The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 2, 2007 - 29 Father and son black belts J ust over seven years ago, while watching his son Alexander at his jiu jitsu classes at the Y, Lorie Gold had an insight: "Hey, maybe I should be studying this too." Soon enough, he had started on his own path toward a black belt. On the way, he shared a special bond with his son, boosted his level of physical fitness, and learned a very practical martial art. Lorie, a veterinarian in Oakville, remembers clearly the day they first came to the Y in September 1998: "It was the Oakville YMCA's open house and pancake breakfast. We were so impressed with the jiu jitsu demonstration and the sensei (teacher) that we signed up right away." For a year and a half, Alexander progressed through the classes while his dad watched. "When the Y gave free passes to the parents to try, I did it and I was hooked," recalls Lorie. It was very challenging at first. "I didn't realize how out of shape I was, and how much physical fitness was involved," Lorie laughs. The first 40 minutes of each two-hour adult class consists of cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stretching. "It's pretty intense," says Lorie. The results are worth it. In addition to greater physical fitness, both Lorie and Alexander have experienced the cama- Come Celebrate our raderie of the group while developing discipline and the ability to defend themselves. Speaking of the youth classes he now helps to instruct as a black belt, Lorie says, "I can see the kids' self-confidence growing. Even their posture is better. And they have a strong sense of respect for the sensei and their fellow students, based on ancient Japanese traditions. Each person helps the person who is at a lower level of learning. There's lots of learning and discipline, but it's a lot of fun too." When Alexander received his own black belt recently, Lorie was thrilled, as were all the fellow students. "What I love most about jiu jitsu at the YMCA of Oakville is the warm atmosphere, the family environment, the excellent level of physical fitness that you get from the workout, and the real world self-defense skills that you learn," says Lorie. In jiu jitsu, students first learn how to fall and to be aware of their surroundings. "You really want to avoid an altercation with people," Lorie explains, "and we have learned to get away when necessary. 1 st Year Anniversary Lorie and Alexander Gold There's a saying that `You can run faster scared than the bad guy can mad.'" Of course when the situation warrants defending oneself, even a small person trained in jiu jitsu can throw a larger person. This September Alexander headed off to the University of Guelph to study science. But you'll still find Lorie at the Y several days a week, wearing his gi (uniform), bowing gracefully to his fellow students, and helping to train the next generation of black belts at the oldest youth jiu jitsu program in Canada (founded in 1978). For more information about jiu jitsu and other martial arts classes at the YMCA of Oakville, visit www.ymcaofoakville.com and look for `Programs', or call the Y at 905-845-3417. -- Submitted by the Oakville YMCA. · Surprises Galore · Balloons · Cake Refreshments will be served