Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts will present Boxing Seminar June 22

Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts will present a Boxing Seminar on Sunday, June 22 beginning at 10 a.m.  The seminar will be hosted at the Lincoln Square location, 4717 N. Lincoln Ave.

Taught by Rita Figueroa and Angela Gibson, both black belt instructors at the academy, the program will be divided into three sessions. The first session, from 10 a.m. to  11:30 a.m. will cover Basic Punching and Defense. The second session, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., will focus on Improving Your Skills with Mitt Drills. The afternoon session, from 1:30 to 3 p.m., will cover Sparring Drills and Skills.

Students can attend one, two or all of the sessions. The price is $30 per session in advance or $40 at the door. Students who attend all three sessions will pay a total of only $75 in advance or $95 at the door. DAMA Black Belts and DAMA Instructors will pay $65 for the full seminar.

The Boxing Seminar is open to children age 10 or more and adults. The seminar is limited to the first fifty people, so early registration is advised.

Students are required to bring a mouth piece, hand wraps, bag gloves and boxing gloves.

About Rita Figueroa
Rita “La Guera” Figueroa was born in Chicago and fought at Lightweight or Junior Welterweight. She was a Chicago Golden Gloves Champion four times, from 2001 through 2004. She boxed professionally from 2004 to 2009 and was the WIBA Lightweight Champion. Since retirement, she has transitioned very successfully into the role of boxing coach.

In 1997, she began taking martial arts classes at Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts in Chicago at the age of 27. She earned her 1st Degree Black Belt in 2003. She is ranked in many systems including: Blue Glove in French Savate, White Ring in Thai Boxing, Intermediate Student Level 1 in Kali, and Intermediate Student Level 1 in Jun Fan both under Ron Balicki. Rita has been the recipient of several DAMA awards including: Boxing Student of the Year, Most Fit Female and has received the Warrior Spirit award several times. She currently teaches Fitness Boot Camp and Women’s Sparring Classes as well as Boxing workshops at the Lincoln Square location.

About Angela Gibson
A 5th Degree Black Belt, Angela has been a student of DAMA since 1994. She also has a Silver Glove in French Savate, Intermediate Student Level in Jun Fan, White Ring in Thai Boxing, 3rd degree brown belt in Okinawan Karate, Yellow belt in Kenpo Karate. In 2003 she was First Runner up in the National Savate Championships. Angela has been the recipient of many awards including: The President’s Award and DAMA’s AAA Award for Outstanding Specialty Class Instructor. She is a Certified Personal Trainer and a licensed professional and amateur boxing coach.

Angela currently teaches Women’s Sparring, Fitness Boot Camp and Boxing classes at the Degerberg Academy’s Lincoln Square Location.

About the Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts
The Degerberg Academy of Martial Arts, founded in 1980 by Grand Master Fred Degerberg and his beloved wife of 32 years, Katie Degerberg, is one of the world’s most famed schools of martial arts. The Academy offers daytime and evening classes Monday through Saturday for children and adults. Disciplines taught include Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Savate, Kali Silat and Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. Classes in Mixed Martial Arts and XTreme  Fitness combine techniques from several of these disciplines to build all-around fitness and martial arts skill. DAMA’s most popular and effective experience is the Degerberg Blend of Martial and Fighting Arts, a hybrid self-defense lifestyle that incorporates the best of more than 300 styles for the participants’ enjoyment.

Classes are available for children ages 3-7; 8-13 and adults from teens to 90s. Classes are ranked by skill level, beginners, beginners-intermediate, intermediate, intermediate-advanced and advanced. DAMA hosts monthly seminars in a variety of martial arts, yoga and fitness with their instructors and guest instructors from all over the world. Students range from moms and dads, to tech, engineers, lawyers, doctors, architects, actors, carpenters, electricians, policemen, firemen, etc.

There are two locations: 4717 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Square, Chicago, IL 60625 (telephone: 773-728-5300) and 3600 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Old Irving Park, Chicago, IL 60641 (telephone: 773-545-3423). For more information about the Academy, its programs and instructors, please call or visit the website, www.degerbergacademy.com.

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Editor’s note: Grand Master Fred Degerberg is available for live interviews, in person or via telephone, and media appearances. Please contact Kurman Communications, Inc. at 312-651-9000 or send an email request to [email protected].