Archive for Hayden’s

A letter from a mom

By admin on June 28, 2011 No Comments

So I decided to write this because I have had some people look at me like I was crazy when ever I mentionthat I had Kolton start Tae Kwon Do at such a young age or if I suggest they try it out for their children.There are so many crazy things that I hear from people who clearly have never looked into what exactly TKD is.

  • Most importantly, it does not teach children to be violent, in fact, it does the exact opposite! The first thing Kolton was taught in TKD was to never use anything he learns in class outside of class unless it is absolutely neccessary, as in life and death situations or self defense. And I dont mean self defense againstother children.
  • TKD is a great tool to teach respect and discipline, I look at where Kolton was when he firststarted TKD and where he is now and I am astonished at how he has grown. I honestly dont know what it wouldbe like if he never had the training he has had, especially with all the battles he is facing with his anxiety, OCD, and possible Tourettes. People ask me how I have such a good, sweetheart of a child and I always say it is due to himbeing in TKD.
  • It is also great exercise for him. We took 2 months off last summer because he wanted to try sportsand we didnt have time to do it all and he gained alot of weight but once he started back up he lost it all, in fact since it has been a yr since we took the time off he has lost 20-25lbs and that is only going twice a week for 30mins.
  • TKD has also built up his self confidence and self worth. He is proud of his accomplishments and himself (which really helps with his anxiety and depression). He has 3 trophies to show off and is looking forward to earning more.
  • All of his instructors are wonderful role models and have great character which teaches him to be the same way! He is learning how to be a leader in his school, community, and at home.

It is so much more than I could have ever asked for! I could go on and on about all the positives about children being in TKD at any age, but the only way for anyone to truly understand is to witness the changes themselves! I highly recommend to all parents to at least give it a try, It is a great experience for parents and children. I think of everyone at Kolton’s TKD school as a second family and I hope they realize how much they mean to us! And for those of you who have children around Kolton’s age and are interested in TKD please come check out one of the classes at Haydens ATA in Kendallville, Tiny Tigers class (ages 4-6, I believe) is on Mondays and Thursdays @ 4pm and Wednesdays @ 6pm! Kolton gets rewarded for having a friend come to class and we would love to have you come, it wouldnt cost you anything! :)

 

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Attitude – Through the Ranks June 2011

By admin on June 7, 2011 No Comments

Click HERE to download this month’s issue of our newsletter, Through the Ranks, and learn some very important lessons about having a Black Belt Attitude.

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March Through the Ranks Newsletter – Use Shark Theory

By admin on March 4, 2011 No Comments

 

CLICK HERE to download the latest edition of our Through the Ranks Newsletter!

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Am I too old to get started?

By admin on February 28, 2011 No Comments

I want to share with you an article about a guy who knows the truth about age…it’s just a number! This guy has been a runner most of his life but didn’t really get serious about it until he was 50! Now he’s 77 and has done over 850 races. So are you too old to start martial arts? Not a chance! You’re only as old as you let yourself be so get off your butt and get active…TODAY!

 

The Septuagenarian Athlete

Categories : ATA, Fitness
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Martial Arts Lessons: It’s Not About Violence

By admin on February 21, 2011 No Comments
Just the other day a parent asked me if she thought my classes promoted violent behavior in young boys. She was inquiring about lessons for her son and was concerned that he and his friends might take what they’re learning and use it inappropriately.

I thought it was a fine question.

Yes, there have been a few cases (very few) of students “playing martial arts” with friends, the same way they play as their favorite superheroes, but I’ve never heard of the play being malicious or hurtful. I do, however, hear many stories of my young students using the kind of restraint we talk about in almost every class. I hear many stories of the young people in my program –and other martial arts schools –avoiding violence, avoiding conflict, and staying out of trouble as a result of their training.

A good martial arts teacher adds instructions and advice about how NOT to use martial arts, as often as he or she teaches the technical aspects of the arts.

“The ‘cake’ that is what a martial arts teacher offers his or her students,” says Tom Callos (www.tomcallos.com), the National Director of The One Hundred (www.flavors.me/masterteachers), an association made up of martial arts instructors who embrace education over the more media-prevalent aspects of martial arts instruction, “is made up of blocks, punches, kicks, and other maneuvers, But the real “flour” of the recipe is in the restraint, the self-control, and the attitude of self-discipline that makes up the best-of-the-best the martial arts has to offer.”

And by way of an offer, any reader of this piece that would like to “taste” the cake we produce at our school, need only sign up at the right and receive a free 3 class trial course (no strings attached, no sales pitches, nothing but a genuine “try us”).

And no, it is not about violence or aggression or hurting people. The martial arts are about grown-up adults mentoring young people in the ways of non-violence, self-control, and contribution.

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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), Karate, Taekwondo, or Jiu-jitsu, which is Best?

By admin on January 27, 2011 No Comments
This is an article (written by Tom Callos) full  of shopping advice. If you’re shopping for a martial arts school, for training, then you’ve come to the right place.
I’ve been studying the martial arts for 40 years, I’m a 6th degree black belt in taekwondo, a 17 year practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and my students have include national taekwondo champions, karate point-fighters, and mixed martial arts legends. So, when it comes to martial arts training, in every — and any — realm, I know (exactly) what I’m talking about.

Here are three piece of advice for you, regardless of the kind of martial arts you might be interested in:

  • It’s the coach, the teacher, that makes the “style,” not the other way around. Look for a coach you respect, look for a teacher you feel you have rapport with. If a martial arts teacher treats you poorly, leave. If he or she treats you with respect, you might be in the right place.
  • Find a teacher that has a kind of training that speaks to the kind of training you like to do (or think you would like to do). If the class is too easy or too slow for you, say so. If it’s too hard core, consider finding another teacher (or at least address the issue with the instructor). Some teachers will use apparatus to train, some will only need mats or mirrors or a hardwood floor.  If you have the luxury of choices, then choose a kind of training that fits your fitness level and interests.
  • Every good school offers and introductory program that allows prospective students to try classes before they enroll. If a school does not offer a free trial class or classes, don’t enroll.

(Note: Call this phone number to get a one-week free trial program at our school 866-858-2102).

  • Don’t sign any sort of long term contract for lessons with an instructor until you know him or her very, very well. If you know the teacher, go ahead and support them. If you don’t know the teacher, simply wait until you do. If a school owner tries to pressure you into a long term or high ticket contract, find somewhere else to spend your money.

In the end, in today’s world, most martial arts teach many of the same things. Remember however, it’s not “the martial art” that teaches you, it’s the teacher. Look to his or her experience and demeanor before you look at the style.

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ATA Student Changes Lives

By admin on January 26, 2011 No Comments

Check out how this ATA student has taken her leadership skills and helped to change the world around here! My goal is to have a student that can make an impact this big someday!

Click here to check out the video!

Categories : ATA, Leadership
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Mom, Dad, Here’s The Honest Truth About The Martial Arts for Your Child, Age 5 to 13.

By admin on January 25, 2011 No Comments

Written by Tom Callos of www.TomCallos.com for Hayden’s ATA

I took my first martial arts lesson at age 9. By the age of 13, when my friends were experimenting, when peer pressure seemed at an all time high, when I just knew my brain power had far surpassed my father’s, and when I couldn’t pass any reflective surface without gazing in wonder at what it beheld, I was firmly and deeply entrenched in my identity as a martial artist.

The classes anchored me, in fact, they were just about the only place where I could stand completely still for any extended period of time (except, of course, if front of the TV). The instructors emphasized respect, courtesy, and a code of honor that nobody else I knew seemed to care about. For me, that was good. It made me feel unique.

In a good martial arts school, your child will feel like a part of “the team.” And this team, if they’re good at what they do, will have daily talks about compassion, about respect for self and others, about kindness, and about non-violent conflict resolution.

But equally as good as the philosophy can be is the fact that your little one will be training, as in legs flying, rolling, punching, blocking, jumping, and spinning. Each maneuver has an effect on your child’s brain and, of course, their body. When I watch the young people in my classes doing what we do, I always think about how good it is that they’re here, doing something so constructive and positive.

I also reflect back to when I was a child –and that’s usually followed by a silent “thank you” to my parents.

Football, soccer, baseball, tennis, and guitar were all fun, but not one of them affected me as my martial arts lessons have. If you’re a parent, I would highly recommend enrolling your child in a good school –and you might even consider some classes for yourself.
By the way, I’m 51 now –and the martial arts are STILL keeping me out of trouble.

Get your guest pass today! Call 866-858-2102

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What should you expect of a martial arts teacher?

By admin on January 24, 2011 No Comments

Yes, what SHOULD you expect from a martial arts teacher?

You should expect — and get common courtesy, yes? Of course. You might even expect uncommon, beyond-the-norm courtesy I would think? After all, isn’t a good deal of the martial arts about learning and practicing respect?

You should expect the teacher to be in good — to excellent — physical shape. An exception to that rule might come from a teacher who has an unexpected health condition or who suffers as a result of a disabling accident. Stephen Hawking, for example, is still without question a brilliant theoretical physicist, despite his physical limitations. But, in most cases, your teacher should be an example of the benefits of the lifestyle that the martial arts promotes.

You should expect your teacher to be knowledgeable, beyond his or her art. It takes more than a knowledge of kicks, punches, grappling, or sparring, to be the kind of teacher one imagines a “Master” of the martial arts to be. It takes some life experience, some mistakes, some losses, and some mileage on one’s life odometer to accumulate a little “wisdom” (common sense).

In the group of instructors I am a part of, The One Hundred, each of us is listed on this site: www.flavors.me/masterteachers. Each member listed there maintains a “project portfolio,” a record of the things we have done — or are currently doing — that, as the head of the project, Tom Callos, says, “Shows how we take our martial arts out of the dojo and put it to work in the world.”

Some of The One Hundred members are new teachers, so their project portfolios are just getting started, while other teachers on the team are veterans of dozens of remarkable community-based projects.

“In the future,” says Tom Callos, “all martial arts teachers will be judged not only by their physical skills or experience, but by how they’ve applied their ‘mastery’ to things in the world that lives outside of their schools.”

One thing you should definitely expect from every cognizant martial arts teacher is a chance to try his or her classes before making any kind of commitment to attending regularly. Ask for an introductory course (we will provide you with one free of charge), to try some classes before determining whether the school is a place you would like to spend time at.

If and when you’re ready, call, write, or stop by our location, Hayden’s ATA 111 W. Rush St – Kendallville 866-858-2102

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Nobody Can Make Me Anything

By admin on January 21, 2011 No Comments

Teaching kids about self-defense isn’t just teaching them how to block punches, kicks, and thwart aggressive bullies, it’s instructing them in the importance of proper attitude, perspective, and self-talk.

Tom Callos, team coach for a program called The Ultimate Black Belt Test, promotes the idea that real self-defense is far more about what a child thinks –than it is about some technique of martial art (obviously, this goes for adults too).

“One of the 10 top self-defense skills I teach my students,” says Callos, “is the idea that nobody can make them anything. Someone else can’t make you angry, make you sad, or even make you happy. It’s not wise to give that power to anyone besides yourself. Of course, this is easy to say and far more difficult to put into practice.”

I have to concur. I do know, however, that big things, giant things, huge accomplishments (like learning to take responsibility for the way you feel), are achieved through small, consistent efforts. One incident where you (or I) don’t blame someone else for how we feel then adds up to two incidents, then three, and from there habits begin to form.

This is much the way martial arts classes work (and if you’re kind enough to read this blog, you may visit our school and receive a free pass to try our lessons. Thank you!); anyone can be trained as a martial artist through small successive victories. Real self-defense isn’t just physical, it’s mental, emotional, social, and spiritual.

Thinking, “Nobody can make me anything,” is, in my opinion, as good or BETTER a technique of self-defense than anything I have ever learned; OK, except for The Golden Rule (Which is, of course: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. But then, that’s another lesson.).

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