Training in martial arts requires complete dedication and intense focus, like erecting a model ship in a bottle or commandeering a real ship using only a bottle. Get the strength needed for any endeavour with today's Groupon: for $39, you get a punch card valid for any 10 martial-arts classes at Fang Shen Do (a $175 value). Choose from the following gym locations: Catherine Street, Kanata, Lanthier Drive, Nepean, Aylmer, and Gatineau.

The seasoned trainers at Fang Shen Do motivate men, women, and children in 60- to 90-minute private or group sessions, using techniques tailored to facilitate quick and effective learning. Senior sifus demonstrate a blend of traditional and gym-developed self-defense and kung fu strikes, traps, and grapples to teach personal protection in real-life dilemmas such as street attacks or attempts to collect taxes from a bear. MMA and sanshou courses focus on fitness and sport training to hone skills such as strike combinations, proper footwork, and specific uses of MMA and sanshou equipment.

Rigorous solo weapons-training sessions improve balance, optimize body mechanics, and hone one's ability to thwart malicious handshakes by using weapons such as blades, bokkens, nunchucks, and kris swords. Pupils can delve into health and fitness programs as well as specialized classes in sanshou kickboxing. Fang Shen Do also offers children's programs that teach practical martial-arts skills as well as life lessons in discipline, bully prevention, and boogeyman suppression. Class times and schedules differ at each of Fang Shen Do's locations, so students should call in advance.