Finding the Right Martial Arts School For You

There are countless martial arts styles and schoolsschools always quote time in months and not years,
out there. So which one is right for you? The firstthat is a tactic they use to downplay what may
thing a person should do is understand why they areseem like a very long time to an ordinary person.
interested in taking up a martial art. Do you want toMonthly cost can vary from about $160 a month to
learn self defense, get in shape, get involved in$500+ a month. Time to do the math a 12 month
competition, or develop self discipline? There are a lotcontract at $160 a month = $1920 per year. 5 year
of different and legitimate reasons to get involved incontract at $160 a month = $9600 per year. I even
martial arts. Once you understand your ownheard of someone signing a 36 month contract at
motivation is when the foot work begins. The best$395 per month. That's $14,220! Those are the
place to start is the internet, doing a search of keyvalues of the contracts. The monthly amounts must
words will narrow down the choices in your area. Butbe paid whether the student is training or not. These
then you have to get out and visit these schools.contracts are ironclad, written by lawyers and tested
Talk to the instructors, watch a class, talk toin court. Don't think for one second that the
students and family members of students. If theInstructor won't send you to a collection agency or
school offers a free trial class TAKE IT!turn you over to their lawyer for payment even if
Then once you have narrowed it down, it is time toyou stop training. It never ceases to amaze me how
look at the curriculums, school goals and tuitionmany apparently intelligent people fall for this scam.
programs.Here is a quote from one of these people who
Now that you have found the school you thinklearned the hard way:
matches your needs and interests it is time to"The beginning stages of the training has lots of
interview the potential Instructor. Remember YOUyoung black belts studying with the children in a
are interviewing the Instructor, not the other waysupportive way (sort of, we'll get to that). While you
around, maintain control of the interview and don't letare in the "basic" class, you have a lot of support and
the Instructor turn it around on you turning it into aindividual attention. Of the employees that work
sales pitch.there, most are very nice and are great teachers but
I recommend you first ask if the Instructor/School isthere are quite a few young kids there with very
a member of either NAPMA (National Association oflittle respect for anyone and no real desire to be
Professional Martial Artists) or MAIA (Martial Artsthere. They are there contractually, that's the "sort
Industry Association). These Associations are NOTof". The "sort of": In the basic program, you can only
Martial Arts organizations but Sales and Marketingattain a green belt. To move beyond that, you need
Companies that specialize in making sales not teachingto sign a 4 year contract at about Then far more
martial arts. NAPMA is owned and operated by"mandatory events" they sponsor at a fee, the belt
businessman Stephen Oliver and MAIA is owned andtesting fees have grown from $40/$30 2 years ago
operated by the world's largest martial arts supplierto $70/$60 now. When you take your black belt test
Century Martial Arts.you have to go up to one of the mountain resorts
Martial Arts Instructors pay these organizations($500 for the condo 2 days, $500 for the BB test).
$1000+ each and every month in consultations feesThe hidden fees that they keep dreaming up are
for sales and marketing advice. These companies DOunreal. I could go on, but can't keep going here.
NOT offer any martial arts instruction or training! ForWatch and talk to a blue uniform." Many of these
this astronomical monthly fee, the Instructor hasInstructors actually count on a large percentage of
been given and taught to use carefully crafted scriptstheir students quitting! Their facilities are simply too
to answer phone calls or talk to walk-in potentialsmall to accommodate the number of students
customers. They also have comprehensive lists ofenrolled. They maximize their profits based on square
how to deal with any objections and get as manyfootage by having "paying" students who do not
potential customers to sign lengthy and expensiveattend. Legal? Yes! Ethical? Doubtful.
contracts (5+ years and $17,000).You should also ask about UPGRADES such as
These sales and marketing companies and theirsparring, Black Belt Club, Masters Club, weapons
Instructors have only one goal: Increase revenues!training, etc. There are lots of upgrade options that
Martial Arts are secondary to the $$$. I oncethese schools use to increase revenue. Each upgrade
interviewed for a position with Mile Hi Karate ais added to the basic fee starting around $160 per
franchise owned by Stephen Oliver (NAPMA). Duringmonth. It can really start adding up. Make sure you
the interview I was never asked about my martialunderstand clearly what your basic fee gets for you,
arts background and experience, all of the questionsbecause you can easily end up paying 2 or 3 times
were about my sales and marketing experience.the basic amount to get the training you wanted.
Need I say more?To sum this all up, I will never forget a series of
The way these "martial arts" schools increase andarticles I saw in the monthly magazine of NAPMA. It
guarantee their revenue is through CONTRACTS.was entitled "How to Lock in Your Students." It dealt
This scheme is legal but I question how ethical it is,with using contracts to obligate students to pay the
especially considering the code of honor mostmartial arts school. As disturbing as that is, the photo
traditional martial arts schools claim to teach. Thesethat accompanied it made me shudder. It was a
contracts vary in length from 12 month (1 year) topicture of a young martial arts student in a locked
60 months (5 years). I have noticed that thesecage. That's how they see their students!