Back Bay Area Self-defense School Resumes In-Person Classes

Brookline, Massachusetts — The Boston School of Boabom, a Back Bay area martial arts school, today announced that in-person classes have resumed at its Brookline location after they were put on hold during the COVID pandemic.

The school—the only one of its kind dedicated to teaching the Boabom arts—has now moved to a hybrid class model, meaning it will continue to offer virtual live and streaming classes in addition to in-person sessions, particularly as the format proved successful during the pandemic.

Yemado, the school’s director, says that offering both options will continue to introduce people outside of the Boston area to the benefits of Boabom and give many students the added flexibility to allow them to keep up with practice when their schedule is busy.

“At first, we were a little hesitant to offer Boabom classes virtually only because our students love the social aspect of the lessons in addition to enjoying the benefits of Boabom,” he said. “But our transition to online teaching proved so successful that we knew once we could safely teach in-person classes again we would definitely continue to make the on-demand and live streaming options available. As a result of our foray into virtual instruction, we now have students that take Boabom with us online from all over the world, which has shown us the power of online learning.”

Boabom is an ancient form of self-defense with roots in ancient Tibet that combines breathwork and relaxation with progressively taught self-defense techniques. The Boston School of Boabom teaches both Seamm-Jasani, the “gentler” version of Boabom referred to as the “art of relaxation” as well as traditional or Osseous Boabom, also known as the “art of defense and energy.”

Boabom is a non-competitive, non-contact form of martial art, which means students won’t find themselves competing with their peers or making physical contact with another student. This unique quality helps eliminate the fear of injury to another person or oneself. Whether taking classes in-person or virtually, Yemado says this unique aspect is attractive to many people.

“Many of our students appreciate the fact that Boabom is a martial art that requires them to focus on themselves and their personal development versus comparing themselves to their classmates,” he explained. “This quality can really help our participants relax and fully extend their arms and legs without the fear of hurting someone or feeling they’re secretly being judged.”

In addition to offering classes in both Seamm-Jasani and Osseous Boabom, the school also teaches Yaanbao—Boabom with the use of a staff. Right now the school is offering in-person Seamm-Jasani classes for beginners on Saturday mornings, and Osseous Boabom classes on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. A meditation class is also offered on Saturdays. The Boston School of Boabom plans to add in-person Yaanbao classes to its schedule soon. The introductory streaming classes can be accessed at any time, and are free.

Both in-person and virtual classes are kept on the small side so that every student can get as much out of the lessons as possible. The smaller class size allows the instructor to give more personalized attention to students who may need a little extra guidance as they progress through the Boabom arts.

“We’re really excited to be able to offer both options to them, as each has its own advantages and drawbacks,” said Yemado. “Our students can make up their minds as to which platform or combination works best for them and their goals.”

“It’s a great option for our Back Bay students as well, as it offers greater convenience. If they don’t feel like commuting and dealing with traffic to get to our Brookline studio, they can hop online to keep up with their progression. And for those who are able to come to an in-person class, giving this option allows them to meet like-minded individuals. No matter how convenient online streaming can be, there are some other benefits to an in-person class.”

“We’re excited to venture into this new hybrid class platform and see the many ways it helps our students,” he said. “It will help make Boabom’s benefits more accessible to people throughout the Back Bay area and beyond more than ever before.”

To view the class schedule and register for a session, visit https://bostonboabom.com/schedules/.

About The Boston School of Boabom

The Boston School of Boabom is a community of teachers specializing in the Arts of Boabom, a teaching based on an ancient system of relaxation, meditation, breathing, and defense with origins dating back to pre-Buddhist Tibet. Boabom combines active relaxation, meditation in movement, and defense techniques, all in a no-contact, non-competitive environment. Its instructors work together to create a positive and respectful environment that is open to all. The school offers classes for children, adults, and seniors in a friendly, positive atmosphere.