Ata Martial Arts

Good: I am in the military and was driving by the Red Mill Academy one day. I just stopped in to see what ATA was all about. I found what I was lacking there, friends. Being new to this base, I had not yet developed many friendships. Here at ATA, I have discovered people that were prior Navy and knows the stuff we go through. It is helpful that after a tough day at work, I have somewhere to go and workout. I am grateful that I am here because everyone at the school is so friendly. ATA is part of my family.. more

Good: At Changing Lives ATA Martial Arts the instructors care about students as individuals and their own personal goals. Changing Lives Martial Arts is a great place to train and all the pricing and costs are up front and in the agreement no hidden costs! We love it and know that the trainng is top notch in the area.. more

Self defense, fitness, and the ability to train with other people my age were all things I was looking for in a martial arts program. I had looked at several different places in the Virginia Beach, Va area and didn’t see the discipline I wanted or the camaraderie of the classes just didn’t seem to be there. A friend of mine had mentioned that she and her son had been taking taekwondo for a while at the Princess Anne Changing Lives ATA Martial Arts location and that he was in the Karate Kids class and she was in the class for adults. I decided to give it a try (they offer a free class) and I was hooked. The instructors were professional, courteous, as well as humble. Since I started taking the martial arts classes for adults, I have gotten in better physical shape, as well my confidence, self control, and focus has improved. Thank you to Changing Lives ATA Martial Arts and their instructors for helping me to grow physically, and mentally! more

My son has always had a desire to study martial arts but I felt he was to immature and impulsive to be given the knowledge of how to hurt someone. I could not have been more wrong. When he began getting into trouble at home for doing things like melting legos on his light bulb I knew it was time to find a focus for his time and energy. After shopping around and interviewing many different schools we chose the ATA Princess Anne location and two years later we are still thrilled with our decision. The leadership there is top notch. The adult instructors have good and truthful insights about my child. My son has a place where he can expel his energy and learn new things. When he was invited to the Instructor Program I saw his hobby change into something that could very well be a career for him. Rather than teaching him to fight they have taught how to defend him self, how to perform in front of a crowd and how to test well under pressure. He has also learned self discipline and self control. Every time he earns a new belt he gets a huge feeling of pride and self worth because he worked hard and earned it. What better life lesson can a child learn than that? That has also gone a long way in building his self esteem. Another thing that has given a boost to his self confidence and self esteem is being part of the XMA/Demo Team. In particular he is asked for his input as part of that group and each person's suggestions are taken into consideration. He was proud to have his suggestion implemented at part of a demonstration for the other children in the karate school. This type of group collaboration is just another excellent example of how the ATA is teaching my son to become a man and a leader. I am so thankful that we signed Devlin up and we hope he will remain a life long active member of the ATA! more

We have been associated with ATA since 2004, it has been an uplifting and most memorable experience to say the least. It has taught my son respect, self-esteem, discipline and perseverance. ATA has provided an opportunity for my son to excel in all facets of martial arts. The intensity and dedication by all instructors is above reproach. The dynamic attribute that ATA offers is a diverse, tailored training regiment for all experience levels. The instructors continually identify student deficiencies and reinforce by the "positive" attitude approach to teaching. Additionally, "private" sessions have been invaluable to my son's development. Although instructors are available, the student itself must train outside of their class. ATA affords parents to make choices for their children to enter a multitude of programs ranging from Leadership to Expert. The added benefit is for parents having the ability to observe their child's' progression to determine, with instructor consultation, if their child is ready for more challenges. ATA offers students the ability to rapidly advance to a next higher rank (belt or instructor level) through an intensive testing program designed to extract talents and abilities that a student may never have realized they had. Although intense, only after successful completion of this "boot camp", may they be advanced after a rigorous evaluation process. more

ATA is a life changing experience. The quest to Black Belt is not easy, by any means, but it is fun. The students leave class tired - but smiling - every time, and they learn far more than the art and execution of TaeKwonDo. Self esteem, self control, concentration and commitment all mature exponentially as the student progresses up the ranks. A unique aspect of the ATA experience is that the students never make the journey alone. The lines blur between students, staff and family as all grow together toward the common goal. Master Thomas is far more than a Master Martial Artist. The Master also is a counselor, a confidant and a friend to each and every member of his ATA family, and the sense of belonging touches everyone. Come join us. You'll be glad you did ~Bill S. more

We have been associated with ATA since 2004, it has been an uplifting and most memorable experience to say the least. It has taught my son respect, self-esteem, discipline and perseverance. ATA has provided an opportunity for my son to excel in all facets of martial arts. The intensity and dedication by all instructors is above reproach. The dynamic attribute that ATA offers is a diverse, tailored training regiment for all experience levels. The instructors continually identify student deficiencies and reinforce by the "positive" attitude approach to teaching. Additionally, "private" sessions have been invaluable to my son's development. Although instructors are available, the student itself must train outside of their class. ATA affords parents to make choices for their children to enter a multitude of programs ranging from Leadership to Expert. The added benefit is for parents having the ability to observe their child's' progression to determine, with instructor consultation, if their child is ready for more challenges. ATA offers students the ability to rapidly advance to a next higher rank (belt or instructor level) through an intensive testing program designed to extract talents and abilities that a student may never have realized they had. Although intense, only after successful completion of this "boot camp", may they be advanced after a rigorous evaluation process. ATA also has the diversity of allowing striving competitor's to compete outside the local area. Competition tournaments, as well as tournament training are integral part of ATA's development cycle as to provide an active competitor the skills and ring knowledge required to be successful. Following each competition, the instructors actively engage competitors to assist with faults that were established during an event, and acknowledge their accomplishments during class. more