4/29/2010 7:00pm Thursday
Welcome, After-School-Care parents!
Thank you for visiting. We've obviously had today's Exclusive Beginner Classes, and you and your child are interested in more information.
Hey, I made it through both classes! Nineteen kids in the first, twenty four in the second. I still have some voice left, sipping ice water between typing.
So what do you, the parent, need to do next?
Read on. The "Exclusive Beginner Classes" section gives my thoughts on how the classes went. And why having a successful beginner class is so important for the student.
Our "Contact Us" page link is here.
Exclusive Beginner Classes
K - 2nd Grade 3:45 - 4:15pm

This class was all about girl power! Eighteen girls, and one boy hanging tough (good job, Drake.) The biggest challenge was getting past having mirrors on the walls. With hair finally in place we got to work.
They were mostly able to watch and copy. While not always easy at this age girls usually do this well.
There were several talkers, but they can't help it. They're girls.
3rd Grade + 4:15 - 5:15pm
This class went suprisingly well. Twenty four people (plus me, plus a counselor) is a packed house in the downstairs Pilates room. My previous record was twenty three.
Keeping people from bumping into each other was my first concern. Once each person had space to work we got started. Warm-ups, then straight into basics.
This age is when kids begin to become competitive, and I used that when splitting into two groups. The "Cobras" and the "Vipers." The Cobras had two ringers (two of my present students) and they still lost. Vipers ruled.

Why is a student's first class so important?
All the kids had a really good time. And that was important to me.
In about the 5th grade, I visited a friend's martial arts class. Didn't join then, but did about 10 years later in college (War Eagle!)
A fun, positive first martial arts class will stay with your child for the rest of their life. They won't remember what they did today, but I expect they will remember the feeling.
As an instructor, when a new student - child or adult - walks through the door I see possibilities. I know what rigorous, self-disciplined, fun martial arts training will do for a person's character.
Besides, someone's got to be the next Chuck Norris.

Free Gift
This link takes you to my free gift for you. It's important information that's a quick read:
http://www.OakMountainMartialArts.com/LIBRARY/files/Your Martial Arts School Search - An Open Letter OMMA.pdf

So, who am I?
I'm Bryan Hix, certified instructor for the Monday/Wednesday classes at the Greystone YMCA. I have a blast teaching kids - and adults - the martial art of Tang Soo Do. I've trained for about 20 years and taught for six or eight.
Here's our contact form:
http://www.oakmountainmartialarts.com/contact
Again, thank you. Your child was a delight to teach today.
Bryan

P.S. - If you know someone who may be interested in what we do I'd appreciate you showing them our website.
You can send them an email here.