How do you become a martial arts instructor?

Question

I'm a karate student and in years to come i might want to become an instructor. Do you need any official qualifications or can anyone just start up a dojo? I'm already an instructor of another kind, own a school and have great business skills so that side's no problem.

I know i could ask my sensei but i dont want to seem disrespectful like im trying to start up a school in competition. I'd like the views of people who've done it so i get a balanced opinion.

Answer 1

Well you should become at least a third degree blackbelt or quite possibly a fourth degree (because 4th degree blackbelts are often referred to as a "master" as a general rule to most Martial Arts disciplines but not all of them will have that same ideal) under your instructor first before considering becoming an full time instructor.

second, you may want to spend a few more years (perhaps another 5 yrs after recieving the "Master" rank) teaching the class for the instructor to get more experience behind you.

also, you'll want to make sure that you can have a good teaching basis for children, since that will be your main source of clients.

and you'll want to make as many connections within your discipline's governing organization's that deal with the school or may deal with YOUR school in the future.

and of course you'll need your instructor's consent just as a matter of respect to your instructor.

check this website for other info that may be helpful for you, they are usually well connected for Martial Arts as a business for bettering the quality of the schools that're out there:

www.napma.com

Answer 2

I love martial arts and like teaching it but as a career, it is difficult for many reasons. I will use numbers from California to make the point. If you start a career as a martial arts instructor, you will either have to start your own business renting a room or use something like craigslist to get students. If you try to keep classes at a high level, you will only have about 5-10 students which you might make up to $1000 a month. Another alternative is to work for someone else. This means that you will be teaching to their standards and rules and would be lucky to make $20 an hour for maybe 14 hours a week. Before taxes you would make about $1120 a month If you choose to go big, you will need a place to train and insurance. Insurance cost about $2000 a year on the cheap end which I would not recommend. Most commercial rentals which you would be looking at would be about 1000 Square feet. In California that would cost you about $2000 a month. Then there is the NNN which they charge you about $1 per foot again ($1000 a month). This means that for the first month you are out $5000 before you have even made a dime and I am not even adding the deposit or the business license. Before you saw a penny, you would need 20 students paying $100 each a month and you would still be carrying a negative. If you love martial arts and want to teach it, I would tell you to consider what I have done, have a job that pays your bills and do it at a community center for fun. Yet even this sometimes requires some costs.

Answer 3

yes there are lots of qualifications not all of which are just about martial arts... you need a police check, child protection cretificate thing and a first aid cretificate to name just a few i would ask your sensei if you can help out in a few clases to learn how to coach effectively as their are always new teaching methods to learn. and then become a fully fledged instructor at his or another dojo before you even think about starting your own as when you do the martial arts will be the least of your problems :~D hope that helped

Answer 4

yes there are lots of qualifications not all of which are just about martial arts... you need a police check, child protection cretificate thing and a first aid cretificate to name just a few i would ask your sensei if you can help out in a few clases to learn how to coach effectively as their are always new teaching methods to learn. and then become a fully fledged instructor at his or another dojo before you even think about starting your own as when you do the martial arts will be the least of your problems :~D hope that helped

Answer 5

Unfortunately anyone can call themselves an expert and start a dojo, but that does mean that it's fairly easy for those of us who have the experience. In my association, you have to be a black belt, then work as an assistant instructor until your senior instructor thinks that you are good enough to be left alone with a class. It's still a good idea to keep training with higher grade instructors as often as possible, otherwise you can't improve yourself and eventually will have nothing new to show your students. You probably know about insurance from your other instructing job, but you will need public liability and professional indemnity insurance to protect yourself and your students.

Answer 6

If you want to start a McDojo, go right ahead. There are plenty of cowboys around, especially in Karate - where I've seen many a dojo lead by mere 2nd Dans.

Otherwise, you follow the teachings of your Sensei, and you will become an instructor when you are ready.

.

Answer 7

Marshall Art has seven part
1)kung fu
2)karate
3)judo
4)thai
5)boxing
6)samurai
7)Wresling(sumo Wrasling)
This all parts of Marshall Art baut u can not requirment of qulification of any one to teach

Answer 8

If you are a Karate student surely the best person to ask would be your instructor.

Answer 9

there,s no reason not to talk to your Sensei ,better to be honest and truthful at an early stage ,and i think he will respect you more and probably give you some good quality advice .you need a first aid certification and a C.R.B check done and need to understand the law in your dealings , teaching of children. Obviously you need to be graded to a good standard,at least Shodan.good luck

Answer 10

well your could just be an instructor at your sensais school, at my tae kwon do dojo we have a gran master and three instructors. starting a school and teaching is very different