About the Buffalo Bucket List Challenge: Getting healthy, nailing that promotion, sorting our your finances – they’re all respectable resolutions. But frankly, they’re boring af, which is why we here at Step Out Buffalo are challenging you to really step out of your comfort zone in 2017 with the Buffalo Bucket List Challenge. We know it can be difficult to constantly come up with new and exciting ways to enjoy your time here on planet earth, and more specifically Western New York, so we’re doing the work for you. Every Wednesday this year we’ll publish a new Buffalo Bucket List Challenge post with a fun / interesting / exciting / unique “task” to try.
Week 7: May the force be with you for this week’s challenge
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fight like an actual Jedi? Who are you kidding, of course you have!
The American Force Academy encourages those willing to accept this challenge to try the classes, but just know – it’s not all fun and games with plastic toy lightsabers. This is serious martial arts training with a fun flare. When you sign up for a basic class on Tuesdays (recommend you start there) they start you with a wooden weapon to practice with before you make the decision to purchase your own lightsaber through Ultra Sabers. This will help you get acclimated to the fighting methods before fully investing in the equipment to continue with the classes.
If you decide that this is for you and you’d like to continue on to the adult group class, advanced classes, and saberfit, you are expected to invest in a light saber of your own, as rentals are not available. The lightsabers are fully customizable, ranging anywhere from $80-$800 in price. You don’t have to go to crazy, but the customizable options are extremely realistic – and therefore super duper awesome. Choose one that just (LOL) lights up or go the more extravagant route by adding contact flickering and sound boxes.
I can’t stress this enough, this isn’t just fighting with toys. This is full contact martial arts using historic fighting techniques such as European longsword fighting, Western fencing, and Asian weapon arts. The employees of the American Force Academy prefer you call to find out about class pricing because there are a few options available. Depending on the number of classes you’d like to take, pricing starts at $80 per month and goes up from there. Give them a call to find out which class is best for you!
In addition to the scheduled classes, on the first Tuesday of each month is a designated dueling session two hours in length for you to test your skills. Occasional special classes and open studio hours will be shared with you as they come up and private lessons are available through scheduled appointments. #themoreyouknow #maytheforcebewithyou
American Force Academy
(716) 936-2064 / 525 Wheatfield Street Rm 27 in North Tonawanda
buffalolightsabertraining.com
Hours: Tuesday classes include an Initiates (Basics) Class from 6:30pm-7:30pm, the Adult Group Class from 7:30pm-8:30pm, and the Advanced Group Class from 8:30pm-9:00pm. Thursday classes include the SaberFit Conditioning Class from 6:30pm-7:30pm and the Adult Group Class from 7:30pm-8:30pm.
Where to eat: Craving an order of wings or roast beef? Head over to Swiston’s! If seafood is more your jam, enjoy some fresh oysters and clams over at Remington Tavern and Seafood Exchange.
