By MACY MORGAN
Moapa Valley Progress
Martial Arts hopefuls from the valley were presented with a rare opportunity on Saturday. A Martial Arts world champion came to the community to instruct local students in a special workshop.
The workshop was offered by Nick Yamashita, owner of Under the Mtn. Martial Arts. Nick has been studying and practicing Martial Arts for 29 years. He taught Mixed Martial Arts classes for 10 years at Southern Utah University. He then came to Moapa Valley and started his own studio.
“I just wanted to bring something unique and different to the valley.” said Yamashita.
Featured guest at the clinic was world champion Safarri Jessop. Jessop is an exceptional teacher despite being completely deaf from birth. She does not allow her disability to hold her back. There was a translator present to help convey instructions to the students in attendance as needed.
The attendees learned of the different kinds of Mixed Martial Arts, as there are thousands of them. They were taught basic sword skills and basic self-defense. They learned moves to use against threats from both large assailants as well as smaller attackers. They acquired skills like how to break holds, how to escape, and different Jiu Jitsu rolls to get away from their attackers.
One roll they learned was particularly difficult. “I made that up one day in class and it was actually kind of fun.” joked Safarri about the move.
This workshop was just the first of many that will be put on in the valley. Yamashita plans on conducting a similar workshop once every month or two. Each seminar will teach different skills and each will have a different special guest teacher.
Safarri Jessop has been practicing several kinds of Martial Arts for 9 straight years. She has earned world titles and numerous black belts.
She was inspired to help with this workshop because of a topic that is significant to her. “It’s very important for me to help these people who have a bully problem or who are getting beat upon,” she said. “I want to help people develop a self-confidence which could change a life for the better.”
