain your bending, walking, jumping, and moving habits for back, legs, abs, ankles, feet, and knees. Gain strength and endurance. Learn fun sports medicine exercises to get a workout at the same time you specifically retrain posture and movement patterns for daily life. Combination lecture and increasingly strenuous practice. This class will change the way you think about fitness and exercise.
Class textbook - Fix Your Own Pain Without Drugs or Surgery.
Class syllabus - Lower Body Revolution™ syllabus.

Favored web site by HealthAndYogaDotCom
Yoga - Warrior Mind, Warrior Body
With Jolie, Certified 500 hour level yoga teacher. Studied and taught yoga in India, China, Thailand, and Japan.

Bally's Fitness
15th & Walnut, Phila.

Saturdays 12 - 1pm. Come try a class. Members and walk-ins. Jolie is away June 21&28, July 26&Aug 2 - substitute teacher (different method).
Temple Center City (TUCC) 1515 Market, Phila. Current class is full. Summer session, 8 Tuesdays, May 13 to July 8, 2008, no class June 24. 7:15 - 8:30 pm. For waiting list for Fall class beginning Nov 4, e-mail kwood@temple.edu or call (215) 204-6946.
 

Special workshops and teacher master classes by arrangement

If you are strong and brave--or want to be--come learn the most physical and empowering yoga you will ever do. Joyful, often humorous fusion of ancient tradition, sports medicine, and beautiful movement, based on Ashtanga. A real teaching class, not just "do" poses. No experience needed, just a desire to really use mind and body at the same time. Yoga instructors, come learn how to prevent injuries for your students.
Class textbooks - Stretching Smarter and Healthy Martial Arts
Class syllabus - Click for Yoga Class description, student photos, intro to yoga theory and practice, and free readings (many with short movies) of healthier movement and more intelligent yoga.


Partner Yoga
Learn healthy movement with a friend. We cover yoga benefits and pitfalls, along with injury prevention. Learn wonderful partner strength and stretch moves that can be done singly or as part of a flowing series called Vinyasa. Spend a rewarding evening learning something great you can do together.
e-mail Kevin Wood, Director or call (215) 204-6946.
Yoga syllabus.


Advanced Warrior Yoga with Jolie
Each class includes injury prevention, yoga myths, Zen stories, teaching skills and spotting injury-producng movement in your students, and how to transfer yoga skills to daily life.
e-mail Kevin Wood, Director, or call (215) 204-6946.
Yoga syllabus.


Thai Massage
Learn from Paul and Jolie, certified in several styles of medical massage in China, Japan, the United States, and Thailand.

Temple Center CIty Philadelphia Winter Session: 2 Fridays, dates to be announced. 6:30 to 9:30 PM.
Contact TUCC Director Kevin Wood (215) 204-6565.

Private instruction available.

Thai massage has been a medical specialty of Thailand since the time of the Buddha. It has been called "The Yoga Done For You" for the application of pressure points and therapeutic stretching while you rest comfortably on the floor, clothed, except for bare feet. Singles and couples can learn the basics of this delightfully beneficial and physical technique, that in Thailand is called Nuat Borarn – The Ancient Massage. Bring a towel or soft mat.
Thai Massage syllabus, photos and information.

  

 

Chi Kung (QiGong)



Fun Aquatics Skill Classes

 


Diving Physiology

  • Three workshops: Diving Physiology, Diving Medicine, Barotrauma. Wilderness Medical Elective in Townsend Tennessee. Feb. 19, 2008. Primarily for 3rd and 4th year medical students fulfilling an elective in Wilderness Medicine. Contact Dr. Tom Kessler, Director.
 

Click Here to Learn What Students Say About Our Classes

 

Classes with Sensei Paul Plevakas

Karate
Taught by second degree black belt Sensei Paul Plevakas, Black Belt Hall of Fame, and International Martial Arts Association 2004 Man of the Year.

  • NEW location Grand Opening. Tuesday and Thursday 7:30 – 9:00 p.m, beginning August 5 2008. $75.00 monthly – eight classes. Trial class $10 for prospective students. 2100 Chestnut Street, 2nd Floor, Entrance on 21st Street. Call (215) 778-0272 or e-mail Paul@PaulPlevakas.com.
  • Summer class at Temple U Center City: Wednesday May 14th - July 9th, 8 classes, 5:45pm-7pm. No class June 24. Contact course director Mr. Kevin Wood at Temple (215) 204-6565 or register on-line.


Learn real Karate with gentle patient teacher. Shotokan-based martial art taught in a kind and fun environment. Learn full katas (forms) and self defense. Begin to develop kicks, punches, blocks, strikes, partner drills. No experience necessary.

Class textbook - Healthy Martial Arts.
Class syllabus - Click for photos, description of skills each week and video of first kata, Heian Shodan.


Self Defense
Taught by second degree black belt Sensei Paul Plevakas, Black Belt Hall of Fame
Paul is preparing evening "walk-in" classes, at low cost. Contact Paul.
For the next class at Temple U Center City, contact course director Mr. Kevin Wood at Temple (215) 204-6565.
Other locations on request.

Don't be afraid! Protect yourself, build confidence, and fend off attackers. Learn armed and unarmed defenses against armed and unarmed attackers. Gentle instructor will teach you how to use hands, feet, handbags, coins, umbrellas, cell phones, and other ordinary objects against all kinds of bad situations at home and in the street. Learn legal rights and how to spot and avoid trouble. For men and women, all abilities, all ages. Wear your everyday clothing for realistic practice.
Class textbook - Healthy Martial Arts.
Class syllabus - Click for class description and syllabus.

 

Learn Home Repair
Not only is Sensei PAUL PLEVAKAS an experienced and gentle martial arts teacher, he is a LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR, member of NARI - National Association of Remodeling Industry.

Save money and say "I did it myself." Knowledgeable and patient teacher and craftsman Paul will teach you exactly how to handle practical repairs and improvements. These hands-on workshops will give you the step-by-step instructions you need and the vocabulary that goes with it.

Private instruction available
with Paul as your personal repair trainer.
e-mail Paul@PaulPlevakas.com

  


Do-It-Yourself Home Repair - Learn to fix it all: walls, outlets, plumbing, doors, installing ceiling fans, everything you need around the house.
Temple Center City. 1515 Market St. Downtown Philadelphia. $155.
Summer class FULL: For waiting list for Fall class, Six Saturdays, Sept 27-Nov 1, 2008, e-mail kwood@temple.edu, Register on-line, or call (215) 204-6565.

Basic Plumbing Special Saturday Seminar - Learn to fix leaks, faucets, connections, and fixtures yourself, be safe, and save thousands.
Temple U Ambler, Ft. Washington Campus. Saturday April 12, 2008. 10am to 4:30pm. Contact Rhonda Geyer, Director. rgeyer@temple.edu (267) 468-8500.

Coming Soon
Do-It-Yourself Home Repair GREEN
Clean, Earth Friendly, Renovations and Product Use.
e-mail kwood@temple.edu or call (215) 204-6565.


Specialty Topic Classes - Dates to be announced:
Carpentry
Electricity
Flooring
Wall and Ceilings
Plumbing
Kitchen and Bath Design

Click for Home Repair class photos, description, equipment, and a fun Mythbusters video of a malfunctioning water heater.

  

 

What Students Say About Classes

 

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