What you call your club matters. If you are a karate instructor or sensei you can run a club but could be voted out since it is a democratic regime that has a secretary, treasurer and  trustees that makes up a committee that can vote people in and out.

Many instructors prefer the security of ownership and operate their classes as academies or karate schools as a proprietor.

Martial arts instructors of Karate, Kung Fu, Taekwon do, Judo, Jujitsu, Kick Boxing and Aikido in the UK do need to be aware of various points of law that could complicate ownership of their martial arts lessons or martial arts classes .

As the chief instructor teaching the classes you need to decide if you want to be part of a club or create a more secure position of ownership with your own academy or martial arts school.

Martial Arts Success

How do you develop success within your martial arts association or group? If you think about success it depends on many things and not just one, we have highlighted some specific things that create successes

• Instructors Personal Development

• Effective Recruiting - A lot of students

• Good choices for students

• Quality of tuition - Student retention

• Motivating your membership

• Effective marketing

• Community support

• Strong promotional structure

Networking outside the regular lessons with events, qualifications and field trips shows your not a back street club and builds confidence in your students.

Everyone should want to be part of the image you project. To develop your membership you must give them a team spirit and sense of belonging.

Success will hardly ever depend on one thing and almost always depend on the choices you offer your members. If the choices you offer don't appeal to your members they will look elsewhere.

Large groups are made up of smaller groups that consists of different membership interests such as:

• Competing

• Self - defence

• Health & Fitness

• Becoming a coach or instructor

• Qualifications (Refereeing etc)

By appealing to all the areas it build small groups which build to make a larger success.

Individuals have their own ideas and want to know how good they will be in 2 years time and not how good you or anyone else will be. If you are seen as facilitating that they will become a more loyal and committed student.

Eighty percent of the market in martial arts is usually children and this is so important when developing posters and advertising. The heart of the adds must be aimed at MUM because she makes the decisions for her children , most of the time. If you cant appeal to MUM in your advert it probably wont work.

No Politics

A genuine no politics policy means we abide by UK Law and never tell anyone who they can and cant be a member of. You can join any organisation you like and by law we cannot discriminate against you in any way.

We pride ourselves on providing a freedom of choice in a market place and feel no need to form cartels, monopolies or scare monger to increase our membership.

Like many organisations we provide a choice in a market place. Because we have competitors it means we must offer competitive benefits and choices, and its your choice.

No Qualifications

Cowboy clubs and instructors damage us all and with no win no fee solicitors anyone can be taken to court.

The main argument is people who have been teaching for years will state how long they have been teaching and then ask why they need qualifications. In reality how can they prove they are teaching correctly, its this that is missing the ability to provide the evidence to teach correctly is not their.

We do need to change our views if our doors are open to others. All instructors by law have to provide a duty of care and if they do not and end up in court they cannot provide any evidence it looks bad on us all.

One of the objectives is to develop low cost qualifications for martial arts instructors that are recognised by local councils.

The largest problem is that anyone can claim 10th Dan in their own martial art. The minute we decide not to recognise that art we are being political, now you can see a problem as we become judges of other martial arts.

Realistically martial arts are a subject matter our objective is to let the market place and the students in it decide what they do and don't like. However what ever martial art you do must be taught in a safe and controlled environment by a qualified teacher.

The subject matter or martial art is added to:

• Coaching

• Child protection

• Health & Safety

• First Aid

• Professional trainers Cert

This takes the judgement and politics out of the situation.

Do you want:

• More members

• Better advertising

• Wider choices

• Low cost qualifications

• Competitions

• Prestigious Events

• Professional Awards

• World Networking

• National Networking

• Sponsorship

• Grants & Support

• Your own identity

• Personal development

• Quality services

• Recognition

• Grade Ratification

How can you get it?

By sharing knowledge, working with others and networking you can have an input to developing martial arts.

Make a real difference.

You could have a small club and make a real difference to the lives of some of your members. This is of importance to your local community

Broadening Horizons

Going beyond your local community needs a different view point. You could have the best club or the best style  or even be the best instructor on the planet but if no one knows about it you cannot help martial arts develop on a national or international level.

Your input counts

B.B.I UK does not sell insurance or conflict with associations we are a national network providing access to a world martial arts market via B.B.I Global.  We work with other groups to facilitate sponsorship, events, benchmarks, raise awareness and aid professional and safe development in all martial arts in a modern market place.

Shout About it!

If you have something good going on SHOUT ABOUT IT. Share it if you think it will help others develop. It may be the best thing since sliced bread but if no one knows about it, it will go know where.

Who's Knocking?

Networking is marketing and raising the profile of martial arts and allowing YOUR CLUB, SCHOOL, ACADEMY or ORGANISATION to provide access to the network.

Knocking on the right doors,  providing opportunities and choices to help develop your martial arts group..