What are the main reasons people do NOT join or STAY with a martial arts program?

I believe I offer students a very good service. When I market and promote my school when I get enquiries I find those that talk less havce actually decided to go for it and


train with me.





Others, I find 'talk the talk' - in other words say 'this is what I have been looking for


all this time', or 'I really like your style of training and want to join your instructor


program'. And then they don't follow up.





My service is'nt the cheapest - between £10-20 per lesson BUT what I do say is


that my lesson contains enough intense repetitive training combined with


pushing the students to learn new things means that each lesson has real value.





How many students join a club, train three times a week, and do the same techniques


for pretty much each lesson? I know because I have been to such clubs


when I was younger.





My question is - what would be the top or main reason why students


don't join, or stay when they join? I

What are the main reasons people do NOT join or STAY with a martial arts program?
There's something that hasn't been mentioned so far and that I think bears mentioning and that is that to me, the martial arts bug is something you either catch or you don't. Most people don't really get it. But those who do train regularly simply found the martial arts 'spoke' to them and certain aspects of their personality. So I don't think you can really change much - you'll either be in a place where you'll find people who are suited for this kind of training or you won't. Some instructors compromise their principles and cater to what people want to hear (i.e. secret invincible systems and so forth), but if your integrity is important to you, I don't think there's much you can do ultimately to "get" people interested; the people who'll take interest in it either will have it or they won't. You don't have much control over that.
Reply:I think they don't join, because they can spend their time studying or going out to have a drink with friends.
Reply:My kids tried out Tae Kwon Do and we'd all like to join, but membership+fees+uniforms is just too much money, especially for 3 of us.
Reply:Sounds expensive to me





I don't doubt your good intentions but I couldn't afford to send my kids to you
Reply:Martial Arts aren't for everyone, but you gotta try things out before you know. Going by your prices I would have to say you are either marketing toward hard-core professionals with a high calibre service or just trying to fleece those with more money than sense.





As for repetitive training, to get a technique right you must learn by repetition. You are teaching your muscles, not just your brain. Ideally you want to be able to perform a technique faultlessly without thinking about how, as if by instinct.





Martial arts are not something that can be mastered in a few years, it can only be mastered in a lifetime.
Reply:cos people cant afford it and people that do join get fed up %26amp; bored with going
Reply:The cost definately is too high!
Reply:Pressure the student will not accept from you or themselves





You sound dedicated and committed to giving children and young people a sense of achievement, accomplishment and set on improving them along the way of martial arts ideology





People love to follow and watch people like you and say how much they admire you or go the other way and put you down





I would say they have definite one or the other reaction to you





This means that you will always be looking for the ‘one’ student to add to your group, you can’t teach the ordinary to be accepted, you want the ones who already want to be the ‘one’





I have the same search for EFL students





It is not what you offer, it is cult of personality, yours, and only a select few will do it – but if you keep at it the ones who do stay with you are worth it





If you want quantity, get a Dojo, and don’t care if they come or not, just that they pay





If you want quality, stay doing what you are doing
Reply:I have found that some people drop out because the intstructors are so forecful about the need to attend regularly that when they miss a session due to family/health/whatever, or they need to take a few weeks out, they don't want to come back and face the dissaproval of the instructor!





Other people like the idea of martial arts, but find there is some aspect of the training they disagree with, and as they are expected to agree with all of it, they think it is not for them and they leave or don't come back.





And then ther are those who tell their friend what they are doing, and thir friends say "that's rubbish! You are wasting your time! that's not proper martial arts! the only martial art worth doing is (insert own art here)" or "if he is telling you to train that way, he is wrong"





I think the main reason is that people join it as a hobby, and hobbies often take last place in life with relation to time, money etc. It is also a difficult hobby to practise on your own if you have only been to a few lessons and are not sure if you are doing it correctly. You don't want to practice the wrong thing constantly for a week between classes. And sometimes you need a partner to practice, which is nigh on impossible to co-ordinate when you are busy. And then you both have to get it right!





My friend teaches, he has regular student days/nights out and weekends away. This keeps them motivated and feel part of a group. He also encourages them to meet up and train between classes.





As for the price, it is very expensive, but if you are truly the best at your job at the top of your game then it is fair. A managing director or an athlete would consider that amount fair pay.
Reply:lack of discipline or lack luster instruction
Reply:I think it may be a number of reasons:


1st: £10-20 per session, it must be one expensive field your hiring.


2nd: Look at the content of your lessons are you being inventive enough (your students may be getting bored). At my classes I try to keep the sessions fresh, you can use repetition but try different approaches so it feels new for your students.


3rd: Many people just don't like training outside, in the past when I have tried taking my students outside. Only half of them put in the effort the others just moan!


4th: Go easy on them and try to have a laugh during the sessions. If they respect you, they will know the time for laughs and the time for hard graft.





I only charge £3 per class, which I keep £2 per student. The rest goes to the community hall.


My advice would be to start off small like I have and gradually build up your clientele. Charge smaller rates and build this up, I make £20-30 per class. I am going to offer 1-2-1 sessions next year, but even then I will start small say £7-8 per session, for beginners and £12-15 per session for advance.
Reply:Hmm.


Well I pay £20/month for my son and I to attend Iaido (2 hours/week).


Karate is £2.50 each per lesson, twice a week.


I don't think that I could afford £6 - £20 per lesson.
Reply:Most of the people I talk to that say they want to do it and never come in say they are scared of trying something new and being embarrassed.


People that join and quit that I talk to later say they didn't have the time, didn't enjoy the training practices, were scared of contact or they are just plain lazy.


This is from my experiences.
Reply:I have to agree with many folks above. $20.50 to $41.00 per lesson is way too expensive. I understand that these are one on one lessons, but most martial arts enthusiasts cannot afford that much money.





I'll also second that you have to consider retention rates at most schools sit around 7-11% and of those 10% might stay through black belt testing. So for every 100 people that come through your door, you might get 10 people to train. Of those 10 people, 1 might stay long enough to test for black belt.





Pushing students and strictness isn't as much a factor in my mind. A certain number of people will gravitate to that style of instruction.
Reply:Laziness


Don't have money or time.