Old News

[sensei8]

While the link below...

http://www.ag.ny.gov/press-release/settlement-new-york-states-largest-karate-school-chain-ends-deceptive-practices

...is old news, 2000, I believe that current and future MA schools should pay attention as to what can happen if one's not careful at all times.

These practices have no business in your business because students will suffer the most when these type of practices aren't reported to the necessary agencies.

Are deceptive practices within the MA still happening today? I believe that they still are.

Well, only salmon swim up stream!!

[IcemanSK]

The unsettling thing is that this guy is still very much in business. UFC fighter Uriah Hall is one of his students. They did a training session for UFC tv about a year or so ago.

[Nidan Melbourne]

That is extremely concerning that people that decide to run schools like these just to rip people off

[Spartacus Maximus]

This is unfortunately part of the issue with martial arts as a business. It is a dirty business where honest, quality teaching is hard to find and certainly not the norm. It is full of dishonest, unscrupulous individuals, charlatans and frauds

For every one that is exposed or taken to court, there are hundreds more out there profiting from their deceptive practices and abusing public trust. They are successful because there is always enough people to believe them and pay them. As long as martial arts are a consumer commodity, there will be people who will take advantage and exploit it to the legal limit and beyond.

Whoever wants to profit from teaching martial arts, must be willing to sell it in a way the masses will consider appealing. The question is what is the instructor willing to do to achieve this.

Dishonest practices and outright fraud are rampant in franchise or chain schools because these have money making and profit as their only purpose. The chief instructor rarely has the time to teach a full lesson let alone actually train himself. He is usually too preoccupied with his business and counting his money.

On the other hand, the little guy who teaches in one or two rented spaces for a couple hours each night to a handful of dedicated students is far less likely to abuse their trust to get their money. He also likely teaches quality martial arts with a real passion for teaching as well as training himself.

[sensei8]

The unsettling thing is that this guy is still very much in business. UFC fighter Uriah Hall is one of his students. They did a training session for UFC tv about a year or so ago.

Aaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhh.....still in business!?! Hopefully, his punishment scared him straight, for the sake of his students.

[mal103]

....

On the other hand, the little guy who teaches in one or two rented spaces for a couple hours each night to a handful of dedicated students is far less likely to abuse their trust to get their money. He also likely teaches quality martial arts with a real passion for teaching as well as training himself.

Well thank you very much

Unfortunately the contract for Karate is alive still and there is one near me, another just charges a lot.

The most damaging thing is to the students who won't go near another Dojo because they think it's the norm. I get the odd few who come to me and ask about money first as they nearly got conned into signing an expensive contract.

[sensei8]

....

On the other hand, the little guy who teaches in one or two rented spaces for a couple hours each night to a handful of dedicated students is far less likely to abuse their trust to get their money. He also likely teaches quality martial arts with a real passion for teaching as well as training himself.

Well thank you very much

Unfortunately the contract for Karate is alive still and there is one near me, another just charges a lot.

The most damaging thing is to the students who won't go near another Dojo because they think it's the norm. I get the odd few who come to me and ask about money first as they nearly got conned into signing an expensive contract.

Solid post!!

To the bold type above...

How do we, as MA instructors change the mind of students in this regard?

Also, people who don't worry about money have plenty of money already, and this is why most consumers will ask about price quite readily before they will ask about curriculum and the like. Prices will scare the bee's knee's out of prospective new students faster than anything known to mankind.

[IcemanSK]

My understanding is that roughly half of commercial schools use some sort of contract. Even EFT is a type of contract. I don't do it, but I can see value in ensuring income for the instructor instead of hoping students (or their parents) remember to pay.

Schulmann certainly went way overboard, however.

[sensei8]

My understanding is that roughly half of commercial schools use some sort of contract. Even EFT is a type of contract. I don't do it, but I can see value in ensuring income for the instructor instead of hoping students (or their parents) remember to pay.

Schulmann certainly went way overboard, however.

Solid post!!

I'm ok with contracts, but they're so binding, and once you've signed on that dotted line, the parameters are mostly on the side of the one who owns the contract.

[Spartacus Maximus]

If a school has a contract it is because the school belongs to a chain belonging to the same owner or a franchise. These schools use contracts because they are primarily businesses.

Other schools that are part of an association don't have contracts but different paying plans. The most common is a single fee for 1 year or monthly monthly tuition. Dividing payments by sessions of 3 months or 6 months is also quite common.

Personally I like the idea of giving students a choice to decide what is suitable for them. I believe this retains more students than having them sign a commitment they are unsure of keeping. I don't believe having a contract keeps more students than having no contracts.