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Click HERE to download a copy of this month’s Through the Ranks newsletter. Read about our upcoming DEDICATION Camp and our Parent of the month. For more information give us a call and we’d love to have you try out our classes free of charge.
I recently ran into a parent of one of my former students and she commented, “I wish he’d stuck with it.” She was talking about her son who started classes and then quite not far into his training. Let me say, if I had a dollar for every time I heard a parents say this phrase I’d be a rich man.
Let me tell you a secret. It’s up to YOU to make sure he/she keeps training. It’s your job as a parent to know what is good for your child
and make them stick with it. My mom never said, “I wish he’d stuck with elementry school.”
Do you see the absurdity of that? Would you as a parent let your child drop out of school because they just didn’t “feel” like doing it anymore? NO WAY!
Now, martial arts training isn’t as important as your traditional education but I can promise you it’s value is far greater then most sports and after school activites out there. If you decide to let your child choose whether they want to continue or not your showing them that you don’t care about the values and life skills we’re trying to teach. It’s important for kids to have a voice in a decision but they shouldn’t be the decision makers.
By showing your child that you value the skills they’re learning in martial arts you’re showing them how to stick with something through the ups and downs. That’s a FAR more important lesson then the instant gratification of switching activities every time your child has a struggle and wants to quite or “losses interest.”
Here at Hayden’s ATA we’re not about being just another “activity” for kids and families. We’re about building leaders for the future. Show you’re family that you value hard work and dedication and erase the phrase “I wish he’d stuck with it” from your thoughts!
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.
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! 
This is an excerpt from a fellow martial artist and an excellent blogger. Click the link below to read the full article. It’s worth the time!
By Kevin Geary
Before people undertake new things, especially big things, they prepare. When I first wanted to be a photographer I went to the bookstore and ravaged the shelves reading every book I could find that looked helpful. I joined internet photography groups so I could talk to people who were doing what I wanted to be doing. And I watched behind the scenes videos on YouTube. In 2008, three years after I started, I did a commissioned shoot for Hewlett Packard.
When I started web design back when I was 14 I did the same. And back then web design was coming into its own; the resources were few and far between, save for the few 400 page books on HTML written by programmers who were the antithesis of laymen…
Who’s driving your care and where are they going?
“Being confident, driven and hopeful.”
That’s how the ATA’s leadership manual defines attitude.
Are you driven?
I stumbled upon this during our weekly Leadership class. I realized that being driven is a HUGE part of your attitude. It’s difficult to just put on a smile for no reason. It’s hard to show up and do a job you don’t want to do. It’s not easy getting up each day and disciplining your children. Life is hard! Especially if you don’t have any drive.
If you’re going to improve your attitude you’ve got to identify your drive. What’s driving you? What’s driving you to work each day? What’s driving you with your family life? What’s driving you with your hobbies?
I can guarantee that if you don’t have drive you won’t have a very positive attitude about what your doing.
Now, let me be clear. Drive doesn’t mean you have to love something. You don’t have to love your job to work hard and have a positive attitude because you could be driven by the goal of making money to enjoy time with your family. You could be driven by your goal to improve your life. Your drive could be anything, but if you don’t have any you’re just stuck in neutral
People should be able to tell through your actions and your attitude that you are a driven individual. So let me give you one final suggestion. Find something that drives you that’s outside of yourself. If you’re driven by something bigger then yourself, in the end you’ll be more fulfilled.
So, what drives you?
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.
Most of my students have heard stories about how my mom made me practice spelling words night and day or how we had to work on her poems until they were perfect. If you haven’t heard the stories yet…you will.
I’m a product of parents who refused to have average children. I don’t say that to boast. I say that to help you understand what I’m all about. I’m all about doing better. Reaching for more. Striving for excellence.
My mission for my school, and my life is to help others STOP settling for average. My mission is to help people strive for excellence.
200 Students Training for Black Belt
“Average is the enemy of excellence.”
This is a goal I’ve set for the school. Some people believe it’s because I want lots of students…DARN RIGHT. Training for Black Belt isn’t like being in (insert sport of choice) and if you treat it like it is you’re missing the point. A Black Belt is a symbol for excellence. It’s something that, to achieve, you have to be pushed, prodded, stretched, and made uncomfortable. It’s hard. That’s the point!
I’ve had hundred’s of people come through my doors and say they’re going to be Black Belts. Few of them actually DO IT. Why? Because we live in a society of instant gratification, short attention spans, and poor work ethics.
So yeah, I want 200 students training for Black Belt because I want a lot of students. I want a lot of students who are going to do the hard work, who are going to put in the effort. I want that for my community, for my society. I want 200 people who can show that they can do what it takes because then I won’t be so worried that the world is falling apart. I’ll know there are people left who have what it takes.
50 Students Committed to Leading
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
In keeping with my constant effort to achieve more and strive for excellence I’m not happy with just having 200 people training for Black Belt. It’s not enough to have 200 people improving their lives. We need to show the world the power of excellence. We need to help others see what power individuals possess. That’s why I want 50 committed leaders.
One day in Alabama a lady decided to take a stand. She said she wasn’t giving up her seat. She changed this country forever with that one little act. Do I think the next Rosa Parks, George Washington, or Abraham Lincoln is training here? Maybe, maybe not. But ask yourself, what if the next great leader is in our mids and just needs to be touched by the inspiration of another? We are raising the next generation and if we don’t decide to stand up and share what we’ve learned and the gifts we’ve been given with others then we might as well doom tomorrow’s leaders to failure.
Leadership starts with knowledge and has to lead to ACTION otherwise it’s just talk. I’m not going to teach excellence by talking about it, I’m going to teach it by SHOWING it. I’m looking for 50 who will play all out and walk the walk.
That’s what I’m all about….what about you?
Teachers and board breakers in the same room! That’s what happened Tuesday, May 3 for National Teacher Appreciation Day. Here at Hayden’s ATA we understand the hard work that teacher put in day after day without much thanks. We work hand in hand with teachers to help teach important life skills traits with future leaders of our community, today’s youth.
Hayden’s ATA hosted a Teacher Appreciation Celebration where students nominated a teacher that has made an impact in their lives. We were thrilled to have over 15 local educators attend this exciting event. The teachers were treated to a demonstration from the students and an award presentation by the student who nominated them. All teachers went home with a certificate and a prize bag that included a gift certificate from Summer’s Stories and a cookie donated by Joanna’s Dealicious Treats.
Hayden’s ATA was honored to be able to celebrate the work of these dedicated educators and thank them for their hard work.
Olweus is one of the world leaders in Bully research and prevention. Recently the ATA (American Taekwondo Association) has partnered with Olweus to offer bully prevention education to students and parents across the country. Check out the resent post on the Olweus website! You can also see more at www.ATALeadershipNOW.com.
Hundreds of students across Noble County have learned bully prevention techniques such as Verbal Judo from school talks and class demonstrations from Hayden’s ATA. Check out one of our Leadership Projects: the Noble Bully Project. We hope to help stop the epidemic of bullying across our county through education.
You should consider a regular, daily, exercise program. A sensible one; one that starts slow and lets your fitness sneak up on you (rather than hitting you over the head with it).
A martial arts program certainly has the potential to be a wonderfully complete training program, as it includes stretching, strength training, aerobic exercise, and requires a kind of mental focus akin to deep meditation. That is, if the instructor you choose has the right kinds of experience. Instructors that are under the age of 30 are often spectacular athletes, but it’s important that they have an understanding of how to teach people of all ages.
But Oh, find a great teacher and the martial arts can become your best friend. The training can keep you supple, sharp, and clear thinking. A martial arts school, directed by a conscientious teacher, can be a centering, inspiring, refreshing place that you love going to –and leave thinking about your next session.
Yes, look to the martial arts for new perspective on your life, after the age of 30. It’s not too late, even at 40, 50, or 60. To choose a school take their trial course (which should be free or close to it). All the best school offer new students an opportunity to test drive “the car” before buying. I think you should try my school, of course, but I might be a wee bit prejudice.
If you’re thinking about taking classes, allow me to be the first to invite you in. Mention that you’re over 30 and I will offer you 2 weeks of lessons to try us out (no strings attached). Warning: It’s fun, affordable, and invigorating. It’s never to late to start working out. The most difficult aspect of exercise is taking that first step.
Reach me here: 866-858-2102 or mrhayden@haydensata.com
