MASuccess Magazine

Tae Bo creator Billy Blanks has launched a new fitness program that can boost revenues for martial arts schools during off-peak hours. “Billy’s Boom Boxing” fuses aerobics with many martial arts customs, including katas, self-defense applications, bagwork, and even a rank system using colored hand wraps and gloves. School owners in the program could draw a new wave of fitness clients from the general public that normally won’t take martial arts lessons.

 From 1998 to 2001, the first martial arts-oriented fitness program ever to capture the mass-market participation of the general public took hold. In fact, it became a worldwide fitness phenomenon. Called Tae Bo, a name based on the “tae” in taekwondo and the “bo” in boxing, it was created by retired semi-contact karate world champion and master-level black belt Billy Blanks. 

 Blanks launched the program at his karate school in Sherman Oaks, CA. It was a high-intensity...

Most schools do not have a standard procedure for teaching a drill to 3-to-6 year olds. However, that consistency with the instructors is important to parents when they decide if they want to invest in your program.

That’s why Melody Shuman (creator of PreSKILLZ) explains the 7 steps for teaching a drill so everyone is on the same page and adding to the environment you’re trying to create.

Watch the video above and implement the 7 steps with your team today.

(Note: Want the 7 Steps for Teaching a Drill Training Manual. Get it here now.)

With today’s digital capabilities, you can now distinguish yourself from your competition and reach out exclusively to your target audience. In this article, an expert explains the top trends in digital marketing and shows you how you can effectively target new recruits for your martial arts school.

The most common digital marketing tactics being used today are: Retargeting, Geo-Fencing, Geo-Conquesting, Historical Retargeting, and Behavioral/Contextual Targeting. 

Martial arts school owners and entrepreneurs should be aware of and start using them today. Here, I’ll explain why and how to apply them.

#1Retargeting 

 Have you ever heard of this online commerce website named Amazon.com? Have you ever searched for something on its website and not purchased whatever you were looking at? 

What usually happens next? Say that there you are checking out your Facebook feed, when what appears on your feed? Yep! That exact same thing you were shopping for...

In February, a new federal law with stricter mandates was enacted to prevent sexual abuse of minors involved in amateur sports and physical activities. The sweeping legislation targets all youth-serving organizations and private businesses, which includes martial arts associations and individual schools. Over 50% of the active-student population in our industry today is composed of kids under 18. To enhance their protection, we need to comply immediately to the new law’s requirements.

New Federal Law Protects Minors

The highly publicized arrest and recent criminal conviction of Larry Nassar, a decades-long former medical doctor with USA Gymnastics, shocked the entire world, in and outside of sports. Astoundingly, some 265 female gymnasts, among them famous Olympic champions, have accused Nassar of sexually abusing them when they were minors. 

Nassar’s case was the turning point. U.S. Government lawmakers finally took stricter measures to protect minors...

By John Corcoran 

Shortly after this cover story was written, Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee, the “Father of American Taekwondo,” passed away on April 30, 2018. He was 86. This article is based on the last recorded interview Grandmaster Rhee gave during his life. It examines his stellar achievements and pioneering contributions during a career spanning over 61 years. Remarkably, Rhee’s many innovations have had a global impact on just about every aspect of modern martial arts.

 “If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then an action is worth 1,000 pictures.”—Jhoon Rhee   

Here’s the bottom line readers should grasp: As I write this article in the spring of 2018, there may not be any other person still living, who has contributed more to the very fabric of the entire modern martial arts industry than 86-year-old Korean-American grandmaster, Jhoon Goo Rhee. Now that he has passed, as an addendum I maintain my same belief. It’s not...

by Beth Block

As humans, our reactions slow down immensely in emergency situations. Therefore, as martial artists we repeatedly practice the same self-defense techniques for years, even decades, to prepare for the event of a real attack.

As instructors, we know that our students’ responses in an emergency will be flight, freeze or fight. This is hardwired into humankind’s DNA as the “survival instinct.” The goal of repetitive training is to shorten students’ reaction time when attacked and to provide them with the tools to allow muscle memory to take over in self-defense mode.

Now, let me ask you some questions. Is physical confrontation the only type of emergency you or your students will face? Is that all you’re preparing your staff and students for? Or, are you preparing them for any type of battle that may occur?

Are we looking to develop self-discipline?...

by Herb Borkland

As a 16-year-old Kansas City Golden Gloves fighter, Bob Thurman ran up an 86–3 record. In 1977, Thurman joined legendary karate pioneer Jim Harrison’s bushidokan style. Thurman entered pro kickboxing in 1979, posting a 19-1 record before his stunning 1982 defeat of world Middleweight Champion Alvin Prouder.

Thurman defended his World title 10 times. But, in 1989, after a mugger’s murderous assault on his wife, Betsy, he retired from the ring to create and teach worldwide his “CounterAttactics” system. It’s designed to stress mental awareness, psychological strategies, and tactics and techniques for surviving and escaping from street violence.

Bob Thurman: I grew up in Kansas City. My step-father ran a hotel-management company.
My real father was a Marine Corps colonel — a Marine’s Marine. I get my ass-kicking from him,
but my step-dad was an amazing human being.

Herb Borkland:...

by Antonio Fournier

I had a message from a Martial Arts Industry Association (MAIA) member asking if it is was still beneficial to conduct a Mat Chat in her situation. She had transitioned from a one-hour to a 45-minute children’s-class format, and she was having a hard time fitting it in.

My response was, “It’s not only beneficial, it is a must.”

Her thoughts were that taking five minutes to do it shortened the amount of punching and kicking time.

I used the analogy of a river that is one mile wide and a foot deep, or one that’s one foot wide and a mile deep. It isn’t the width of the message that’s important, it’s the depth of the message that is.

So, why is the Mat Chat so important? It’s a start — and only a start — at connecting life skills to your martial arts program.

First, you’ve made lots of promises in your ads and...

by Karen Eden

Years ago, while working as a TV reporter in Pittsburgh, PA, I was sent out to cover a story about a wildlife refuge not too far off from the city.

The former wildlife specialist I interviewed seemed to have a heart for the unruly animals who wouldn’t conform to zoo and circus life. He also adopted the animals that people from around the country had mistakenly taken in as pets at one time or another.

I’ll never forget his words to me.

“I don’t care how tamed you think an animal from the wild may now be. They are always going to be wired to be wild and you must always keep that in mind,” he told me.

With that, he brought out one of his latest orphaned, unwanted animals. It was a bobcat … with a sinus issue. I honestly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This poor bobcat was consistently blowing his nose. Yet, he of course didn’t have the...