WORTHINGTON — North Star Martial Arts opened last week at the corner of Park Lane and Third Avenue in downtown Worthington. Offering boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu lessons, North Star offers lessons for children and adults alike.
Owner Alonzo Rubio said he is opening the center in Worthington because he wants to differentiate himself from the gym and martial arts studio he already operates in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and because he wants to provide a martial arts center for the local community. He said he was born.
“We didn't want to open in Sioux Falls because our main gym is there,” Rubio said. “I saw Mitchell, Marshall, Vermilion. For several months I was driving around, and there's not even a karate dojo here. To me, it's strange.
“No matter what town you go to, there's a karate or taekwondo dojo,” he added. “I like this town because it has a lot of things. It has a hockey team, it has a basketball team, it has wrestling. It's like wrestling here, so this is Worthington. It's good for us. We're new and the sport is great.''New. People see us in gi and say, 'Oh, karate,' but this is something different and I want to bring that to the community as well. ”
We are new and the sport is new. When people see us in gi, they say, “Oh, karate,” but this is something different, and I want to bring that to the community as well.
alonzo rubio
Fellow North Star coach Mickey Twendell, who is also a student of Rubio, said jiu-jitsu can be useful for anyone who wants to improve physically and perhaps mentally as well.
Samuel Martin / Globe
“I feel like people become more confident when they start martial arts because they're put in certain situations where they have to fight head-on or solve problems in different ways. ,” Twedell said. “They learn how to be more spatially conscious with their bodies, they become more athletic, they become more flexible, they become stronger, and they see that in their work because of the problem-solving[aspect]. think.”
“It could happen to anyone in any profession, but most people[who practice Jiu-Jitsu]are really successful,” she added. “They’re business owners, doctors, lawyers, so even if they do a little bit of jiu-jitsu, that carries over.”
Rubio and Twedell said the art is versatile for anyone interested, whether it's for self-defense, as a hobby or to become an athlete in a martial arts sport.
You can do it as a hobby, or you can come to train because you just love it. If you want to compete, we'll help you compete because we compete too.
alonzo rubio
“For kids, it's self-defense, it's self-confidence. They can protect themselves, their families, their friends,” Rubio said, adding, “You can do it as a hobby, you can just do it. You can come to training because you like. If you want to compete, we compete too and we will help you compete. This applies to everyone. If you want to do it, just do it and then You can do it as a hobby, or if you want to become a professional athlete, we can help you with that too.”
“People will start doing it, even if you're a hobbyist, and it's a fun way to get exercise,” Tweddell added. “Even if you don't like to exercise, you can do this. If you sweat a lot and get a good workout, you might start liking exercise even more and start competing or trying other martial arts. It might become.”
For more information or to register for a class, visit northstar-martialarts.com or call Alonzo at (605) 553-2627. You can also visit our Facebook page at bit.ly/North-Star-Martial-Arts.
Samuel Martin became a reporter for the Globe in September 2023. He holds a bachelor's degree in media studies from the University of Sioux Falls.
