Starting your own martial art school

[Alan Armstrong]

Starting your own martial art school or just thinking about it?

Sometimes starting your own school is the only logical choice depending on circumstances such as living in a rural area or located in a small town setting.

There are those that have a passion for cross training that add martial arts and dance to their curriculum.

Renting your own space to train in and subletting space to other organizations is also an option.

Or renting floor space twice a week for a few hour might be more appropriate for an up and coming martial art school.

What would you suggest to those wanting to open their own martial art school.

If you having any questions of how to start your own martial art school, this is the right time to ask.

What type of martial art school would you like to be the owner operator of?

Perhaps you have started your own school and things aren't going according to plan; this also would be a good time to ask others for their input.

[MatsuShinshii]

There are those that have a passion for cross training that add martial arts and dance to their curriculum.

This is great except when you advertise it as a specific art. IMHO if your going to advertise that you are offering instruction in an art, teach that art.

Renting your own space to train in and subletting space to other organizations is also an option.

Or renting floor space twice a week for a few hour might be more appropriate for an up and coming martial art school.

What would you suggest to those wanting to open their own martial art school.

I would say that unless you already have potential students you're going to have a hard road to travel in just renting a space. You compound your issues because without students paying, your rent falls on you which mean you have to advertise which costs more money. I would suggest starting out small. Teach out of your back yard, converted garage or even your house until you build a reputation and out grow those area's.

If you belong to a church see if you can teach out of their basement or community hall. Find a place to teach that's free or doesn't cost much to rent. Renting out a space in a strip mall or the like costs more than you can typically pay starting out because there is not enough students to offset the costs. Don't forget water, heat, air, lights, insurance, etc. etc.

Jumping in head first and expecting students to flock to your doors is a mistake especially if there are other schools in your town.

What type of martial art school would you like to be the owner operator of?

Again if your going to advertise an art, teach that art. If you're going to teach multiple arts or many aspects of different arts call it something other than your main art. You will send traditionalists running for the door and this is nothing less than false advertisement.

There is nothing wrong with offering other arts, IF YOU'RE QUALIFIED TO TEACH THEM. But if your going to put Shotokan or some other arts name on the school make sure that is what you are teaching. If not call your school something else and state that you will be teaching multiple arts or a hybrid art.

There is no worse way to start out than to falsely advertise and build the wrong reputation. MMA is great but if that is what your teaching then don't advertise a traditional MA when it is not the main focus of the school.

[Alan Armstrong]

When cross training, adding "Martial Art" nothing wrong with that; beating up a punching bag.

Could be a "Martial Art Dance Fit Mix" for all it matters.

Not everyone is stuck on "Names" "Style" "Organizations" "Federations"

Belts, Certificates, Medals and trophies; many people just want to have fun, without the marketing gimmicks.

Fun fitness martial arts moving to the music; without the bowing, hierarchy or military presence.

Location is limited to one's imagination and local options...

Bartering, borrowing and using free space are a few options...

[MatsuShinshii]

When cross training, adding "Martial Art" nothing wrong with that; beating up a punching bag.

Could be a "Martial Art Dance Fit Mix" for all it matters.

Not everyone is stuck on "Names" "Style" "Organizations" "Federations"

Not saying that everyone is stuck on anything. I just made the comment that if you do put a specific arts name on the door/Dojo teach it. There are many that claim one thing and teach another. Just an observation for potential owners.

Belts, Certificates, Medals and trophies; many people just want to have fun, without the marketing gimmicks.

I guess this is a matter of how you view these things. I agree that trophies are gimmicks because all they prove is that you were faster than your opponent or you were able to use gimmicks to beat them.

As far as belts and certificates are concerned I do not think of these as gimmicks or marketing ploys. They are earned or at least they should be. If they are not and given like candy then yes they are gimmicks.

Fun fitness martial arts moving to the music; without the bowing, hierarchy or military presence.

No offense but this sounds like an after school program or a jazzersize class not a Dojo. Bowing is a sign of respect and teaches respect for our teachers. I guess the military presence is directed towards old school Dojo's in the manner that the art was taught but to be perfectly honest I prefer the good old days and I think they produced very competent fighters/Karateka.

Location is limited to one's imagination and local options...

Bartering, borrowing and using free space are a few options...

Agreed. Whatever you can find and where ever you can find it. The main focus is to teach not to own the taj mahal of Dojo's.

[JazzKicker]

What type of martial art school would you like to be the owner operator of?

I think this is a key question for being successful. What you would like, vs. what will attract enough students, may not be the same thing. For example, boxing seems pretty popular in my area, but the instructors I know can't get much turnout for JKD. The typical storefront karate/TKD school seems mostly for kids, with Little Dragons and birthday parties.[/b]

[ashworth]

What type of martial art school would you like to be the owner operator of?

I think this is a key question for being successful. What you would like, vs. what will attract enough students, may not be the same thing. For example, boxing seems pretty popular in my area, but the instructors I know can't get much turnout for JKD. The typical storefront karate/TKD school seems mostly for kids, with Little Dragons and birthday parties.[/b]

Different instructors may interpret being successful in different ways, is the whole quality over quantity scenario. As an instructor I would rather have between 8-10 students that are dedicated and turn up to training multiple times a week and trully put everything into it at home as well as the dojo.

Rather than have 20+ students turning up once a week that may not even make that and most wont put in the training at home that they should... Just my thoughts

[MatsuShinshii]

What type of martial art school would you like to be the owner operator of?

I think this is a key question for being successful. What you would like, vs. what will attract enough students, may not be the same thing. For example, boxing seems pretty popular in my area, but the instructors I know can't get much turnout for JKD. The typical storefront karate/TKD school seems mostly for kids, with Little Dragons and birthday parties.[/b]

Different instructors may interpret being successful in different ways, is the whole quality over quantity scenario. As an instructor I would rather have between 8-10 students that are dedicated and turn up to training multiple times a week and trully put everything into it at home as well as the dojo.

Rather than have 20+ students turning up once a week that may not even make that and most wont put in the training at home that they should... Just my thoughts

Could not have said it better. Success should be measured by the quality of your students not the quantity of your students. 1 good student that represents you and your art is worth more than 10,000 students that are mediocre at best and do nothing to advance your art. Well that is unless your version of success is the quality of your checking account with no regard to the quality of the art.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Starting your own martial art school or just thinking about it?

I'm in the in between stages at the moment, but teach privately at different locations depending on the needs and wants of my individual students.

Which for the moment works really well, as majority of my students also want to train with others that they bring along. So it gives them an opportunity to do partner drills.

Sometimes starting your own school is the only logical choice depending on circumstances such as living in a rural area or located in a small town setting.

There are those that have a passion for cross training that add martial arts and dance to their curriculum.

Renting your own space to train in and subletting space to other organizations is also an option.

Or renting floor space twice a week for a few hour might be more appropriate for an up and coming martial art school.

What would you suggest to those wanting to open their own martial art school.

If you having any questions of how to start your own martial art school, this is the right time to ask.

What type of martial art school would you like to be the owner operator of?

My plan is that when I own my own site, I plan on allowing bookings by the hour of when Classes are not scheduled as to have an additional source of income. As that will help me pay the bills and to help students out who have financial troubles.

As I would rather have people use the space, when not in use by Karate or Other Martial Arts (if an agreement has been made) instead of it being closed most of the time.

Although if I was to do that, i'd have to have someone on Reception to ensure that nothing occurs to the site if I or managers are not there to ensure no damage occurs to my property. Albeit; I plan on have a 2 for 1 site where I also run a Gym that is attached to the Dojo, so people would have to go through reception to get there.

[sensei8]

For now I'll just say this...

Want to start a dojo?? Better first understand this...IT'S A BUSINESS!! If one can't accept this, then it would be best to not ever open a dojo because it's a business.

A business needs someone to run it effectively and efficiently because the business can't run itself. Needs humans to clean it, run it, feed it, walk it, love it, and well, everything.

Read "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson!! I wholeheartedly encourage this book for any person who wants to give a go at opening a business. I give this book out to any of my students that want to open their own dojo. It's akin to Business 101!!

Having been in business since 1977 owning/operating my own dojo/retail store quite successfully.