Kung Fu And More At Petersen Barn This Summer

A recent study shows that, for the first time in U.S. history, obese Americans outnumber merely overweight Americans. Head over to the city of Eugene’s Petersen Barn Community Center this summer to buck this trend through martial arts or dance.

If you only sign up for one of Petersen Barn’s multitude of classes — ballet, belly dance, fencing, yoga — martial-arts instructor Logan Flores wants you to take his class, “Kung Fu Lessons in Harmony.”

Flores, who moved to Eugene earlier this year, spends his time gardening and teaching kung fu at the Petersen Barn in Bethel. In April, Flores showed his enthusiasm for recruiting pupils by standing on the sidewalk in downtown Eugene and practicing kung fu moves to promote the class.

Now that he’s in the city of Eugene’s recreational guide, he doesn’t have to work quite as hard to attract students, he says. In his class this summer, Flores says he wants to teach Eugeneans to embrace core tenets of martial arts — honor, community, connectivity — in their daily lives.

“Kung fu is about time and energy,” Flores explains. “In my class, there is no test, no belts or badges, no hierarchy. I want it to be a place of gathering for all disciplines and levels, where people can gather as a community around movement art and explore.”

The class, held outdoors in Petersen Barn’s adjacent park, involves the practicing of forms, including crane style and tiger style. These various types of movement take on attributes of the animal they are named after, with crane style known for perfecting the art of balance.

Flores says he also explores minimizing unnecessary movement and working with partners to practice escaping from others’ holds or moves.

The outdoor environment with its varying terrains is ideal for practicing kung fu, Flores says, and now that the summer months have arrived, the weather only contributes to accessing inner calm. He says when outside, he often thinks of a tai chi proverb that claims the best place to practice is underneath trees in the morning.

“It’s easier for the body to fully breathe and relax,” Flores says.

Flores’ class costs $15 a month and meets twice a week on Mondays and Saturdays at Petersen Barn, 870 Berntzen Road, throughout the summer months. To sign up for this class and many others, visit eugene-or.gov/recguide.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!