THE PROBLEM ISN'T ONLY THE FALL. IT'S WHAT THE FEAR DOES IN BETWEEN.

One near miss on the back steps, and you start making small adjustments. You skip the beach trail. You hold the railing with both hands. Each one is reasonable on its own. Together they take away the exact things that keep you steady. Adults who limit what they do because they're afraid of falling get frailer faster than adults who don't.

WHAT TO EXPECT

When: Wednesdays, 2 to 3pm. First class October 7, 2026.
Where: Phoenix Dragon Martial Arts, 1025 E 1st Street, Port Angeles
Who: Adults 18 and up. No martial arts experience, and no particular fitness level.
What to wear: Comfortable clothes you can move in. Bare feet or socks are best. If you need shoes, indoor shoes only.
Ongoing: It's a weekly class, not a course with a start and end. Come when you can.

ABOUT PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS

Master V works with what you've got, and she's happy to. Walkers and canes are welcome on the mat, as long as the tips are rubber. The one real requirement is being able to get onto the mat without a wheelchair. If you'd be steadier with someone alongside you, bring them.

QUESTIONS

Am I too old, or too out of shape?

The research behind this class was done on adults 65 and up, including people already at risk of injurious falls. Age isn't the disqualifier, and you don't need any fitness level or martial arts background. Most people here have never set foot in a gym.

Will I get hurt learning to fall?

Every fall is practiced on mats and padded surfaces, and you build up to it over weeks rather than starting from standing. In the clinical trials of this kind of training, no one was injured during the training.

I have arthritis / a replacement / balance trouble. Can I still come?

Probably. Talk to Master V first and she'll tell you honestly. Walkers and canes are fine on the mat if they have rubber tips. The one hard requirement is getting onto the mat without a wheelchair, and you're welcome to bring someone to help.

What if I can't get up off the floor?

That's one of the things the class teaches. Getting back up is a skill of its own, and it's on the syllabus.

Do I have to fall on the first day?

No. Come watch for free, as many times as you want. When you're ready to try, we start on the ground.

What if I come once and hate it?

We'll refund your first class. Come and find out. And no, you're not joining the martial arts school. This is its own class with its own pricing.

COME TO A CLASS.

Most people at the workshop were nervous walking in. That's the normal reaction, and nobody there thought less of anyone for it. By the end, every one of them was glad they came.

“I want to keep coming back and learn even more.”

PAM

You don't have to fall on the first day. You don't have to fall on the fifth. Come sit down and watch what it looks like. It's free, it's an hour, and nobody is going to make you do anything you don't want to.

The class runs every Wednesday, starting October 7. We'll be here next Wednesday too. The only thing that changes in the meantime is another week of not doing it.

Refunded if it isn't for you.

Or come watch one first, free.

HAVE A QUESTION?

Copyright @ 2026 Phoenix Dragon Martial Arts, LLC. All Right Reserved. Designed and maintained by Karen Tucker Helps.