Hamline Martial Arts Club (HMAC) is campus’s hardest hitting org. “We cover a variety of Martial Arts,” Senior and HMAC Co-Leader Taylor Evans said. “We’ve done forms like Kali (a Filipino Martial Art), Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and grappling fundamentals.”
“HMAC is a great club to hangout with friends. We also do martial arts!” sophomore Forrest Stowe said.
HMAC Members practicing Capoeira; photo courtesy of Hamline Martial Arts Facebook Page.
Meetings start at 6 p.m. and run until 7:30 in the Bush Student Center Hub. “Usually we start with a warm up, it’s important to stretch out to avoid injuries,” Evans explained. “The first half hour of training is stick work with rittan training sticks. The second half hour is spent diving into a specific martial art forms. This includes the forms history and then actual practice.”
HMAC members practice Kali Stick work with ritans; photo courtesy of Hamline Martial Arts Facebook Page.
The Power of HMAC is just too much to be contained by Hamlines Campus. “We collaborate with a variety of martial arts studios across the Twin Cities. Such as the Minnesota Kali Group and X2 Fitness,” Taylor said as she watched Fuller House in her apartment (one out of ten, would not recommend). “Being able to train at the Gym really gives you the opportunity to delve deeper into the art and build a wider martial arts community.”
“My favorite part is learning the application of moves and styles,” first-year Quinn Siegman said. “Every movement has power, speed and purpose making fluid motion truly a medium for art.”
First-years Ashley Chen (bottom) and Amanda Rodriguez (middle) and sophomore Forrest Stowe (top) work takedowns during an HMAC meeting; photo courtesy of Hamline Martial Arts Facebook Page.
All skill levels and grades are welcome. “We currently are a very nerdy but fun group,” Evans said happily.
There are many physical activities that you can participate in around campus but none are as fun or practical as HMACs literal high kicking action.