While some mothers and daughters wear matching outfits or accessories, Owasso woman Jane Hart and her daughter, Gina Rigney wear matching belts — black belts.

For nearly ten years, Jane, daughter Gina, and eleven-year-old granddaughter Audria have studied at Beaven’s Martial Arts in Claremore, making self defense a three-generational family affair.

“My grandsons, Gina’s boys, started about nine years ago — the same time that she did,” Hart said. “They all got into it to learn how to protect themselves and spend time together as a family, at the same time.”

Although granddaughter Gina too young at the time (only two years old, then), she later began classes at Beaven’s, as did Gina’s husband, Jan, and eventually, Jane herself.

“In the beginning, I took kickboxing, but I’ve been taking martial arts with Gina and the kids for going on five years now,” she said. “I love it — we meet a couple of times a week and get to spend time together while training under Master Beavens.”

Although students at Beavens receive their own dobak (martial arts uniform), Hart said she ordered her own — one that looked more like those work by the Beavens, which she felt “looked cooler.”

“I tested for my second degree blackbelt with (granddaughter) Audria, who was testing for her first degree belt at the same time,” she said. “Memories like that, and making the memories with my other grandkids are really the best part of studying martial arts. It’s good to be able to defend yourself, but the time spent with Gina and the kids is, for me, the best part of the whole experience.”

Mastering the belts is another family trait, Hart said, as all family members studying at Beaven’s have earned varying degrees of black belt.

“Let’s see, I’ve got my second degree (black) belt, Gina’s also a second degree belt,” she said. “My son-in-law, Jan is a third degree belt, and for the grandkids, Camden and Jansen are both second degree belts, Evan and Audria are first degree belts.”

Hart did say grandchild Levi doesn’t yet hold a black belt, but at three months old, he’s still “a little young.”

Hart said she’d recommend studying a martial art to anyone, particularly with other family members.

“Overall, it’s been a wonderful experience for all of us to share together as a family,” she said. “Plus, it helps keep you flexible, and that helps keep you young, which I like.”Martial arts studies a ‘family affair’ for three generations of women