Wondering what to do after COVID-19 has ended? Download the Post-COVID School Reopening Pack Today and start preparing for that day now.

By: The MAIA Team

We have a special resource for you today.

If you have kept up with the news over the past few days or so, it looks like there is hope on the horizon in terms of COVID-19 slowing down.

Some states have begun to allow gyms and/or fitness centers to open back up.

AND it looks like more will follow suit in the coming weeks.

If you’re like a lot of people in our industry, you’re tired beyond belief of staying home and not being able to see your students. You're ready to teach class again.

You're probably wondering what to do after all this madness is over.

Well, the good news is we can help with that last part.

We've just finished our brand new resource to help you out after COVID-19 ends.

It's called the Post-COVID School Reopening Pack.

Our team worked with or found resources from the CDC, the Lear Corporation and...

A Community Effort!

Lately, I have been watching as many of the MAIA webinars (and Facebook videos) as I can. I am amazed at the effort Mr. Silverman and his team have put into supporting the huge number of martial arts schools, even as our collective industry worries that we are teetering on the edge of financial collapse.

I normally consider myself a business technocrat: I am always in favor of new opportunities which would allow small business owners a better chance of success, whether this be via traditional banks, credit unions, trust companies or even the new FinTech industry.

I recently wrote a MAIA blog on FinTechs, in which I suggested them as alternate sources of financing for martial arts school owners. Then COVID-19 happened and the world of business suddenly changed. The businesses who counted on walk-by traffic and locals stopping by daily were suddenly gone. Group settings were now banned. All competitive sports were put on hold. The class setting of...

Drawing out your Virtual Arts Program is critical in today's day and age. Want some help? Grab the Virtual Martial Arts Program today.

By: Cris Rodriguez, Digital Marketing Specialist

Phase #1 - Offer Pre-Recorded Content

Probably the easiest phase is Pre-Recorded Content.

Gone are the days of needing to hire a videographer and purchase expensive equipment. New mobile devices come with amazing cameras that rival thousand dollar DSLR cameras.

Grab your mobile device and get recording.

What do you record? Anything that helps your students SOLVE PROBLEMS.

At the heart of your Virtual Martial Arts Program - and really our business in general - that’s what we are hired to do.

Solve people’s problems.

What are their problems?

They are stuck inside. They are bored. They aren’t moving as much as they usually do.

Pre-Record videos like…

• Curriculum Videos
• How to Create a Grappling Dummy
• How to create an at Home Mat
• How to make a...

by Dave Kovar

As we all know, nothing in life, including the success of your school, is guaranteed. However, with the right mindset and the right habits, you can stack the odds in favor of your long-term success.

In my experience, there are five habits that are essential for long-term success. Although I have seen some people fail despite adhering to a few of these behaviors, I have never known anyone to succeed without them. They are: They are: Keep Your Center, Value Your Relationships Above All, Know Where You Are Going, Know How You Are Going to Get There and Keep Getting Up/Moving Forward. Let’s take a look at each one of these in more detail:

1    Keep Your Center

It has been said that the mightiest person is the one who has control over their emotions. That is essentially what it means to keep your center. I named my school Satori Academy of Martial Arts. Our definition of satori is “in the moment, at your best.” This refers to a...

by John Bussard

Whenever I meet aspiring multi-school owners and they find out that I have 14 schools, the questions start to fly: Where do you find the staff to run that many schools? How do you manage them? How much do you pay your instructors?

In most cases, they’re really asking me how to better scale up their own martial arts business for growth. The answer is to that question is, it’s not easy. However, there are certain strategies that can help you prepare for growth, sustain growth and continue growth if you’re so inclined.

Let’s begin with a few simple strategies that can help all school owners, regardless of whether they have one facility or many.

No. 1: Strive to teach great classes that are safe, exciting and impactful.

Obviously, accidents and injuries can and will happen occasionally. Your job as a full-time instructor should be to teach with a safety-first mentality during all training activities.

Make sure your classes are...

By Michelle Hodnett

Project Dojo is a nonprofit community outreach program in Pueblo, Colorado, that works with at-risk children. Through the power of martial arts, Project Dojo seeks to inspire and motivate kids within a safe environment, while continuing to teach the traditions of martial arts. This is the story of Project Dojo co-founder Michelle Hodnett’s experiences in her martial arts journey.

The Origins of the Medicine Ball 

Hippocrates, a Greek Doctor in 360 B.C. was also known as the Father of Medicine. Hippocrates is said to have stuffed animal skins for patients to toss for medicinal purposes, like clubbed hands and fingers.  

Today, you’ll find medicine balls in almost every gym in America, but when did they start appearing there? We might have a man named Aaron Hewlett to thank for that! Hewlett was the first African American instructor at Harvard University and oversaw the college’s gymnasium. His instruction included the use of...

by Frank Silverman

As we approach June and the weather gets warmer, we’re reminded that summer is right around the corner. This change of the seasons needs to be the focus of our attention. We cannot let it sneak up on us. Yes, some schools do perfectly fine and even thrive during June, July and August, but in general, summer is not the best time for martial arts schools.

To find a solution, you have to start by understanding why summer can be troublesome. For the most part, it breaks down to two issues: One, you’re no longer competing with other sporting activities and school. You’re competing with longer daylight hours, which means you’re competing with the pool, the backyard slip-and-slide, the lemonade stand and other spontaneous “summer-only” diversions that can seem more tantalizing than training — which is offered year-round, after all.

Two, people frequently take vacations during some or all of the summer. If they aren’t...

By: The MAIA Team

We all know what’s going on right now and how badly it’s affecting small businesses across the country. 

And we’re acutely aware of how many of you as school owners are struggling and fearful, not just for your own livelihoods, but for those of your employees as well if you have any. 

To help combat that fear, we wanted to give you some good news in the form of resources available to ease the burden on your small business.

On March 17^th, the federal government revised the criteria for the availability of disaster relief loans available through the Small Business Administration (SBA). 

Under the new criteria, loans are available statewide following an economic injury declaration, whereas previously, funds were only available on a county-by-county basis.

SBA Disaster-Relief loans are low-interest working capital loans designed to help small businesses in disaster-affected areas to meet their financial obligations such as payroll,...

Trying to process how to move forward with the coronavirus out in force? Read this blog and watch our most recent Facebook Live here.

By: Mike Metzger, MAIA Elite Consultant

If you turn on your T.V, hop on your Iphone or surf the Internet, there is one word that keeps popping up all around the world:

Coronavirus.

As of about two weeks ago, we have entered uncharted territory for our industry. Because of COVID-19, people are staying home, classes are getting cancelled and school owners are really starting to feel the pressure for their small businesses.

The world we live in right now isn’t exactly beaming with hope either.

However, with every challenge comes a new opportunity. And as long as you keep an open, proactive mind (which is tough nowadays), you can get through this (and maybe better out the other side).

So today, I want to share with you some new strategies we've been implementing with the COVID-19 disruption and how we, at Championship Martial Arts, are...