Dear Parent,

We may not be the kind of After School Program you are looking for.

We're not a babysitting service, nor are we a day care center. If you're looking for a casual, unstructured, or temporary program we certainly aren't right for you. If you are looking for the cheapest service rather than a top-quality service at a great value, we may not be what you are looking for.

But if you like the idea of a structured martial arts program that concentrates on developing children who are growing stronger mentally, physically and spiritually - and who are acquiring an Attitude of Excellence - then we may very well be the ideal program for you.

At our After-School Program, your child will get into great shape physically and learn valuable self-defense skills. But that's just the beginning.

Your child will also develop:

Many of our children even enjoy better grades and academic success at school as a result of their improved self-discipline, concentration and study skills!

In keeping with the 1,500-year-old traditions of the Martial Arts our studio emphasizes the cultivation of:

Of course, our Martial Arts Program teaches kids great self-defense and combat skills. Mr. Matheny has trained Police Officers, Private Security and U.S. Marines, including the hand-to-hand combat Instructor of the El Toro Marine Base in El Toro California, and his students have consistently won top place in National Championship Tournaments since 1991.

But at LifeSkills Martial Arts, fighting skills are never regarded as more important than the cultivation and improvement of one's character. We teach our students never to use or display their skills unnecessarily.

Here's a short Chinese story that we teach our students to help them understand how and when to use their skills correctly:

One day a famous Martial Arts Master was visited by another famous master. The visiting master asked how his friend's three sons were progressing in their Martial Arts training. The host decided to let his sons display their skills for the visitor, one at a time starting with the youngest son. The host took a huge clay pot that weighed close to a hundred pounds and hid it propped up above the half-opened door. When the door would open the pot would fall, testing the son's reflexes and response. The father called out, "Youngest son, I have a visitor I would like you to come meet."

"Yes father," replied the youngest son. He came running into the room, swinging the door wide open. The huge pot came crashing down towards him, but just at the last moment the son saw it. He jumped in the air, spun around and hit the pot with a fancy spinning kick, breaking it into dozens of pieces. "Very impressive," said the visiting master. "Now let's see how your middle son is doing."

They cleaned up the pieces of the pot and set a new one atop the door. "Middle son," called the father, "Please come greet my guest." "Yes father," replied the middle son. He too came running into the room, and like the youngest son he saw the pot falling at just the last moment. His response was swift and graceful: He stepped back, caught the large pot in his arms, gently set it down and while bowing said, "I'm please to meet you, sir."

"Ah," said the visiting master, "An excellent display of martial arts skill. I hope your youngest son will also achieve that level some day. Now, let us test your eldest son's skill."

At that point they put the big clay pot back up atop the door. The father called out, "Eldest son, I have a visitor I want you to come meet." There was no reply. "Eldest son," he repeated, "do not be rude. Come greet my guest right now.
Suddenly from behind the two masters a voice responded, "Pleased to meet you, sir." As the two masters turned around, the eldest son was bowing politely. He had come in through the window, avoiding the pot altogether.

"Now there," said the visitor, "is a true master in the making."

This story teaches that fighting skills are not to be displayed arrogantly or unnecessarily, and that the wisdom and sensitivity they learn from martial arts can help avoid conflicts before they even arise.

We teach our students many stories like this one because the children love them—and they learn valuable lessons that stay with them for life.

If you've ever walked into other after-school programs and felt like "the lunatics were running the asylum," you'll be very pleased when you visit LifeSkills Martial Arts.

Unlike with many other programs, at LifeSkills Martial Arts your child is always supervised and required to follow a strict code of behavior with a clear purpose: Successful learning and character development.

Our entire program is carefully planned out and structured so that you can see how step-by-step, your child will gain improved confidence, behavior, attention, focus, manners, leadership skills and self-discipline.

Fun Daily Activities. Each day your child will participate in:
• An intensive Martial Arts class, in Shaolin Kempo, Jiu-Jitsu, Sparring, Stunts or Acrobatics.
• An engaging LifeSkills Lesson (covering everything from Time Management to Dealing With Bullies and Strangers)
• Homework and Reading Time

Scholastic Chess Program
“Chess is a gymnasium for the mind” said Blaise Pascal. Our Scholastic Chess program reinforces many of the skills taught through Martial Arts: Concentration, Problem-Solving, Sportsmanship, plus others such as Strategic Planning and logical Decision-Making. Extensive research has proved that chess study helps increase IQ, Math and English scores and emotional intelligence.

In Benjamin Franklin’s words, “Chess teaches foresight, by having to plan ahead; vigilance, by having to keep watch over the whole chessboard; caution, by having to restrain ourselves from making hasty moves; and finally, we learn from chess the greatest maxim in life – that even when everything seems to be going badly for us, we should not lose heart, but always hoping for a change for the better, steadfastly continue searching for the solutions to our problems.”

Your child will have the option of participating in this program. We will offer a Scholastic Chess curriculum designed for children, which includes instruction and playing time.

Weekly and Monthly Lessons. Your child will receive Character Building lessons that encourage your active involvement in your child's development. Lesson topics include:

• Making and Keeping Good Friends
• Showing Respect
• Random Acts of Kindness
• Personal Safety and much more...

Year-by-Year Curriculum All The Way To Black Belt. At LifeSkills Martial Arts, we're proud to show you our entire curriculum that will help your child develop the mental, physical and emotional skills needed to advance all the way from novice White Belt up to Black Belt!

Boys and girls who earn their Black Belt stand head and shoulders above their peers when it comes to confidence, success skills, leadership skills and a positive view of themselves and the world around them.

Think how important that confidence and a positive self-image are for kids to be able to Say No to the negative peer pressures they face every day, and Yes to the positive challenges that lead to success in life. Martial arts really can positively change your child's life forever!

Like our regular martial arts students, our After-School Program students enjoy all of the following:

• Exciting and fun classes with Mr. Matheny
• Clinic Instruction available to give your child the extra attention he or she might need
• Free use of studio and all training equipment for practice 5 days a week
• LifeSkills Pro Shop for any martial arts supplies and gifts you might need
 

Leadership Club

Students who demonstrate good character, self-discipline & diligence may be eligible for membership in the Leadership Club. Leadership Club members enjoy all of the benefits listed above, plus:

• Intensive training and coaching in Leadership and Success principles
• Special Leadership seminars led by Mr. Matheny
• Hands-on leadership experience as an Assistant to the Instructor

Why our After-School Martial Arts Program may not be for everyone

We may not be the kind of After-School Program you are looking for. We're not a babysitting service, nor are we a day care center. If you're looking for a casual, unstructured, or temporary program we certainly aren't right for you. If you are looking for the cheapest service rather than a top-quality service at a great value, we are probably not the cheapest.

But if you like the idea of a structured martial arts program that concentrates on developing children who are growing stronger mentally, physically and spiritually - and who are acquiring the Black Belt Attitude of Excellence - then we may very well be the ideal program for you.

At LifeSkills Martial Arts your child will be training alongside other highly-motivated children who support and help each other
If your child is accepted into our program, he or she will be training alongside a highly-motivated and dedicated group of children who are committed to improvement and excellence.

How do I know your child will be with other motivated and dedicated students, and not a bunch of kids who are just taking up space? Very simple—we don't accept students who don't show a serious interest. Martial arts is our full-time business, and we could surely take in much more revenue if we accepted just anybody in off the street who says they want to learn martial arts.

But we don't take just anyone. Your child won't reach his or her full potential without the motivation and positive peer pressure of other highly dedicated students who are committed to excellence.

We are now accepting applications to this program. Space is limited. Click here to submit your contact details online, or call us today at (336) 838-8700.

APPLY NOW for our Martial Arts After-School Program

We would love the opportunity to meet you and give your family a Free Introductory Tour of our facilities, and your child a Free Introductory Class. During the tour, we will explain all of the features and benefits of our After-School Program, show you our facilities, and answer any questions you might have about our program.

LifeSkills Martial Arts accepts children who demonstrate a desire to learn, who want to have fun and enjoy the life-changing benefits of martial arts, and who have strong family support for our program. We accept students with or without previous martial arts experience, regardless of race, religion or similar factors. To make a reservation for your Tour and Class, simply fill out the Online inquiry Form by clicking here. We generally call within 48 hours to reserve a date and time for your Free Introduction. Or call us at (336) 838-8700.

Receive a great gift if you invite a friend or family member.

Training with a sincere and dedicated friend or family member can be supportive and extra-motivating for many children. If your child has a friend or family member whom you think might benefit as much as your child from our After-School Program or regular classes, have them also go online and fill out the Inquiry form. If both children are accepted then both families will receive a fantastic gift when you enroll—plus it can be great for car pooling!

I sincerely hope you've enjoyed learning about the many benefits of our Martial Arts After-School Program. I look forward to meeting you and your child.

Sincerely,

Scott Matheny Chief Instructor, LifeSkills Martial Arts

P.S. Don't forget to inquire about our family discounts for two or more children in the program. You can also receive family discounts on our great classes for parents or siblings.

P.P.S. I know there are many reasons to put off applying for your child, but please go ahead and apply now. Without the confidence, self-discipline and positive attitude that a program like ours offers, your child potentially faces too many scary and unpleasant obstacles: susceptibility to negative peer pressure, less-developed focus and concentration affecting performance in school, and lack of self-defense skills that could be vital to saving your child's life some day.

We are now accepting applications to this program. Space is limited. Click here to submit your contact information online, or call us today at (336) 838-8700.

The Application Form is available in PDF format here. Please print and fill it out to bring with you on your Introductory Tour.

This Application Form must be filled out completely and brought with you on your Introductory Tour, to ensure consideration for admission to our After-School Program.

PLEASE PRINT A COPY TO FILL OUT AND BRING WITH YOU TO YOUR ADMISSIONS TOUR.

If you are applying for more than one child, you must fill out a separate form for each child.