MartialArts Professional Magazine

The Final Word

There are several types of e-mail you can use to market your school to prospective students. Among the most common are e-zines, flyers, school newsletters and promotional pieces. An e-zine, or “electronic magazine,” is delivered to subscribers via a Web site or an e-mail newsletter.
E-zines are sometimes referred to as “opt-in” lists because everyone who […]

School Growth Potential

Part 9: The Anatomy of an Ad: Body Copy, Part 5
Strategy #2: Problem-Agitate-Solve, Part 2
Last month, I presented the “Problem” statement, and I began “Agitating” readers.
Agitate, continued:
You have a HUGE advantage in the marketplace because your “solution” solves a problem that people WANT TO SOLVE! Your “product” literally changes people’s lives and makes them better, […]

The Science Of Fighting

Trying to counter an attack when a fighter should be leading the attack. Counter-attacking, like faking, is a very advanced art form. It requires knowing three things: the lead of the opponent, your method of avoiding his lead and the exact method to execute the proper counter shot.
Failing to step in when punching. Whether jabbing […]

Reality Check

I want to relate some of the very powerful effects that adrenal stress has on the human mind and body. As an instructor, you must understand how the adrenal reaction can affect a student’s ability to defend himself during an actual encounter.
We ask applicants to our RMCAT self-defense course if they have ever been assaulted […]

Fitness Kickboxing

Creating a long-term fitness program in your martial arts school is not as hard as you think. Most likely, you already have one in your conventional martial arts program. All you must do is sell it differently to the adult fitness market than you would to typical prospects looking for conventional martial arts.
Fitness students want […]

Fitness Track

In this series of columns, I’ve addressed the topic of so-called controversial exercises that many martial arts instructors have been doing for years, but those exercises may lead to student injuries. Now, I want to address, perhaps, the most controversial exercises of all, “ballistic stretches.”
Ballistic stretches can include the swinging leg-lifts to the front and […]

Classical Thought

I attended two National Traditional Karate tournaments one summer, while a friend attended a national “open” tournament. Our experiences were quite different, and I think it’s appropriate that professionals in our industry discuss those differences.
The referees at the tournaments I attended were in complete charge of their rings, including the surrounding area, whether it was […]

Beyond Technique

Driving north along the coast of California to San Francisco is an experience rooted in Zen. There’s virtually no traffic, and the scenery is refreshingly bucolic, with a landscape so green it rivals bank vaults. I’m not a big fan of driving, especially after years of my nerves being worn to stubs in Los Angeles […]

The Psychology of Success

As an instructor and school owner, you are very familiar with the topic of goal setting. Often, the Black Belt is a metaphor for excellence and a worthy goal. This is a critical lesson that must translate into you and your students‘ lives.
The ability to set goals and make plans to accomplish those goals is […]

Sales and Marketing

As I come to the end of my description of the business model I call the ABCs of martial arts, allow me to review the first two parts. The A stands for Attitude-as an instructor, you must develop an attitude of professionalism toward the operation of your school. The B represents Belief-instructors must believe in […]

Expert Tips & Tactics

This month, I want to continue my presentation of the Conditions of Learning by focusing on goal setting as it relates to teaching. Most of us think that we have a rather good notion of how to engage in goal setting. After all, we reached Black Belt and beyond, and we run our businesses successfully.
We […]

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 the expert […]

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 Minnesota, many […]

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 industry knows […]

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 to the […]

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 search engine […]

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 energy and […]

Wariorwiz

Doing The Right Things

Martial Arts Professional Asks…

Expand Your Thinking

Letters to Editor

Extreme Success Academy

NAPMA News