Paul Miller, founder of Lehigh Valley Martial Arts and Active Learning Centers was interviewed for the May 2011 Lehigh Valley Family magazine and website. Here is an excerpt of the article…
“Martial arts is not just about being able to punch and kick. Its about being able to have the confidence to do things and achieve. Its about perseverance, being respectful and kind to others; these are things that martial arts promote,” says Paul Miller, founder of Active Learning Centers and Lehigh Valley Martial Arts.
Today, children and teens are bombarded with many options on how to use their free time. Some are overtly bad like drugs and alcohol that lead to immediate and profound problems. Others are more benign like sugary treats and video games that may lead to obesity and poor lifestyle habits. Whether these decisions are made for entertainment or as an escape, the bottom line is that there are better choices to be had.
It is one antidote for bad decisions as it keeps children occupied with a constructive activity, and more importantly at is core, it is centered on discipline. “Its all about discipline and having the knowledge that if they can achieve things that are very difficult for them, then they will be able to achieve anything. Martial arts provides the experience for children to learn these character building skills in ways that other activities do not offer.”
Like other athletic activities, martial arts provides for good exercise, social interaction, teamwork and other forms of character development. The differentiator is that martial arts places a higher focus on respect for others and a respect for self. In a nutshell, martial arts is a discipline of body AND MIND. Since confidence is belief in one’s self, confidence must be derived and maintained in the mind. This requires a focus on positivity, mental toughness and focus, things that many sports talk about but place little emphasis on developing.
It is important to note that martial arts is not just a way to keep kids out of trouble but its also foundational to character building for success in life. This fundamental belief was at the center of Miller’s vision for Lehigh Valley Martial Arts, a martial arts school that he started in 1996. By 2003, he wanted to bring the character building skills of martial arts to a wider group of children and decided to couple a child care facility with Lehigh Valley Martial Arts. Today Active Learning Centers has three locations and its popularity and success is marked by the fact that all three locations have waiting lists for child care. All Active Learning Centers enrollees may participate in Lehigh Valley Martial Arts at no additional fee, and their siblings and parents may participate at a family discount rate.
Click here to go to Lehigh Valley Family’s website to see the feature.
