Yes — martial arts instruction is a real job, and for the right person it is a career that pays well and matters more than most. What makes it a profession rather than a hobby is treating the school as a business: professional systems, real revenue, and a service the community genuinely needs.
Key Takeaways
- Martial arts instruction became a legitimate profession when school owners started running schools as businesses rather than as extensions of their training.
- Mile High Karate was founded in 1983 as a deliberate alternative to a banking or corporate career.
- A school’s financial success and its teaching quality are not in conflict — the first funds the second.
- The wealth available to an instructor is proportional to the number of students served and the depth of their enthusiasm for the service.
- The “belt factory” and “McDojo” criticisms are usually aimed at profitability itself, which is a poor thing to apologize for.
From an Economics Degree to a Karate School
When I started in martial arts in 1969, I never would have imagined martial arts would become my profession rather than just my passionate hobby.
When I founded Mile High Karate in 1983, it was an alternative to using my degree in International Economics to landing a job in banking or working for a corporate giant. My instructors and friends all thought I was crazy.
My key martial arts instructors gave me encouraging words that went something like this: “Well, you can play karate for a few years, then get a real job!” You can imagine how satisfying it was to make them all “eat crow.”
What the School Became
In the years since its founding, Mile High Karate has achieved an international reputation for combining quality teaching with financial success. We’ve been the leading martial arts instruction organization in this region since our inception. In Denver’s Mile High Karate, we have taught over 25,000 students directly in our commercial facilities. We’ve been featured on all the major TV news programs and in local newspapers. We’ve even hosted Chuck Norris and other celebrities in the industry.
Why Teaching Beat Competing
I originally pursued martial arts as an athlete, intending to follow the path of my mentors (Jeff Smith, Pat Worley, and others) to become a professional fighter and competitor. I was soon to grow out of the narcissistic focus and to realize the potential for true significance through teaching.
My focus for Mile High Karate since the early 1980s has been elementary school age children and their families — teaching character, values, self-esteem, focus and goal-setting skills. We’ve developed a program that enhances a child’s achievement in school and teaches children to contribute at home and in their community. Mile High Karate students have contributed to Children’s Hospitals, and local public and private schools.
Answering the “Belt Factory” Criticism
I can think of no other way to combine financial growth and security while significantly contributing to individuals, their families and the local community. As instructors, our direct impact on our students is huge. The ripple effect throughout our communities is immeasurable.
Many times over the years, I have been criticized for running “a belt factory” or the “McDojo.” I answer that I am in business to make money. The martial arts business gives me a satisfactory income and the ability to impact a huge portion of my community in a positive way. I could make more money in other industries, but not enough to make turn my back on what I love.
What the Work Is Actually Worth
My wealth from martial arts is only in proportion to the number of students I serve and the depth of their enthusiasm for my service. Or, as Zig Ziglar says, “You can get everything that you want in life if you help other people get what they want.” I believe that the broader significance of a career as an educator far outweighs my own youthful enthusiasm for becoming a better fighter.
The satisfaction from watching a beginner grow into a Black Belt and a shy and withdrawn child grow into a community leader makes all the difference. I cannot imagine having spent those decades selling real estate, marketing fast food, or working in a corporate bureaucracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is teaching martial arts a real career?
Yes. A properly run martial arts school is a legitimate business that supports full-time salaries, a professional facility, and an owner’s income. What separates a career from a hobby is whether the school is operated with business systems — marketing, enrollment, retention, staffing and financial controls — or simply opened and hoped over.
Can you make a good living teaching martial arts?
You can. Income is proportional to the number of students served and the depth of their commitment to the program. Schools that price properly, retain students, and develop staff produce substantially more owner income than schools that compete on being inexpensive.
Does running a profitable school compromise martial arts quality?
No — the opposite. A financially healthy school can hire better instructors, train them properly, maintain a better facility, and invest in its students. There is nothing noble about being broke, and nothing inconsistent about being an extraordinary martial artist and an extraordinary businessperson.
What is a “McDojo” or “belt factory”?
Both are criticisms usually aimed at schools that are commercially successful. The fair version of the criticism concerns standards — whether ranks are earned. The unfair version simply objects to a school making money, which is not a defect.
When was Mile High Karate founded?
Mile High Karate was founded in Denver in August 1983 by Stephen Oliver, who had begun training in 1969 and opened his first school in 1975.
