MartialArts Professional Magazine

The Final Word

Everyone knows the rule that you should “grow your own” staff, but don’t forget the lessons that are plainly obvious. This is certainly a rule that can be broken from time to time, but let me remind you what you already know about martial artists. As employees, they tend to be very self-righteous; […]

School Growth Potential

Part 6: The Anatomy of an Ad: Body Copy, Part 2

The Reason Why
If you read and were guided by last month’s column, then your ads’ body copy is now 100% focused on your customer (either a prospect or the parents of a prospect) and your customers’ needs.
The next use of body […]

The Science Of Fighting

Everyone wants to be involved in something in which they can feel profoundly proud. It is often difficult to know what makes you proud to be a martial artist. Learning to tolerate the actions of others can be stressful. It makes it difficult to take the time to think about other people or […]

Reality Check

Someone recently asked me to cite the 12 points that I thought were most important to understand the correct mental attitude during a self-defense situation. Here’s my answer.1. “Trust your gut.” If you have any doubt, then there is no doubt-something ain’t right.
2. Perfect intention is more powerful than perfect technique. If you have the […]

Fitness Kickboxing

It’s time to talk about fitness, more specifically, martial arts fitness; teaching, marketing and making it work for you. No, fitness kickboxing is not dead. In fact, many schools currently have thriving adult fitness programs. The big difference is there are many people that will teach you how to make an after-school program […]

Fitness Track

Recent research has shown some exercises that martial artists routinely perform carry an increased risk of injury. Remember that any exercise program must be designed to maximize benefits while minimizing detrimental effects. This series will continue to help you formulate the safest and most effective program for your workouts.
Part 1 included standing toe […]

Classical Thought

Letter from a loving fatherDear Sons,
You have learned your martial arts history from me as children, and now from your own study. You often teach me.
You have learned how a man, Jigoro Kano, who was a member of the Japanese educational system, changed Jiu­jitsu into Judo. He took a Japanese martial art, modified it to […]

Beyond Technique

As I opened my martial arts school one day, unlocking the door and turning on the lights, I began the routine work that led into a routine day. Classes began and ended as usual and, except for a birthday party for one of the kid’s classes, the day would have passed like any […]

The Psychology of Success

Any factor that you would consider important to your happiness can be placed in one of seven categories. These Seven Ingredients of Success are consistent with all of success and happiness.You must start with your vision of a perfect future. You begin unlocking your inner powers by “seeing” your life exactly as if it were […]

Sales and Marketing

One of the cold hard facts of prospecting that school owners must face is the prospect that says he’s going home to “think about it.” It’s likely he’ll never think about you or your school, and your opportunity to enroll­ him or her is almost nonexistent, once he or she leaves your school.
The […]

Expert Tips & Tactics

The 13 additional business mistakes that I’ve made owning and operating my school are presented below. Words of wisdom: Don’t repeat them in your school, and if you already have, then it’s time to take corrective measures.
Mistake #8: Changing too much, too soon. This is the other side of the coin, where you […]

As I see It

Each month, NAPMA’s Maximum Impact members receive the Sounds of Success CD. It features a variety of powerful segments that provide our members with sound advice on marketing, motivation, selling, staff building, leadership development, entrepreneurialism and virtually all aspects of quality school operations.
For many years, I’ve had the honor of interviewing many of […]

Rotating Column

Someone sent me an email recently, thanking me for writing a column on operating outside the box. She told me how she had lost focus for a while, but had made improvements. She encouraged me to write a column on staying focused.
I immediately thought of my varsity golfing days at the University of […]

The Radical Left

I am always stunned when I read the statistics on bullying in America. I’m also too often disheartened by news stories about youth violence, triggered by some form of bullying or hazing.
During the years, there has been much talk about bullying and the martial arts, but I wonder how much the martial arts […]

No B.S. Success

The fast food industry adopted the drive-in window concept from banks. I guess a McDonald’s executive, who was sitting at the bank drive-through one day, thought, “I don’t think we can fit the milkshakes in these tubes, but…” NetJets, the leader in fractional jet ownership, now owned by Warren Buffet, owes its birth […]

Internet Secrets to Grow Your School

In my previous column, I explained how to determine the optimal key phrase for your Web site as well as some online tools to help you with this process. As I have already mentioned, Search Engine Optimization is selecting keywords (or key phrases) that rank your Web site higher in the list of […]

Your Success Coach

Worry Leaks
Worry is a useless emotion. Since your mind doesn’t have enough worry, you invent more; and, most likely, it’s 100 percent worse than reality could ever be. If you have unhealthy emotions of imagined fears or worry, then the body responds with a tense feeling of nervousness, stress-related illness, fatigue, lack of […]

Wariorwiz

This is my third column about the various entities under which you can do business and protect your assets. In part three, I explain Family Limited Partnership and the first of three types of Trusts, the Irrevocable Trust.
Family Limited Partnership
A “family” limited partnership is a variation of a limited partnership. The term “family” […]

Martial Arts Professional Asks…

What advice would you give martial arts professionals who want to achieve higher levels of success?
Jean Claude Van Damme answers…
The mind is the most powerful thing. Therefore, it is important for you to use your mind to be the best you can be. Use the power of your mind to maintain a healthy, […]