Managing the business side of your martial arts club can feel like a challenge when you’re passionate about teaching, and your main focus is supporting your students in developing their skills.
However, many club owners hesitate to push for growth because they fear they can’t scale without sacrificing the quality that they offer their students. On the same note, if you’re not growing, you risk being unable to keep up with rising costs, meeting student demands, etc.
The good news is that it’s possible to expand your business while maintaining the high standards your students have come to expect. Here’s how.
Recruiting Quality Martial Arts Instructors
Your instructors are the backbone of your club. Beyond just teaching classes, they embody your values, and teaching style, and uphold your commitment to excellence – which is why it’s essential to make sure you’re recruiting the right ones.
The first step is to search for individuals who not only have the technical skills required but also a genuine passion for teaching and martial arts, as well as making sure they align with your club’s culture and philosophy. This ensures consistency in teaching methods and values across the board and makes it much easier to maintain the quality of your classes.
When you’ve found the right team, provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities to continually improve their skills and show your commitment to their growth.
Maintaining High-Quality Classes
Next, let’s address the risk of compromising class quality. Here’s how to ensure every student receives top-notch instruction:
Ensure every student receives a high level of instruction by developing a comprehensive curriculum that outlines the techniques, drills, and progression for each level. That way, you can deliver consistency in every session, regardless of who’s instructing.
Avoid overloading classes with too many students by monitoring class sizes. Smaller class sizes allow for more individual attention and better-quality instruction. If demand is high, consider adding more classes at different times rather than packing students into existing ones. You can use dojo management software to keep an eye on class demand, size and even manage your diary and instructor allocation.
Remember to regularly collect feedback from students (and parents if you train juniors!) Use their input to make necessary adjustments and show that you value their opinions and are committed to improving their experience.
Balancing Club Admin with Teaching
For many martial arts club owners, the admin involved with running a dojo can become time-consuming. Many club owners find themselves spending the majority of their evenings sitting behind a computer.
Shift the admin burden by using club management software to automate class scheduling, billing, and student communication. That way, you’ll save time and minimise errors. You could even delegate a member of the team to handle these routine tasks, allowing you to focus more of your time on teaching.
Setting firm boundaries prevents admin tasks from bleeding into your teaching time, so try allocating specific times to complete admin and stick to them. For example, manage your admin in the morning and dedicate the afternoons and evenings to classes.
Scaling Without Compromising Quality
Finally, let’s address the biggest concern of them all: scaling your club doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality as long as you take a strategic approach. Instead of trying to grow all at once, take intentional, small steps. This could mean adding a new class, recruiting one additional instructor, or expanding your space bit by bit.
Remember to maintain your vision. That way, as you grow, the core reason you opened your martial arts club in the first place will remain front of mind and ensure every decision you make aligns with your mission.
A successful martial arts club requires a delicate balance of running high-quality classes and managing the business effectively. By recruiting passionate instructors, maintaining consistent standards, leveraging dojo management software and scaling with intention, you can grow your club without compromising the quality that your students have come to love. Remember, it’s about creating an environment where both your students and your business can thrive.
ClubRight is the go-to dojo management software for martial arts clubs, taking care of everything from membership management and billing to class bookings and online joining – plus a whole lot more. Give us a call today on +44 (0)203 884 977 or book a free online demo with one of our product experts to find out why we’re trusted by more than 1000+ fitness businesses across the UK.
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