90-Day Fitness Challenge About to Begin!

One more day until my 90-Day Fitness Challenge Begins!  I hope you will join me for what will be a fun and intense series of workouts that will improve our health.  We're also going to include some self-defense instruction during these sessions as well.

We're going to track improvement in weight and body mass index, and we're going to track our eating habits.  In addition, we'll hold each other accountable for being at the workout sessions and helping everyone succeed. 

It's going to be a great time.  And don't forget that we'll be awarding prizes at the end of the 90-Day Challenge!

See you Tuesday evening at All American Martial Arts at 7:00pm!

Quote of the Day

 "For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward." - Stephen Covey

Parental Involvement: The Number One Key to Success

I was visiting with some other Martial Arts instructors and school owners on the topic of student performance.  Specifically, what was the most important factor in the performance of young people in their Martial Arts training?  Not surprisingly, parental involvement quickly rose to the top of the list.  For young people, whether it's school , sports, or the martial arts, parental involvement remains the most consistent indicator of student success. 

 

So what does it mean to be an involved parent of a Martial Arts student?  First, it means paying attention to what they are doing.  You can’t do this while you’re reading a book, talking on the phone or doing work on your laptop.  The more your child knows you're interested and paying attention, the more he or she will work hard to please and impress you. 

 

Being involved also means providing encouragement.  There are a variety of skills and techniques your child will be taught.  It’s not always easy to learn them all.  But if you are supportive and encouraging, it will help give your child the confidence to overcome specific challenges they will face.

Another key ingredient in being involved is asking questions.  If you or your child doesn't understand a specific technique, or have a question about testing, billing, or any other issue, ask questions.  This demonstrates your interest to the child, but it also helps avoid confusion.  If there's a question, ask it.

Finally, involved parents help their children find opportunities to enhance their martial arts experience.  This can be anything from attending tournaments and specialized seminars, volunteering for special events at the school, to purchasing training equipment they can use at home.  Involved parents understand the important lessons their children can learn from their Martial Arts training, and consistently look for ways to improve that experience.

Parents, your role is crucial to your child's success - in school, in sports, and in the dogang.  Give them the best chance to succeed in life by being involved with what they are doing.  Besides, you never know when your involvement will lead you to decide to begin your own Martial Arts journey.

Why YOU Should Take My 90-Day Challenge!

I know, I know, you’ve tried getting into shape before and always seem to quit about half-way through the program.  What makes my 90-Day Challenge any different?   I’m glad you asked.  Let me give you some reasons why YOU should join this challenge and make 2011 the year you improve your health and have fun doing it.

·         Accountability:  Why do most fitness programs fail? There’s no accountability.  If you don’t show up, there’s no one trying to find out where you are, what’s going on, etc.  Well, we’re going to hold each other accountable in this program.  We’re all in it together, and we’ll be here encouraging one another and making sure we all remain committed and motivated!

·         Friendship:  Another important factor in maintaining a workout routine is having some one to workout with.  Here, we’re all friends.  We will make sure we know who each other is, why they are here, and how we can help them. 

·         Great Workouts:  Our Total Fitness Class is a complete body workout.  While anyone can participate (if I can do it, anyone really can do it), it’s not for the timid or uncommitted person.

·         Convenient:  This class is only 3 days per week (Tuesday/Thursday evenings & Saturday mornings).  The workout is less than an hour long.  So not having the time is not an excuse.

·         Self-Defense:  One thing you’re not going to get from your regular fitness plan – the absolute best in self-defense instruction.

·         You owe it to Yourself and Your Family:  There’s nothing better than being in great shape.  You have more energy, more self-confidence, and more fun.  In addition, your brain actually works better, too!  Give yourself and your family the best gift possible, a healthier, happier you!

·         Great Prizes:  We’re going to be giving some cool prizes to the Top 3 weight loss participants and the Top 3 BMI improvement participants.  And we’ll have a great grand prize for the top overall improved participant. 

Now is the time to make the decision.  You can sit on the couch with that bag of chips or bowl of ice cream and wish you were in better shape, or you can get up, sign-up for our 90-Day challenge, and start your journey to a whole new you!  Besides, we’re actually bribing you to do something good for yourself and your family.  If that won’t motivate you, what will?

Take action today.  Call us at (405) 601-0639 or e-mail us at aama2010@usa.com and make 2011 the best year for your health!

Quote of the Day

"Motivation will almost always beat mere talent." - Norman Augustine

Are the Martial Arts Right for You? Part II

So you've realized that a Martial Arts training program can be an important factor in your personal growth.  Now, how do you choose the right school?  In a previous post, we highlighted the importance of evaluating self-defense instruction.  But there are many reasons people decide to start a Martial Arts regimen.  Some want to get into better shape.  Others want to make new friends, while others want to gain more self-confidence.  But with the wide variety of Martial Arts schools and the various disciplines that are offered, how do you know which is best for you?

First of all, I want to repeat something I've said previously.  Namely, you can learn something of value from just about any martial arts school in your community.  Each discipline offers something unique and helpful.  However, to know if the school is a right fit for you and your family's needs, it will take some observation.

Is your goal to lose weight or get into better shape?  Then you want to take notice of how much cardio-work is incorporated into the classes.  Better yet, do they offer a special class just for fitness purposes? 

Perhaps your goal is to help your child learn those important character traits, such as self-discipline, focus, and integrity.  How well are these displayed by the instructors and staff of the school.  If an instructor shows little respect for his or her students, it isn't likely their going to start displaying respect towards others.  Also, do the classes incorporate a time when these character traits are specifically discussed?

If you are looking for an activity the whole family can enjoy, does the school accommodate that?  Do they have a specific class for families?  Do they offer a family rate?

If your goal is to learn effective self-defense, I'll refer you to our previous blog on that topic.

Also important to consider is how well the school makes your training convenient.  In other words, do they communicate regularly about class schedules, events, and seminars.  Can you purchase gear and/or pay your tuition on-line?  Does the school utilize social media to keep students engaged?  What special offerings does the school provide to enhance your training experience (i.e., private lessons, training DVDs, specialized classes, etc.)

If you're serious about training in the Martial Arts, take the time to research what various schools have to offer.  Your training is an investment of time, effort, and money.  Don't just find the cheapest school and start there.  Make sure you find the school that will meet your needs and help you achieve your goals.

For more information on how All American Martial Arts can help you achieve your goals, click here. 

Training Tip of the Week

Our latest effort to help you get the most from your training:  The All American Martial Arts Training Tip of the Week.

Quote of the Day

"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character.  But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - H. Norman Schwarzkopf

Are the Martial Arts Right for You?: Part I

How can you be sure that a Martial Arts training program is the right activity for you and your family?  With all of the alternatives competing for your time and attention, how can you be sure that the time, energy, and resources you devote to a Martial Arts training regimen will meet your needs?  And how can you choose between so many schools that offer such diverse disciplines and styles?

Let's be honest, there are a lot of responsibilities you have to meet each week.  And there are probably several things you want to do for entertainment, personal growth, or educational reasons.  Finding time for these activities is always a challenge.  So here is a "checklist" of sorts for you to use in determining if the Martial Arts should fit into your list of priorities.

• Are you seeking personal growth?
• Do you want to improve your health and physical fitness?
• Are you looking for an activity that will help bond your family more closely?
• Do you want to find an activity that will help reinforce the values you teach your children?
• Do you want to improve your self-confidence?
• Would you like to know how to protect yourself and your family if assaulted?
• Would you like to make new friends?
• Would you like to develop leadership skills?
• Would you like your children to learn how to handle bullies?
• Would you like to learn how to set and achieve goals?
• Do you or your child want to develop a greater ability to focus on tasks?
• Are you looking for a learning environment that is also fun?
• Would you like to accomplish something only a very small percentage of people in the world ever accomplish?
• Would you or your child like to develop a lifelong relationship with a mentor?
• Would you or your child like an activity that will sharpen your skills for other sports (like football, basketball, baseball, etc.)?
• Are you looking for long-term accomplishments and improvement?
• Are you willing to make a commitment and keep it?
• Are you looking for a sport for you or a child that ensures the opportunity to play?
• Are you looking for an activity in which you can set specific goals and measure your progress?
• Are you looking for an activity that will add value, meaning, and purpose to your life?

The more of these questions you answer "yes" to, the more you can be assured that Martial Arts training should be included on your priority list.  So what are you waiting for?

Oh, yes.  How do you choose the right school?  Once you know you want to begin a Martial Arts training program, how do you choose the school that's right for you?  We'll discuss that issue in Part II.

If you would like to know more about how All American Martial Arts can help you achieve any of the above mentioned goals, click here.

Quote of the Day

"If you think you can, you can.  And if you think you can't, you're right." - Mary Kay Ash

Confidence is such a tricky thing.  So many factors go into creating or undermining it.  And it reveals itself in a variety of forms.  Many have to manufacture it, by creating a persona of bravado, charm, or wittiness.  Others have had it instilled in them since they were young, and simply accomplish what they seek out to do, and go about their business quietly.  Both types of person understand the importance of confidence.

Many people struggle with confidence, however.  They have tremendous talent.  They are strong, persuasive, and possess great mental discipline.  Yet they doubt themselves.  Sometimes this comes from an environment in which they are constantly told "you can't do that," or "you're not going to accomplish anything."  These words have been internalized to the point the person, whether they know it or not, believes them.

Others are afraid of the responsibility and expectations that comes along with accomplishment.  Once they have achieved something, they know others will expect more.  From their way of thinking, it's better to not accomplish anything rather than to have increasing expectations that you won't be able to meet.

But to truly be successful, in any endeavor, you have to have a level of self-confidence that will allow you to continuously push the envelop of your abilities and talents.  The abilities you possess are gifts to be used, not hidden.  Personal growth only comes from stretching our boundaries. 

If you struggle with self-confidence, take a moment to ask yourself why.  Is it because the people around you undermine it?  If so, find new friend - ones that will be encouraging to you.  If its family that is the problem, begin reading, listening, and watching materials that will help you develop that self-confidence. 

At All American Martial Arts, we believe that every individual has the potential for great success.  If you need a place where you can come and be encouraged, and where you can develop self-confidence, we encourage you to check us out.  We know the value of self-confidence to every individual, and will help you achieve goals you never new were possible.

Press Release - AAMA After-School Program Launch

(Del City) – All American Martial Arts, LLC (AAMA) has announced the launching of an after-school program that will serve students in the Mid-Del School District, its leadership announced today.  The purpose of the program, according to AAMA President James Davenport, is to offer parents and students an important alternative to traditional after-school care provided by daycares.  “Families that need after-school care deserve more than just high-cost babysitting,” said Davenport.  “They want and deserve a program that will give their child skills, abilities, and character qualities that will last a lifetime.  This program does that – exceptionally well.”

According to AAMA officials, this after-school program will offer parents three advantages over daycare- provided care:

• Physical Fitness:  Child obesity is at near-epidemic levels in Oklahoma.  Few daycares offer a structured fitness program.  Even fewer have the facilities for an indoor program.
• Self-Defense:  Bullying continues to be a problem in schools across Oklahoma.  Daycares rarely provide any type of self-defense instruction to students.  According to AAMA Senior Instructor, James Ray, this program will couple self-defense instruction with danger awareness and conflict resolution skills.
• Life-Skills Instruction:  Parents want their children to learn those character traits that lead to success in every area of their lives.  The Martial Arts have long been recognized as an effective method of developing  courtesy, respect, self-discipline, integrity, and self-confidence.

The program will initially serve between three and five elementary schools in the Mid-Del School system, according to Chief Executive Officer, Masashi Takashima.  However, he said AAMA plans to expand the program each school year to serve additional schools.  “Eventually, we envision being able to start similar programs in other school districts across the metro area,” Takashima explained.

The cost of the program is $55 per week, and AAMA is waiving registration fees for those who sign-up for the program prior to March 15th.  Students will be picked up from their school and transported to AAMA for training each day.  Students who enroll during the spring semester will also receive a discounted rate for AAMA’s full-day martial arts summer program.  “We believe we are offering families a tremendous option for their children,” stated Davenport.  “In addition, we are able to offer this at a price that is very competitive with local daycare providers,” he continued.

Located in Del City, Oklahoma, All American Martial Arts specializes in providing self-defense, competition, and life-skills training.  All AAMA instructors and assistants complete the school’s Certified Instructor Training Program, and receive CPR certification.  The facility, the metro area’s third largest martial arts facility, is located at 4731 SE 29th Street.

For more information on All American Martial Arts or its after school program, go to www.aama2010.com.

Quote of the Day

“While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior.”  - Henry C. Link

The idea that there are good mistakes and bad mistakes is difficult for many people to grasp.  To most people, every mistake is a bad one.  But most successful people are not ones who never made a mistake.  Rather, they are individuals who made many mistakes, learned from them, refined and improved their processes, ideas, or inventions, and ultimately achieved success.

Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison are excellent examples of this.  Both men suffered through a series of failures prior to achieving great success.  Lincoln was a failed politician.  Edison suffered through multiple failed attempts before creating a functioning light bulb.  But both continued to work hard in their respective fields and ultimately were rewarded.  Had they stopped after the first time they failed, or worse, had they never tried for fear of failure, they would have never realized their dreams. 

Mistakes that lead to increased knowledge or understanding are “good” mistakes.  If learned from, they will eventually become one of the building blocks of your success.  So the next time you’re tempted to give up after a few successful endeavors, or start to quit before you’ve started because you’re afraid of “being wrong” or “making a mistake,” remember this:  had Edison quit after his first few unsuccessful attempts, it could have been decades before the world harnessed the power of electricity.  Had Lincoln decided to give up on politics, the United States would have been robbed of one of its greatest leaders during one of its most important periods of history.

If you give up because of your mistakes, what will you deny the world?

Quote of the Day

"The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the multitude." - Arnold Glasow

Day Care vs. Child Care: The Martial Arts Model

Quality childcare is such an important issue for many families.  For decades, the daycare industry has had a lock on this market.  Owners of daycares quickly saw an emerging need as more and more families became two income homes.  Forward thinking entrepreneurs quickly developed chains that could open in communities across the country, taking advantage of a growing need in virtually every major city in the United States.  Daycares have become big business.  I’ve talked to enough daycare owners to know this need isn’t diminishing.

But daycares have suffered from the same lack of vision and understanding that many public school systems have.  As the state has established specific regulatory guidelines for daycares, owners have become more and more reliant on those guidelines being the measure of their service, rather than the actual needs of children or parents.  Many daycares have become little more than warehouses for children who need “supervised” care after school until their parents can pick them up after work.

Walk into any daycare in your community and you will quickly see this is true.  “Supervision” of these children is a loose term.  As long as a child doesn’t wonder off the premises and isn’t hurt, daycares consider them to be supervised.  Oh sure, they may have story time, or arts & crafts time, and playtime on the small playground in back of the daycare facility.  But are these children benefiting from this “care”?  Are they truly learning anything?  Are they improving their fitness?  Is their self-confidence growing?  Is their ability to focus, display self-discipline, and exhibit courtesy to others improving?  Not likely.  And we haven’t even discussed the illnesses that seem to consistently spread in these “child care” centers (you know what I’m talking about).

The question becomes, “Is my child getting what he or she deserves for the money I am paying?”  In the metro OKC area, after-school care alone can run between $55/week and $115/week, depending on location, facility, and the “name brand” of the provider.  In home “daycares” (baby sitters) can charge less, but provide, on the whole, even less in return.  All day care can run upwards of $140/week.

So if you have to place your child in an after-school care program (or all day care during summers), what should be the expected benefits of this program?  What should be your child’s ROI for the money you’re spending?  Here are some important themes we’ve gained from visiting with parents:

·        

Physical Fitness – This is extremely important in addressing the child obesity epidemic (which is exasperated when schools cut their P.E. courses).  But as many physicians will tell you, motor skill development is also crucial to cognitive development.  Proper physical activity stimulates the brain’s ability to learn.

·     

      Life-skills Training – This includes all those attributes and    attitudes we try to teach our children.  Courtesy, respect, self-discipline, integrity, focus, etc.  These are the characteristics that will propel them to success in every area of their lives.

      Self-Defense – With so much violence happening in our society, in school, at the park, at public meetings, and with bullying continuing to plague our schools, parents appreciate their children learning how to protect themselves.  This is more than just kicking and punching, but also danger awareness, conflict resolution skills, and responsible behavior.

A martial arts after-school program (or all day summer program) can provide these benefits and more.  The skills we teach lead directly to greater self-confidence, improved academic performance, and more appropriate behavior.  A martial arts program can also offer your child the ability to release their creative side as well.

If you are looking for an alternative to the warehouse babysitting service provided by most daycares, if you are looking for an after-school or summer care program that will truly invest in their development as individuals, and if you want to ensure that the money you are spending is creating a genuine ROI for your child, then it’s time to explore the option of a martial arts after-school program.  They put the “care” back into “childcare.”

If you would like more information on how a martial arts after school program can benefit your child, or if you need help identifying a quality martial arts after school program in your community, contact us.

Self-Defense Instruction: Be On Guard!

Visit with any martial arts instructor who takes pride in his or her profession, and they will tell you they provide the absolute best self-defense instruction.  And the truth is, in just about every martial arts school in your community, you can learn something of value.  Every discipline - Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Hapkido, Aikido, etc. - can teach effective self-defense techniques.

However, on occasion, you might also learn something that will get you hurt more quickly than it will protect you.  It is unfortunate that at times, instructors lose sight of the true purpose of self-defense instruction:  to effectively protect the person employing the technique(s)  being taught.

There are a few basic reasons why an instructor might teach ineffective self-defense techniques:

• Ignorance - The instructor simply doesn't know that the techniques they are teaching are not effective.
• Indifference - The instructor knows that the likelihood of his students ever having to use their self-defense techniques in a real altercation are very low, and whatever they teach their students is better than nothing.
• Arrogance - The instructor simply can't believe that they might be teaching a technique that is not effective.

Whatever the reason that instructors occasionally teach improper self-defense techniques, the real issue is how the lay person, the student, can identify if what they are learning is genuine self-defense, or something else?  Here are some tips on how to recognize if the self-defense instruction you're receiving leaves something to be desired.

First, don't abandon your common sense.  If a technique seems to expose the practitioner to a greater risk of harm, then it probably isn't one you want to be trying.  Obviously, in any self-defense scenario, there is the possibility of harm.  But good self-defense techniques shouldn't increase the likelihood of harm.

Second, watch out for complicated or intricate techniques.  Despite what you see in the movies, the more complicated a technique is, the more likely it is not to work.  Like a machine that has many moving parts, each additional part creates a point of potential breakdown.  Like in many other areas of life, simplest is often best.

Finally, if the instructor is the only one in the class who seems to be able to successfully perform the technique, it should be a clue that it might not be one you want to actually try in a real confrontation.  The goal of any self-defense instruction should be to to ensure that the person learning the technique can actually perform it when necessary.  If students consistently have trouble demonstrating an understanding and proficiency with a certain technique, it's a good indication you should avoid it.

Again, it's important to reinstate, most martial arts schools teach very sound self-defense.  But there are those that don't.  It's important to be able to recognize poor self-defense techniques before you get hurt. 

For more information about the self-defense instruction taught at All American Martial Arts, click here.

Black Belt Test Today at 11am

These students will all participate in our Black Belt Test today at 11am:

Ashli Takashima:  Testing for 4th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo            

Rebekah Davenport:  Testing for 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo and 1st Degree Black Belt in Hapkido

Aaron Rowin:  Testing for 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo and 1st Degree Black Belt in Hapkido

Masashi Takashima:  Receiving 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo

Connor McCain:  Testing for 1st Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo

Caitlyn McBride:  Testing for All American Belt
in Taekwondo

Jamie Davenport:  Testing for 1st Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo











We invite you to come and watch these students demonstrate the skills and abilities they have learned from their training.

Quote of the Day

"If you wish to avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing." - Elbert Hubbard

Quote of the Day

"Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability." - Roy L. Smith

Let's Break Something!

At All American Martial Arts, we like breaking things!  Wood, brick, cement, whatever we can get our hands on is fair game.  Seeing pieces of wood fly through the air or watching people’s eyes go wide as pizzas as a cement block is crushed is a great feeling.  But there is a purpose behind this seemingly destructive behavior.

Breaking is an excellent tool to teach self-confidence and goal setting.  For example, think about something you’ve wanted to accomplish for some time, but have let obstacles prevent you from achieving it.  Now, envision writing the obstacle(s) down on a piece of wood and having someone hold it in front of you.  Picture yourself striking the wood (we’ll concern ourselves with the specific technique later) and breaking right through it.  Ahhhh, it feels good just thinking about it.  Imagine how it feels after doing it!  There’s nothing like envisioning yourself smashing through those barriers that prevent your success.

Here’s another example:  We recently visited a group of young people who participate in the Police Athletic League’s mentoring program.  I took a couple of students with me and we taught each young person how to break a board.  Most of them had never done this before and were concerned that they couldn’t.  But by the time we had finished, every single young person had successfully broken a board, and they all accomplished it on their first try.  The pride they had at their accomplishment beamed across their faces.

Quite frankly, breaking is a part of the martial arts experience.  However, the best schools understand how to utilize it beyond being a mere testing requirement.  They know that this process can be the foundation for student accomplishment in many other areas of their life, and use this exercise to teach goal setting, self-confidence, and visioning.

So the next time you feel like breaking something, don't hold it in.  Find a good martial arts school and ask them for a piece of wood, or a brick, or a concrete block, or whatever else is available.  Then smash through those obstacles and see yourself achieving your goals and gaining self-confidence with every effort!

Providing a Better After-School Care Option

In today's economy, where it is common for both parents to work full-time jobs, quality after-school care is a consistent need in most communities.  Traditionally, day cares have dominated this service.  They have had the infrastructure and facilities to provide the care.  In addition, many parents already had their children in all-day daycare when their children were too young for school.  However, in recent years, martial arts schools have begun to offer an alternative to the daycare model.

Martial arts after-school programs have much to offer parents and students that traditional day cares lack, including:

• Physical Fitness - With obesity at epidemic levels, budget cuts requiring schools to reduce their physical education classes, and children becoming less active due to the abundance of entertainment options such as video games, movies, etc., programs that incorporate fitness are in high demand.  Unfortunately, the closest most day cares get to incorporating fitness is letting kids play on a small playground.
• Self-Defense - Bullying continues to be a very troublesome problem in our schools.  In fact, many state legislatures, including Oklahoma's, are considering legislation to address this issue.  Again, day cares are simply not equipped to effectively address this issue, and are often the scene of bullying episodes.

• Life-Skills - As I mentioned in my last blog, martial arts schools are extremely effective at teaching important values and skills such as self-discipline, focus, courtesy and respect.  These attributes are a natural part of martial arts training, and the best schools consistently emphasize them.  Day cares have little time or ability to effectively incorporate life-skills training into their care.

It isn't surprising that martial arts schools would begin to enter into the after school care service arena.  In fact, it is to the benefit of parents and students that they have.  They bring a variety of benefits that traditional day cares are unable to provide.  In addition, in most cases, they can provide their service at a very competitive price with daycare providers.

If you are a parent or guardian who needs after school care, I encourage you to explore the option of a martial arts after-school program.  They can offer your child physical, mental, and character education skills not found in most other after-school programs.  All American Martial Arts After School Program

The Martial Arts - Preparing Individuals for Life

Listen to any of the owners of All American Martial Arts discuss our school and its mission for any length of time and you will undoubtedly hear us mention "life skills."  These are those intangible qualities and values that we all strive to incorporate into our lives.  Self-discipline, respect, integrity, self-confidence, etc. are at the heart of the martial arts.  And we view our mission as helping people develop these characteristics and incorporate them into their daily lives.

Young or old, everyone benefits from enhancing and improving these life skills.  These skills and values are what lead to success in school, at work, at home, and in the various social activites in which we all participate.  Without these life skills, lives become less meaningful, less productive, and, sometimes, ruined.

We consistently work with parents who are looking for ways to instill self-confidence or self-discipline in their child.  But we work with a variety of adults who are seeking the same things.  The structure, consistency, and individual nature of the martial arts creates an evironment where these characteristics can be learned.  In addition, our emphasis on creating an atmosphere where students are mutually supportive of one another aids in the development of these values.

We believe that life-skills instruction are every bit as important as the physical skills training we provide.  In fact, they actually guide and give context to the physical aspects of what we teach.  They help students understand when and where it is appropriate to use the physical skills they learn in our school.

If you are seeking a great method for improving both your mind and body, then the martial arts can be an incredible asset.  As you visit schools and discuss their programs, be sure to ask questions about how they incorporate life skills into their training.  Watch their classes and see for yourself how much emphasis the school places on them.  Don't short change your training by missing out on some the most important skills training available through the martial arts.