Martial Arts Professional Magazine

Let’s examine some of the key elements to Parts 1 and 2 of the original “prison bully” story:
 
            Recall the prison bully’s remark “Hey, man, how come you keep taking my seat?” And recall that the other prisoner did not try to ignore or deny the bully’s true intent. He knew from the very start […]

When I started teaching the martial arts years ago, the one label I thought my school needed to avoid more than any other label was “most expensive school in town.” I felt that charging top dollar for teaching the arts was an apostasy. I was convinced that expensive schools could not possibly have the same […]

This month I would like to clarify some simple concepts to make your Web site active and begin to attract a growing number of new students. In previous columns, I emphasized the importance of developing a Web presence to increase your bottom line. I have explained the main steps of targeting different audiences with different […]

How many hours a day is your school busy generating revenue? Is it four hours, or maybe six, if you offer an after-school program? Fitness kickboxing can add hours of revenue-generating time to your facility without having to cut or move any of your conventional martial arts classes.

Martial arts schools have a limited amount […]

This month, we are going to examine the “prison bully” story told in last month’s article such that we can profit from its lessons in self-defense. We first need to realize that while those events occurred in the crucible of prison life, the lessons they teach aply to human conflict in any environment. All of […]

In this column, we have talked about how to modify a variety of exercise to reduce the chance of injury to some people who may be predisposed to certain conditions like lower back or knee problems. Risk can be based on three factors: chronological, cardiovascular, and orthopedic. The key is to run an exercise program […]

Un our journey through life, it may at times seem as though we’re passing through a great jungle, devoid of civilized comforts, safety nets and hospitality. Where huge trees of worry take root in the soil of aspiration and shed used leaves, which create a carpet of urgency, pushing us along.

At some point in our […]

There are few subjects in American society that will raise eyebrows quite so quickly as a discussion of discipline in the classroom. Since the 1960s, there has been a distinct disagreement among Americans about what discipline is, what it should be or if it’s even important at all.
Since a growing portion of our industry is […]

17.    When fighters stand and fight upright during the entire fight, unless they are very tall, this type of posture demonstrates a lack of disciplined movement skills and often sets them up to be easily hit. For example, if you are short, then you would not stand upright to fight a much taller opponent.
18.    Many […]

Mistake # 25: Many fights end because one contestant has a habit of carrying his hands too low for a proper defense. That contestant additionally lacks any head movement (rhythm), making his skull an easy target. You cannot expect to survive a fight if you have either or both of these defensively weak habits.
Mistake # […]

In last month’s column, I addressed the importance of teaching a kickboxing introductory class and why the introductory instructor should focus on three primary objectives: safety, building rapport and making sure students have fun.
These three objectives are most important, but don’t treat your fitness kickboxing student like second-class martial arts students. Take the time to […]

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 […]

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 […]