Things To Do In Concord

Buck Baker Racing School allows speed-hungry race fans to strap into an authentic Sprint Cup stock car and take it out for a leisurely spin around the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The school's masters of acceleration will instruct motorpupils during a roughly one-hour pre-drive class. Afterward, take shotgun while wearing the provided helmet and fire suit along with tennis shoes inside a bona fide, previously driven Sprint Cup Ford, Chevy, or Dodge. You’ll ride along as your instructor powers around the speedway, during which they'll dish out informative tips on driving and snappy catch phrases such as, "Zounds! I own 300 shares of Apple stock!" Once rookie racers are ready, they'll switch seats with instructors and kindle rubber with 10 full laps around the speedway's 24-degree banked turns, imagining that 53,000 spectators are cheering them on as they take a respectable 17th place out of 12,000 cars.

Some people are born with a misplaced overabundance of self-confidence, as the popularity of karaoke bars can attest, but most develop the trait by accomplishing feats they never believed they were capable of. The black-belt-wearing, championship-winning instructors that helm ATA Karate’s 6 locations seek to foster that self-confidence by teaching students the art of self-defense in its many forms, including tae kwon do and Krav Maga. With a client base ranging from toddlers to adults, the ATA staff keeps people empowered and fit by demonstrating effective ways to properly punch, kick, and look cool in slow motion. In addition to teaching martial arts, instructors host leadership programs that show kids how to avoid the perils of peer pressure and adults how to maintain order in their lives. They also cover topics such as dealing with bullies and eliminating child abductions in a series of regular workshops.

A person buys a gun, stores it away, and then never learns how to use it. That scenario perplexes Practical Arms founder and director Mark Williams, because knowing how to safely store and operate a firearm requires ongoing training and practice. That's why he and his fellow instructors draw upon their wealth of expertise to train novice and experienced marksmen. Boasting multiple training certifications from organizations such as the North Carolina Department of Justice—plus experience training law-enforcement personnel from agencies such as the FBI and ATF—Mark oversees classes that adhere to NRA curricula, such as the NRA basic pistol-shooting course and home-defense classes. In addition to drilling students in the safe use of firearms, Mark and his team maintain a welcoming, nonthreatening atmosphere by beginning each class with 10 minutes of standup comedy.

Courses at Freedom Firearms LLC cover everything from basic to advanced firearm techniques during sessions split between classroom time at the Embassy Suites in Concord and a nearby 18-lane state-of-the-art indoor shooting range. Over two or three afternoons, NRA-certified instructors impart skills such as handgun safety, two-handed standing positions, speed reloading, and pistol cleaning tips in a comfortable environment. The team also specializes in on-site private instruction and woman's self-defense, including an in-home course during which guests learn about non-lethal means of protection such as pepper sprays and tasers. Students can also purchase a rental package if they do not have a firearm of their own.

The themes of the seven fields sprawled across Boss Paintball’s 35 acres of woods are nothing if not eclectic. Teams may imagine that they are a posse of sheriff’s deputies fighting bandits in the saloon and bank of Dodge City, or a group of unfortunate soldiers caught in a battle in a spooky haunted house. They may even find themselves set head-to-head inside the Ark, a 40-foot boat that holds a maze, a flagpole mast, and two of every action hero. An astroturfed speedball field caters to fast-paced matches and forces players to duck behind inflatable cover on an open course.

Instructors weave through the forest of punching bags at Elite Fitness & Self Defense, guiding students through strikes, footwork, and energetic exercises. The seasoned trainers offer a sweeping range of martial-arts classes for students of all ages, from Muay Thai to MMA to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. They also lead a variety of more fitness-focused courses, including Elite Fit competitive sports training and Bag Blast—an energetic fusion of cardio, kickboxing, and MMA exercises. The Kids Confidence class teaches children ages 7 and up to feel confident and empowered through a positive approach that promotes respect, self-discipline, team building, and fitness.