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A Warning to the Consumer About Some Martial Arts Schools

Some martial arts schools subscribe to business practices that are either flat-out dishonest, near dishonest, or at the very best, what you might call a “win-lose” proposition. What I’m warning you about has to do with membership contracts and pricing. If a school (like a person) you’ve just met asks you to drop a significant amount of cash into a long term relationship with them, well, unless you have it to lose, look for an acceptable alternative. It’s like this: If I know and trust you, I might be more apt to invest in you. But in that we’ve just met, I think I’m going to take some time to evaluate your credibility. If a martial arts school owner or his/her representative can’t get their head around that idea, then put your hand on the exit door, quickly. Martial arts schools often have a 90% drop out rate, which, contrary to some what some might say, is NOT a sign that they teach “real” martial arts. On the contrary, it usually means they are self-absorbed, arrogant, and provide sub-standard service. Schools that charge a lot of money up-front ($500 or more) are doing that because they’re stacking the deck in their favor. If you don’t like the service they provide, they’re not as concerned about your opinions as they might be if they hadn’t already been paid for a good deal of their time --in advance. If you know the school and trust the school owner, then helping the school financially is not an issue. But beware the unscrupulous school owner who’s all about cash up front.