Lifeskills School - Scarborough, ME- Tae Kwon Do - LifeSkills Learning Center

Lifeskills Learning Center 30 Spring Hill Rd Saco Industrial Park Saco, ME 04072 info@lifeskillsschool.com 207.283.1511

Welcome

About Us

Tae Kwon Do

Childrens Tae Kwon Do

Building confidence and character with martial arts education

Ages 4 - Teens

LifeSkills School of Tae Kwon Do offers a program especially for children and teens. Our classes are age specific and are geared to address the interests and abilities of each age grouping. We focus on enhancing self esteem and building self-confidence through practicing this art and teaching the true philosophical meaning of martial arts. We demonstrate how the lessons of Tae Kwon Do can be applied to every day life in a peaceful and constructive way. We strive to instill in our students the mental capacity and emotional evenness to deal with conflict in a logical and ethical manner. We use books and curriculum authored by world renowned pioneer in the field of conflict resolution and character development, Dr. Terrence Webster-Doyle to provide our students with an assortment of well practiced, practical verbal and mental tools to balance out the formidible physical tools of self defense. We use positive reinforcement, behavior modeling, and role play to build a foundation of respect, self-control, integrity, and perseverance in our students. Please see our class and fee schedule at the bottom of the page.

Self–Defense is 2nd
While self-defense is certainly a tangible, practical, and formidible benefit of Tae Kwon Do training, we see this skill as a secondary outcome. A more profound benefit of Tae Kwon Do training comes from within as confidence is gained and character is enhanced. Since this art is comprehensive in scope, active manifestation of its tenets of Effort, Courtesy, Respect, Self-control, Humility, and Integrity are required for success in moving through the belt ranks. The self-confidence gained through practicing the art help the students to think their way through confrontations instead of reacting to their fight or flight instincts unnecessarily. Role-playing in class gives students many models and tools to employ to verbally diffuse potential confrontations, and to develop a sense of respectful inter-relation.

The Curriculum
The art is presented in a fashion that clearly articulates the requirements to progress through the belt system. The requirements are taught in fun and manageable pieces encouraging planning skills, discipline, goal setting and strategy development to attain goals. An extremely gentle approach and safe environment enhance the learning process. Equal weight is given to attitude, manifestation of the tenets and the technical execution of the physical requirements. We require our students to read Dr. Webster-Doyle's books on the dynamics of conflict and prejudice to give students a full set of tools for peaceful and respectful living. We use his Defeat the Bully Without Fighting program to help students understand root causes of conflict and deal with it in an effective and non violent way. Additional living skills such as teamwork, leadership techniques, manners, effective communication, mediation, public speaking and tolerance are learned through role playing and fulfilling the requirements for promotion.

Adult Tae Kwon Do

Childrens Tae Kwon Do

LifeSkills School of Tae Kwon Do offers a program specifically for busy adults. We combine traditional Tae Kwon Do training with cardio-kickboxing and practical self-defense techniques in a non-competitive format to meet you exercise needs. You will learn and practice a comprehensive and beautiful art in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere while gleaning the benefits of aerobic and muscle toning exercises. By participating in this program you can expect to:

Get in shape
Lose inches
Tone muscle
Increase flexibility
Increase co-ordination
Improve balance
Build your confidence
Learn to defend yourself
Meet new friends with a common interest

The Curriculum

We teach this beautiful and comprehensive art in easy, fun, and manageable pieces so you can progress at your own pace. We are beginner friendly and honor and respect individual fitness levels and goals. The individualized workouts can be dialed up or down to suit your needs. Our approach is gentle and considerate. Sparring and other contact activities are always controlled and always an elective activity that students can choose to include or eliminate from their training. We use bags and Shields to safely insure the effectiveness of techniques. We always offer a free week of training to prospective students to see if this novel approach to martial arts training is for you.

Never be bored again with your exercise regimen.

The Instructor
Gary Rittershaus
Gary is a second-degree black belt and AAU Tae Kwon Do Coach who has been teaching Tae Kwon Do for over 10 years. He is a former executive of the Tom’s of Maine Company and is currently a business values and ethics trainer for the Saltwater Institute. He opened his school in May 02 to devote more time to teaching and practicing Tae Kwon Do.

What Parents are saying:

" Great combination of physical and mental skills. My child is much more considerate of others"

" I see my son actually making good decisions based on the martial arts code of character"

" My daughter is no longer a wall flower. She has healthy confidence in herself and her abilities at school and at home"

" My granddaughter has been transformed with new confidence in herself. Thank you"

" My son uses the techniques that you teach on bullying. They really do work!!"

" We really enjoy Dr Webster-Doyle's visits. His books and roundtable discussions are wonderful!"

" My child just can't seem to get enough!! We have trouble trying to take a vacation"

" This is a wonderful and caring group of children... What and how you teach has more than a little to do with that"

" My kids are much better equipped to handle the difficulties that life often brings"

" I like your gentle style and how you give attention to all of the students... not just the gifted ones"

" I was impressed with the way one of your students handled his disappointment during belt testing with grace and dignity. He was able to walk the talk... A real eye opener for me! What character!"

Adult Tae Kwon Do