Story #1 Rita, age 11, used to be confident... ready to take on the world. But after starting middle school, she seems like a different person: hesitant and unsure of herself.

Story #2 Ryan's mom, Becky, worries because Ryan is so easily wounded. Things said to him by the other kids at school hurt his feelings so easily. Ryan's hyper-sensitivity is a constant source of stress for Becky.

Story #3 The peace of the household is frequently disturbed. Everything with Alan is a battle: getting ready for school; dinnertime; homework; even things that used to be enjoyable family activities are now potential battles. Screaming matches occur on a regular basis.

Story #4 Paula is so concerned about being popular. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, worry that this will make her an easy target for negative peer pressure.

Story #5 Tyler, age 4, does great when he gets it right the first time when learning something new. When he doesn't get it on the first try, though, he becomes totally frustrated and says "I'll never be able to do it!"

Story #6 Mr. and Mrs. Hall are frustrated at the level of disrespect demonstrated by their children. The kids never used to talk like this before! The Halls think, "If I had talked like that when I was a kid -- I would have gotten clobbered!"

Story #7 Suzanne is constantly down on herself, often saying, "I'm not as pretty as Elizabeth," or "I'll never be popular like Marta."

Story #8 Scott used to be a nice, kind child. Lately, though, he has become increasingly aggressive. His parents, Vern and Becky, are concerned... and they've already had two calls from the school about Scott's bullying of younger children.

Story #9 Stephen focuses just fine when it comes to video games -- but can't seem to listen or focus on school work... or things said by his father.

Story #10 Rob and Linda have taken their son Bobby, age 10, to every activity under the sun but Bobby hasn't seemed to find his niche. They are desperately trying to help Bobby find something to be passionate about.

Story #11 The teachers say that Charlie can't focus in school, and might need to be medicated. Nicole and Bryan, his parents, hate that idea. They feel that Charlie just needs to learn listening and focus skills. They are frustrated... how can they build the skills Charlie really needs?

The Dan Vigil's Academy of Taekwondo Story

How a bullied kid and an ex-con inspired me to create a one of a kind program for children.

The following has been transcribed from a live talk.

I started martial arts 20 years ago because I was the picked on kid in school. I was shy and quiet, easily wounded and a big draw to bullies. I think every kid gets picked on a little bit as they go through their childhood - but there is always one kid in every grade or in every class that is always picked on by everyone.

This was me! I was harassed and usually beat up every day. I found myself, even as a really young kid, being depressed and afraid in school.

At the same time I would go home and watch Ninja Turtles, Karate Kid, Chuck Norris and Jean Claude Van Damme (my martial arts "heroes") solve their problems with lots of flashy kicking and "hiyas!".

I admired these movie martial artists against whom no evil ever prevailed. I wanted to be like them, so I called (yes me, not my mother) and started taking classes.

As I trained I started making some of my first real friends, and I had a lot of role models. The first Taekwondo school I was a part of was originally owned by Master Han Won Lee, a 1988 Olympic silver medalist and head coach of our '92 and '96 Olympic teams. It was a breeding ground for top level competitors. There was one guy in the school, Dave, who was a total superstar.

Anyone from that school will tell you unequivocally that Dave was pound for pound the most talented guy to ever come out of our organization. In a school of champions he was the champion. He was strong, fast, a Junior National team member, national champion and just all around an amazing martial artist.

But Dave had problems.

In his teen years he got into drugs. That lead him to robbery. Robbery led him to prison. He was very lucky, because he only did 3 years. When he got out, he came back to the doijang... but he never seemed to get it together. He always sabotaged himself somehow.

Perfect example: Dave went to Korea to fight in a tournament there. At the tournament, first round, he fights the #1 guy from his weight class in the U.S. This guy's the National team member, the current National champion... the guy to beat. Dave absolutely smears the dude 7-2. Just wrecks him... a landslide victory for Dave.

When he gets back everyone is talking about it. It's like a given that Dave is going to win Nationals this year, right? After all, he toasted the #1 guy. Well -- about a week before Nationals Dave disappears. Nowhere to be found. Misses Nationals. Obviously doesn't become champion. This is a pattern he repeats over and over.

He works his way up the ladder at his work, finally gets to the highest pay scale... stops showing up for work. Did the same thing in his relationships. Meets a nice girl, things are going well... sabotages the relationship (I won't say how) and they break up.

Here is this amazingly hardworking and talented martial artist with technique like you can't believe, who comes in first place in every tournament he enters -- but who always seems to come in last place in life...

And so I asked myself -- why is Dave's behavior incongruent? Why is he so successful as a martial artist and competitor, but can't get his life together?

Looking back, me as a beat up and bullied kid and Dave as a guy who couldn't get his life together had the same problem. It was a lack of life skills, a lack of character. It was not having the confidence, the discipline, the focus, the goal setting, the perseverance, the courage, the integrity... the whatever... to really thrive.

In the absence of life skills, people learn survival skills. Can anyone relate to this?

For Dave, it wasn't that he didn't have the skills inside of him -- it was more that he couldn't ever figure out how to use the things that made him successful on the mat in his everyday life.

I'll never forget the day I put it together.

I had some issues with a guy at work (typical co-worker relations stuff) and was really thinking about what I should do... what action should I take. I was worked up. So I'm wondering, you know, should I talk to my boss? Should I talk to his boss? Should I talk to him? Take him out to the woodshed and beat on him a little?

And all of a sudden, it hits me. I didn't need to DO anything. I just had to wait and watch. How did I figure that course of action out? How did that hit me?

It was the same problem I had in sparring. I always liked to attack. I started out really uncomfortable in sparring waiting for the other guy to advance so I could counter. It was a lot of work to develop the patience to wait in the ring. To play it cool.

But that lesson I had learned in sparring was exactly what I needed at work. I didn't need to do anything. I just needed to wait and watch and see what happened. I needed to play it cool.

That relationship between sparring and work (or whatever is going on in life) was my great epiphany.

From then on I was on a mission looking for parallels between what I was doing to be successful as a martial artist and my everyday life. And there were tons of them.

Like the way that flexibility in your body gives you lots of options in the ring relates to how adaptability in your thinking gives you lots of options in life.

Or the way that I got to my black belt... it wasn't about getting from white to black, it was about going through yellow, orange, green, purple and so on incrementally. It's the fundamentals of goal setting, right? Short term goals completed consistently lead to positive long term outcomes.

See what I mean? And not only were there all these parallels, but also the focus, discipline, confidence, perseverance I used in class was inside of me waiting to be used elsewhere.

At the same time I was busy studying the personal development gurus. Guys like Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, you know... Chicken Soup for the Martial Artists Soul? I was very amazed to discover how many things they taught I already knew from my time in martial arts. And how often the things they said about how to construct your life made an excellent extension to what I was learning in the doijang.

I really began to understand that martial arts is important as a means of self defense -- but its real value is in making you a better person.

Now my wife Jessica is a pediatric physical therapist. When we were dating she used to tell me all these stories about her work. She was employed by Detroit Children's Hospital and her stories were incredible. She was literally taking kids who were shot in gang cross file and helping them walk again.

At the time, I owned a small construction company mostly building decks. So we'd talk on dates and she'd tell me her heart wrenching stories about helping children... and then she'd ask me what I did that day. I'd say, "Me? Oh. I built some guy a deck."

While being a builder is a great profession, it wasn't for me. Those conversations with my wife inspired me to do what I do now - which is to have an impact on our community by teaching life skills to children through martial arts.

I'd seen how martial arts would sometimes create all these wonderful character qualities in people and sometimes it wouldn't. That's when I began to put together the system that you are seeing at work today.

Most martial arts teachers think that you have to have character so you can do the techniques. I say we do the techniques so that you can build that character. It's flipped. I've taken the sometimes out, and made the whole purpose of training in my system is to learn the life skills - the kicking and punching happens too, but it's kind of the easy part.

I have made it my life's purpose not only to teach traditional martial arts, but to show people (especially young people) how to develop all the inner strength, character and life skills you need to live the life of your dreams.

"It Lives Up To The Hype"

Our daughter's experience in your school over the past year has "lived up to the hype" of what martial arts can offer. Compared to other sports/hobbies (soccer, gymnastics, swimming, etc.) the opportunities are much more significant, and life changing. We have found a pastime that really works for us. For that, we thank you and your wonderful staff."

Regards
John Itsell, Father of Valerie, Marketer

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

My husband and I donʼt get home until 6:00, and we have other activities we take our kids to. When are classes?

We understand that you are very busy. One of the most practical things about our school is our flexible scheduling. We have over 40 classes a week in our schedule, with classes for your childʼs age and ability level at least once (often twice) a day in the early evenings, afternoons and on Saturday morning.

To some extent, we are even available by appointment. Iʼm not sure that weʼve ever had a family schedule we couldnʼt accommodate.

As specific class times change from time to time please contact us for more detailed schedule information.

What age is appropriate for my child to start?

We have students from age 4-70. We always accept any child 5 and up. Sometimes a mature 4 year old is accepted, and this is decided on a case by case basis.

Will my child learn a talent they can be proud of?

Absolutely! One of the great things about our school is that we offer a lot of different ways for them to excel in their physical ability. Our children become very proud of their kicks, punches and forms! Often times they perform them in school talent shows.

A long list of very popular bad-plot, bad-acting, cool-moves movies attest to the fact that lots of people like to see martial arts on the big screen. Your child will have something others enjoy watching!

Do you have classes that I can do with my child?

We have classes that you can take by yourself and classes that you can take together. Our family programs are very popular, and provide families a way to spend time together out of the house and progressing toward a common goal.

Do a lot of girls do Taekwondo?

Absolutely! We probably have a few more boys than girls, but not by much. Itʼs almost a 50/50 split.

The truth is girls love martial arts just as much as boys, and the benefits are just as great for them. Every parent wants their daughter to be able to defend themselves, especially in the teen years. Plus, sheʼll get the valuable self esteem she needs to stick up for herself!

In fact, some of the best practitioners in our school are girls and ladies. We even have a couple on our instructing staff.