World Martial Arts Center

After losing its Chinatown space in 2005 (to condominium plans, naturally), the World Martial Arts Center found a new home in the West Village. The dojang, or studio, offers classes six days a week in hapkido, an ancient Korean martial art whose name means “the way of coordinated power.” The 45-minute classes are open to all levels, incorporate stretching, kicking, punching and meditation, and are coed. “Hapkido is especially great for women,” explains dojang officer Janett Pabon. “It's not about upper-arm strength, but using your opponents' force against them.”