As Americans, we are conditioned by the media into believing that more is ALWAYS better. I see Martial Arts schools fall into the same deception by advertising "Unlimited Classes", "Longer Classtimes", or "Open 7 Days a Week". On the surface, these almost seem like great benefits but in most cases, they are not.
1. "Unlimited Classes", it sounds great but the reality is that most people will not be able to get to classes more than 2 times per week. Almost NO ONE takes advantage of it and, especially in the beginner levels, it is a bad idea to go too often because of student burn out. 2 times per week is manageable and will develop long term consistency. It will help prevent student and parental burn out. Once a student has fully established themselves over a period of time, then adding an additional day of training might make sense. We at AKKA do allow for unlimited classes but we carefully recommend that newer students keep it to 2 per week. We do not use this in any of our advertising. Keep in mind, if classes are of poor quality, it will not matter if they are unlimited or not!
2. "Longer Classtimes". People are more pressed for time than ever. It is completely unrealistic for the average person or child to commit to a program twice per week for an hour and a half or more on a regular basis. This is the highway to burn out especially for a new student. On top of the burn our factor, I seriously doubt an instructor can keep their classes well organized and high energy for a full hour and a half or more unless this is their only class for the day. Another big problem with longer classtimes is the lower attention spans of younger kids. As a rule of thumb, you get 1 minute of attention for how many years old they are. For example, you will get a full 5 minutes of attention out of the average 5 year old child. Now try keeping their attention even for a full hour! Most classes that are too long are just plain boring. Boring classes leads quickly to lack of interest. It is more important to have classes that are age appropriate and have the level of excitement and energy that keeps the students coming back and progressing at a consistent pace. At AKKA, all our classes are age appropriate and are ALWAYS full of high energy.
3. "Open 7 Days per Week". This can work as far as helping people out with a diverse class schedule. The problem is that the instructor/staff WILL eventually burn themselves out. Even if they have a fully functioning staff, it will be very difficult to sustain a 7 day class schedule. Their client then get upset with them when they have to cut back. I am yet to see "Open 7 Days" work out in the long term. We at AKKA believe in giving the staff their due time off so they can always be at their best.
The point of this article is to caution you to NOT be fooled into enrolling at a school just because they offer any of these 3 "perceived" benefits. If the school you select has these options and you like the idea of them, then consider them a bonus and NOT the reason for you enrolling. This is a matter of quality vs quantity. For more information, visit http://www.akka.com/
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Go to a Pay as You Go School
On the surface, one would almost think that this would be a benefit to the consumer but the facts are that is a disadvantage. Schools that have a "pay as you go" way of operating basically run revolving doors for enrollment. In most cases, "pay as you go" schools have a very difficult time staying in business because NO ONE is really committed. They have no idea who will be showing up month to month and therefore cannot do any needed business planning. Most operate without a written service agreement. Just about any professional service worth anything requires some kind written service agreement. The true purpose of a written service agreement is to spell out the expectations of both parties which will help minimize miscommunication and misunderstandings. Casualness leads to casualties. If expectations are not established up front, it is only a matter of time before something gets misunderstood and the conflict begins. It is this lack of professionalism that leads to all kinds of problems for the owner and staff. Problems that WILL affect the quality of the training program and the quality of the experience.
You want to be realistic when you are selecting a Martial Arts school. If you are looking to build confidence, self esteem, focus, balance, respect, self defense skill, etc, it is going to require a consistent commitment on YOUR part to make this happen for yourself and/or your child.
A common example, most "pay as you go" schools do not have a written service agreement and charge a lower tuition price to fool the public into thinking they are a better deal than the "more expensive big schools" but then hit their students with hidden fees like a belt test fee or promotion fee to help make up the difference. The problem with this is that the client was not properly informed about these fees upon enrollment and then feels like they got scammed.
Another common problem is the lack of disclosure about any required equipment students may need at certain levels. People normally get upset because they were not properly informed.
An advantage to attending a Martial Arts school that has some sort of written service agreement and higher commitment level is that you and/or your child will be training with other MORE committed students which increases your chance for a successful experience. Birds of a feather DO flock together. This also goes back to "You get what you pay for".
At American Kempo Karate Academy, everything gets spelled out for our clients up front so there are no surprises. This will allow both of us to focus on having an AWESOME Martial Arts Experience! For more information, visit http://www.akka.com/
You want to be realistic when you are selecting a Martial Arts school. If you are looking to build confidence, self esteem, focus, balance, respect, self defense skill, etc, it is going to require a consistent commitment on YOUR part to make this happen for yourself and/or your child.
A common example, most "pay as you go" schools do not have a written service agreement and charge a lower tuition price to fool the public into thinking they are a better deal than the "more expensive big schools" but then hit their students with hidden fees like a belt test fee or promotion fee to help make up the difference. The problem with this is that the client was not properly informed about these fees upon enrollment and then feels like they got scammed.
Another common problem is the lack of disclosure about any required equipment students may need at certain levels. People normally get upset because they were not properly informed.
An advantage to attending a Martial Arts school that has some sort of written service agreement and higher commitment level is that you and/or your child will be training with other MORE committed students which increases your chance for a successful experience. Birds of a feather DO flock together. This also goes back to "You get what you pay for".
At American Kempo Karate Academy, everything gets spelled out for our clients up front so there are no surprises. This will allow both of us to focus on having an AWESOME Martial Arts Experience! For more information, visit http://www.akka.com/
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Confusing Sport Martial Arts and Self Defense Training
Most people will enroll themselves and/or their child into a Martial Arts program because they want to build confidence. It is the actual self defense training that will build a TRUE sense of confidence in the students. Unfortunately, people are misled when they attend a sport Martial Arts school into thinking what they are learning is self defense training. They simply do not know better and figure eventually this will lead to more realistic self defense training and it never does. Sport Martial Arts focuses on winning and working within the rules of the particular game. Self defense training takes a realistic view of what will help you survive a potentially dangerous situation.
To be real, most children's programs, for safety purposes, cannot teach hard core street defense techniques. However, they can start to learn the fundamentals, the concepts, and the self control, so eventually they will be PREPARED to learn the more intense self defense trainig as they get older.
I would stay away from any school teaching dangerous techniques like chokes, joint locks, eye jabs, etc, to younger, inexperienced kids. Younger kids have not developed the maturity and control for such training and can seriously hurt themselves or others. I have my own 3 children training in our program and no one is choking them out, locking their arms, or poking them in the eye. Don't let anyone do this to your child especially in the beginning levels. Instructors who willingly teach this type of material to younger, inexperienced kids are acting irresponsibly.
Here is another common problem. A student will have taken sport Martial Arts since they were 4 or 5 years old. They are now 13 or 14 years old and by their own admission, cannot defend themselves and have a huge ego. That's nearly 10 years of training so they cannot be confident in their ability to defend themselves! Even worse is that the student has become a "high rank" in the sport system and is usually not willing to "start up" a new self defense system. They think their "high rank" translates to anywhere they go. Not true!
If you want to learn self defense or if you want your child to learn self defense, I would not recommend attending a sport Martial Arts school that is masquerading as a self defense school. You will learn a great deal of bad habits and concepts so that you and/or your child will develop a false sense of confidence in the long run. At American Kempo Karate Academy, we have proven, age specific, and safe programs that develops a student's ability to effectively defend themselves which builds a TRUE sense of confidence. For more information, visit http://www.akka.com/ If you would like to see a great video that compares sport martial arts to self defense training, click on the video below.
To be real, most children's programs, for safety purposes, cannot teach hard core street defense techniques. However, they can start to learn the fundamentals, the concepts, and the self control, so eventually they will be PREPARED to learn the more intense self defense trainig as they get older.
I would stay away from any school teaching dangerous techniques like chokes, joint locks, eye jabs, etc, to younger, inexperienced kids. Younger kids have not developed the maturity and control for such training and can seriously hurt themselves or others. I have my own 3 children training in our program and no one is choking them out, locking their arms, or poking them in the eye. Don't let anyone do this to your child especially in the beginning levels. Instructors who willingly teach this type of material to younger, inexperienced kids are acting irresponsibly.
Here is another common problem. A student will have taken sport Martial Arts since they were 4 or 5 years old. They are now 13 or 14 years old and by their own admission, cannot defend themselves and have a huge ego. That's nearly 10 years of training so they cannot be confident in their ability to defend themselves! Even worse is that the student has become a "high rank" in the sport system and is usually not willing to "start up" a new self defense system. They think their "high rank" translates to anywhere they go. Not true!
If you want to learn self defense or if you want your child to learn self defense, I would not recommend attending a sport Martial Arts school that is masquerading as a self defense school. You will learn a great deal of bad habits and concepts so that you and/or your child will develop a false sense of confidence in the long run. At American Kempo Karate Academy, we have proven, age specific, and safe programs that develops a student's ability to effectively defend themselves which builds a TRUE sense of confidence. For more information, visit http://www.akka.com/ If you would like to see a great video that compares sport martial arts to self defense training, click on the video below.
Being TOO Impressed by Trophies
Unless you specifically want to compete in sport Martial Arts tournaments, it is a big mistake to enroll in a Martial Arts school based on the trophies the instructor and/or the students have won. Schools that focus too much on sport competition typically neglect the other aspects of their school. The focus is on winning and not improving. Most sport focused schools are ego driven vs student driven. Sport focused schools are usually very easy to spot. They love to show off their trophies all over the school and in their windows. The instructor loves to brag about his/her accomplishments. It is my experience that very few people, less than 1-3%, are actually interested in Martial Arts competition when they initially begin. The fact is there is no direct correlation between a quality Martial Arts training program and winning Martial Arts sport competitions. In many cases, it is just the opposite. What most people do not know is that many of these "awards" are manufactured and/or politically acquired. If instructors love to compete and win for their own personal reasons, that's fine, but it has nothing to do with the their ability to run a quality school. At American Kempo Karate Academy, we realize that sport competitions have their place and can be a positive experience if the events are run properly. We run our own tournaments that are intended to be fun for the students and are OPTIONAL. Click on this link to see some video hightlights of one of our tournaments.
http://tinyurl.com/akka-tournament For more information, visit http://www.akka.com/
http://tinyurl.com/akka-tournament For more information, visit http://www.akka.com/
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Thinking all Martial Arts Schools are the SAME
It is very important that you select the right style based on what your wants and needs are. For example, if you are concerned about learning practical self defense, it is probably not the best option to train in a sport Martial Art like Tae Kwon Do or Judo. Conversely, if you are looking to win competitions, a self defense based system like Kempo, Jui Jitsu, or Krav Maga is probably not the best choice. This goes back to deciding what you really want from a Martial Art. Selecting the wrong style for your needs can be a very big mistake. Most people believe that all Martial Arts are basically the same. This is simply not true. Many styles are very different in many ways. You also want to make sure a school of a specific style has a philosophy that works for you. For more information on selecting a style that will fit your needs visit http://www.akka.com/
Go to a School Because Your Friends Go
It is a mistake to enroll at a Martial Arts school just because you and/or your child has a friend that goes to that particular school. It certainly fine to look into the school your friend goes to but make sure the school fits your needs and wants before you actually enroll. Another problem with enrolling just because a friend did, if your friend drops out, there is a good chance that you and/or your child will want to drop out too. This is why you want to enroll for your OWN reasons. Depending on the dynamic of the relationship of the kids, it may be a bad idea to have them in class together. They may just like the class so they can be together to fool around and distract the rest of the class. Be sure kids understand that they must be respectful in class so that everyone can benefit from the training. It can be a great idea for friends to train together but it is very important that everyone is there for their own reasons. Having friends in class is just a bonus. For more information about American Kempo Karate Academy, visit www.akka.com
Underestimating the Impact on YOUR Life
Casualness leads to casualties. Too often, people underestimate the potential impact a Martial Arts Instructor can have on a child and/or an adult and think just going anywhere for Martial Arts will be "good enough".This is a TREMENDOUS mistake. It is very important that you select the best school with the very best role models for instructors. No one runs the DIVINE DOJOS and no one is perfect. At the very least, you want to make sure your instructor is practicing what that they preach. If instructors are professing staying in great physical shape, then they better be in great physical shape. Is this a person you want influencing you and/or your child? The Martial Arts Instructor, for better or worse, will have a major, long term impact on you and/or your child's life. Make your selection carefully.
When my parents first enrolled me in Martial Arts back in 1984, they never could have imagined where that first step would lead. Little did they know that I would later become an instructor in the school helping other students make their lives better. Little did they know I would go on to owning the school and eventually opening multiple locations impacting THOUSANDS of lives over the years. If I did not have a great initial experience with a great instructor, I may have never made to where I am and would not be able to help the people we are helping. That's the kind of impact that a good instructor can have.
This photo is of me(right) and my first karate instructor, Scott Santos(left), 25 years since my first formal lesson.
Our mission at American Kempo Karate Academy is to enhance as many people's lives as possible through Martial Arts training. To learn more about how we can help improve your life or the life of your child, visit http://www.akka.com/
Start at Lower Level Program
This mistake occurs when people are not really sure what they want out of a Martial Art. They will try out programs that require no commitment and ones that are usually cheap cost wise. Remember, you get what you pay for. They are thinking they can always upgrade to the "better" schools if they "like it".
The problem with this is that students can easily learn poor training habits and discipline. They will more likely have a poor experience which usually leads to early drop out. They usually will not move on to try something different once they had a poor experience. They will just figure it is probably just the same at the "better" schools.
If you do try this method of testing out the Martial Arts, do it with the understanding that most Martial Arts schools are very different in what they do. If you do not find what you want at one school, be willing to continue to look. The Martial Arts world loses so many people because of low quality programs run by unqualified instructors. Take the time to look for the right program for your needs. It can pay a lifetime of dividends for you and/or your child. There is an old Chinese saying, "buy the best, and cry once". Go to a school that has the experience to deliver what you want, it WILL be worth it. We at American Kempo Karate Academy work to provide the best overall Martial Arts Experience in the area. We are full time professionals trained to service your needs. Do not trust this to just anyone! For more information on how to select the right school for you, visit www.akka.com
The problem with this is that students can easily learn poor training habits and discipline. They will more likely have a poor experience which usually leads to early drop out. They usually will not move on to try something different once they had a poor experience. They will just figure it is probably just the same at the "better" schools.
If you do try this method of testing out the Martial Arts, do it with the understanding that most Martial Arts schools are very different in what they do. If you do not find what you want at one school, be willing to continue to look. The Martial Arts world loses so many people because of low quality programs run by unqualified instructors. Take the time to look for the right program for your needs. It can pay a lifetime of dividends for you and/or your child. There is an old Chinese saying, "buy the best, and cry once". Go to a school that has the experience to deliver what you want, it WILL be worth it. We at American Kempo Karate Academy work to provide the best overall Martial Arts Experience in the area. We are full time professionals trained to service your needs. Do not trust this to just anyone! For more information on how to select the right school for you, visit www.akka.com
Go to Where the Instructor Has the Highest Belt Rank
HUGE mistake! NEVER go to a school just because the master instructor has the "highest rank" in the area. You can easily pick these schools out because they love to brag about how high of a belt level they have. It is in every ad they put out, online, in their windows, and on their signs. This is also a sure sign of an ego driven school. I cover this in more detail in another blog. http://southshoremartialarts.blogspot.com/ Ego driven vs student driven.
FACT: An instructor's rank usually has little to do with their ability to teach effectively. It is all too common, a world champion type who cannot teach anyone because all they focused on was winning and training, not teaching. Two different skill sets.
FACT: Many of the claims to fame when it comes to belt rank are FALSE. It is no joke. For example, we have someone in our area that reached a level of 2nd degree black belt in an established Martial Arts system, decided he was so unbelievably talented, "created" his own training system, then made himself a 10th degree Black Belt in this "new" system which is considered a "grand master" level in most systems. This individual recently promoted himself to a 12th degree Black Belt(which does not exist in ANY legitimate system). The point is that this person is out to deceive the public into thinking he is more qualified to teach than others around who have legitimate ranking and teaching credentials. Then you have people who will do what is called, rank exchanges. Instructors from different training systems will PROMOTE each other in rank in the given systems to try to build more "credibility". This is often how instructors will claim "multiple black belts". This is more common than I want to admit and it is a despicable thing to do.
FACT: Different training systems have different ranking standards. For example, a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do is NOT equivalent to a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Very different. Rank is nothing but an individual achievement. It is not a license that guarantees the practitioner is a qualified teacher. In many systems, rank and instructor title are completely separate.
Make sure you are focused on the quality of the program itself and do your best to determine if the instructors are legitimately ranked and trained. It is a matter of integrity. Don't get fooled into thinking the highest rank means the highest quality. You would not want to be a part of a school where the instructors have questionable integrity. Remember, this could be someone who will have a tremendous influence on you and/or your child.
Trophies, world titles, belt rank certifcates are all great if legitimately earned but the bottom line is results. Is the instructor really qualified to teach effectively or not. You have to decide for yourself.
At American Kempo Karate Academy, we take ranking very serious to make sure the rank is backed up by legitimate skills. All our instructors are constantly trained both in Martial Arts skills and Instructor Training so not only are they capable Martial Artists, they are effective instructors on the floor. The best of both worlds. For more information visit http://www.akka.com/
FACT: An instructor's rank usually has little to do with their ability to teach effectively. It is all too common, a world champion type who cannot teach anyone because all they focused on was winning and training, not teaching. Two different skill sets.
FACT: Many of the claims to fame when it comes to belt rank are FALSE. It is no joke. For example, we have someone in our area that reached a level of 2nd degree black belt in an established Martial Arts system, decided he was so unbelievably talented, "created" his own training system, then made himself a 10th degree Black Belt in this "new" system which is considered a "grand master" level in most systems. This individual recently promoted himself to a 12th degree Black Belt(which does not exist in ANY legitimate system). The point is that this person is out to deceive the public into thinking he is more qualified to teach than others around who have legitimate ranking and teaching credentials. Then you have people who will do what is called, rank exchanges. Instructors from different training systems will PROMOTE each other in rank in the given systems to try to build more "credibility". This is often how instructors will claim "multiple black belts". This is more common than I want to admit and it is a despicable thing to do.
FACT: Different training systems have different ranking standards. For example, a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do is NOT equivalent to a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Very different. Rank is nothing but an individual achievement. It is not a license that guarantees the practitioner is a qualified teacher. In many systems, rank and instructor title are completely separate.
Make sure you are focused on the quality of the program itself and do your best to determine if the instructors are legitimately ranked and trained. It is a matter of integrity. Don't get fooled into thinking the highest rank means the highest quality. You would not want to be a part of a school where the instructors have questionable integrity. Remember, this could be someone who will have a tremendous influence on you and/or your child.
Trophies, world titles, belt rank certifcates are all great if legitimately earned but the bottom line is results. Is the instructor really qualified to teach effectively or not. You have to decide for yourself.
At American Kempo Karate Academy, we take ranking very serious to make sure the rank is backed up by legitimate skills. All our instructors are constantly trained both in Martial Arts skills and Instructor Training so not only are they capable Martial Artists, they are effective instructors on the floor. The best of both worlds. For more information visit http://www.akka.com/
Go to the School with the Nicest Facilty
Many people get fooled into making judgment of a school by how it looks. Don't get me wrong, you certainly want to go to a school with an adequate facility that is safe and clean. Just be sure to look beyond the fanciness of the physical facility. You want to make sure the training programs are the best. Some organizations will have an amazing facility to compensate for an inferior program. More often if the schools is well maintained and well equipped, the instructors/owners care enough to provide a great program. Just be sure to do your homework. At American Kempo Karate Academy, we have the overall nicest and well equipped schools in the area. We take great pride in each of our locations. We also make sure our program quality lives up to how the schools look. For more information, visit http://www.akka.com/
Go to the School that Has Been There a Long Time
A big mistake people will make is going to a school just because it has been around a "long time". Longevity can be a big plus so long as the school is constantly changing for the better and moving forward into the future. Be careful of schools that have been around forever but have been doing the SAME things for 20 or 30 years. Chances are they are using outdated training methods and teaching outdated drills and material. These types of schools are often run by a very dedicated owner/instructor who is trying to live in the past and simply refuse to make any changes sometimes including safety standard changes. We at American Kempo Karate Academy have been in business since 1995 and we actually took over from an organization that was in operation since 1983. I was also part of that organization. We have been "around" for a long time. The difference is that we have changed with the times for the better and do not try to live off our "glorious" past. For more information, visit www.akka.com
Going to the Closest School
This is a VERY common mistake of going to a school just because it is close to where you live. Convenience is a plus but make sure the close by school will suit your needs. Remember, a bad experience at the wrong school can easily turn a student off of Martial Arts training and all the great benefits it provides. Be sure to visit a couple of schools in your area to make sure you are making the best possible selection. At American Kempo Karate Academy, we carefully select our locations to be as convenient as possible with amble parking and accessibility. For more information about how to select the right school for you, visit www.akka.com and request the free report on how to select a Martial Arts School.
Enrolling at the Cheapest School
This is probably the GREATEST mistake one can make when selecting a Martial Arts School. Going to a school just because it is the cheapest can be disastrous. Most people think that Martial Arts training is some sort of commodity that every school is about the same, therefore should be priced about the same.
Nothing could be further from the truth. In most cases, a simple visit and discussion with the staff can clearly determine why some schools charge more than others.
Don't kid yourself, you get what you pay for. I go into the pricing issue in more depth on another blog http://martialartsschoolwarning.blogspot.com/
Be realistic about what a school charges. Are they really going to provide all the great benefits you are looking for at a foolishly low price of say $60 or $80 per month? Schools that undercharge get by on a hope and a prayer at best. Many try to make up for the lack of revenue with hidden fees. In other words, they fool you into enrolling at a lower tuition price but TRY to make up the difference with deceptive fees like belt test fees. Another tactic is to make their group lessons cheap and lame so that you will need to take expensive private lessons if you really want to excel. Private lessons are great but you should not be forced into it because the group classes are not beneficial. In the meantime, you are most likely getting a lower quality experience because they lack the resources to deliver what you want. Most people will just quit and say they tried the "karate thing" and it did not work out. Most will NEVER set foot in a Martial Arts school again because they figure they are all the same. All the while, you miss out on all the great benefits of training just because YOU selected the wrong school by going to where ever was the cheapest. A school simply CANNOT be the BEST and the CHEAPEST for long.
The truth is that most owners have to maintain a full time day job just to help keep the doors open. How long can you expect them to keep this up and what kind of quality do you think they will be able to maintain running an independent part time school while meeting the demands of a full time job.
If you are serious about training in the Martial Arts to reap the amazing long term benefits of confidence, self esteem, focus, respect, discipline, fitness, self defense, and a whole lot more, expect to pay a decent tuition. At American Kempo Karate Academy, we provide a SUPER value for your tuition and we do NOT use deceptive business tactics like hidden fees. Visit http://www.akka.com/ for more information.
Nothing could be further from the truth. In most cases, a simple visit and discussion with the staff can clearly determine why some schools charge more than others.
Don't kid yourself, you get what you pay for. I go into the pricing issue in more depth on another blog http://martialartsschoolwarning.blogspot.com/
Be realistic about what a school charges. Are they really going to provide all the great benefits you are looking for at a foolishly low price of say $60 or $80 per month? Schools that undercharge get by on a hope and a prayer at best. Many try to make up for the lack of revenue with hidden fees. In other words, they fool you into enrolling at a lower tuition price but TRY to make up the difference with deceptive fees like belt test fees. Another tactic is to make their group lessons cheap and lame so that you will need to take expensive private lessons if you really want to excel. Private lessons are great but you should not be forced into it because the group classes are not beneficial. In the meantime, you are most likely getting a lower quality experience because they lack the resources to deliver what you want. Most people will just quit and say they tried the "karate thing" and it did not work out. Most will NEVER set foot in a Martial Arts school again because they figure they are all the same. All the while, you miss out on all the great benefits of training just because YOU selected the wrong school by going to where ever was the cheapest. A school simply CANNOT be the BEST and the CHEAPEST for long.
The truth is that most owners have to maintain a full time day job just to help keep the doors open. How long can you expect them to keep this up and what kind of quality do you think they will be able to maintain running an independent part time school while meeting the demands of a full time job.
If you are serious about training in the Martial Arts to reap the amazing long term benefits of confidence, self esteem, focus, respect, discipline, fitness, self defense, and a whole lot more, expect to pay a decent tuition. At American Kempo Karate Academy, we provide a SUPER value for your tuition and we do NOT use deceptive business tactics like hidden fees. Visit http://www.akka.com/ for more information.
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