sunshine03 asked:


Basic marketing focuses upon the four “P”s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a martial arts school, the important products include the offered classes and the associated items sold through business, such as videos, books, gear, uniforms, and clothing.

Marketing strategies can be divided into two basic categories. Direct marketing, which includes one on one contact with potential customers, may also include paid and unpaid advertisement ventures. Mass marketing is the more familiar form of advertising, such as commercials on television and radio. Martial arts schools have succeeded largely through the use of direct marketing.

For martial arts schools, direct marketing works better than mass marketing for two reasons: First, teaching martial arts is a personal business. You win students and keep students by letting them know you can meet their personal needs. You win and keep students by being the kind of person they want to study with. Second, people typically choose fitness facilities close to their home or work. Mass marketing can rarely target that specifically.

It is also important to understand that marketing has rarely been the focus of traditional martial arts instructors. In the past, martial arts schools were supported by the military or the state; teachers had little reason to worry about financial necessities. However, some business-minded individuals have demonstrated the effectiveness of careful marketing in the accumulation of personal wealth.

How has marketing changed the role of martial arts in society? Historical evidence demonstrates that martial arts were primarily practiced in Asia for self-defense purposes. However, the modern world views martial arts differently. Individuals typically practice martial arts for one of three reasons. First, they engage in martial arts for personal enjoyment. Second, martial arts practice is an excellent form of exercise that can contribute to a healthful lifestyle. Third, many individuals decide to engage in martial arts for competitive reasons. The rise of interest in martial arts has coincided with a greater visibility of athletic competitions. Each of these three factors has contributed to national interest in martial arts

Advocates of education argue against too much marketing. Public relations, publicity, and word of mouth are all important to the success of an educational establishment. After all, a school’s reputation should precede its advertising budget. An active, targeted and ongoing publicity campaign is essential to the survival of a professional martial arts school. A successful publicity campaign can reduce the need for a formal marketing budget.

The growth of the Internet has also had a direct effect of the marketing of martial arts. A martial arts instructor can use the Internet in a variety of ways.



Claude

Endless_Nameless asked:


I don’t care about it being “fancy”, I don’t care about meditation, or character development, I just want to be better able to defend myself.

Right now I was thinking of looking into Defendo(Bill Underwood’s martial art that spun off of Combato, not the newer, unrelated one) or Emerson Combat Systems. If anyone more familiar with martial arts has any suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.

I am looking for something with emphasis on unarmed self-defense with the goal of knocking an aggressor(or aggressors) unconscious, gun and knife disarms, and improvised weapons.

Kevin

Phil Burney asked:


The term “Martial Arts Supplies” encompasses a host of things that a martial artist may need to become a full-fledged martial artist. It may mean uniforms for the various martial arts that exist, sparring and training gear, weapons, and exercise equipment, among others. So long as it is used so you become more proficient at martial arts, that thing qualifies to be part of the Martial Arts Supplies category.

But how do you look for a reliable Martial Arts Supplies retailer? One way is to simply encode the search phrase “Martial Arts Supplies” into your search box and wait for names of ecommerce sites to crop up. You can also get your Martial Arts Supplies from your martial arts school, which may either have a contractor who provides such Martial Arts Supplies that their students need, or which may sell the Martial Arts Supplies as part of their martial arts business.

A third way to secure the right type of Martial Arts Supplies is to contact martial arts federations and ask them where they get their Martial Arts Supplies.

When you are getting Martial Arts Supplies like uniforms, you first have to specify what martial arts you are pursuing to the supplier. You also have to indicate at what stage in the martial arts field you are already in. This means that uniforms are generally classified as Student Uniforms, Lightweight Uniforms, Middleweight, and Heavyweight Uniforms (though some uniforms under a certain martial arts may subdivide their uniforms further into other sub-categories.)

Intimate Martial Arts Supplies like mouth/teeth protectors, and helmets, should never be shared among friends for hygienic reasons. It is okay for you to share your uniform with others provided it is washed before being returned to you. Another reason you should never share with others is that you might never get back your expensive Martial Arts Supplies anymore and have to scrounge around for enough cash to buy more of the same supplies afterwards.

Martial Arts Supplies like weapons are another type of personal stuff that you should never share with others – but this time, for reasons of safety. Since Martial Arts Supplies like a pair of nunchucks, or samurai swords, were made to be as real as possible, sharing them out is really a bad idea. You never know what kind of trouble other people might get into using your weapons. Treat such Martial Arts Supplies as dangerous weapons and keep them in safe secure storage. It is especially important to keep your weapons out of reach of children and teenagers.

Martial Arts Supplies like books and instructional CD-ROMs are another story though – these are the types of Martial Arts Supplies that you ought to share out with others, especially those from the same martial arts club that you belong to. It is always fun and instructional to share opinions and tips with your co-martial artists. In fact, that is part of the pleasure you will get from the field of martial arts actually. So whether you pursue martial arts purely as a weekend warrior, or with the intent of becoming an instructor yourself someday, sharing your knowledge about martial arts and Martial Arts Supplies will always benefit you too in the final analysis.



Edwin

•-:¦:-•*Jess Star*•-:¦:-• asked:


I am a woman in my mid 20’s. I am in great physical condition. I want to learn a martial art for self defense and for exercise. What should I take?

Florence

Troy Macraft asked:


China, the world’s largest country by population, is widely regarded as the home of martial arts and is the birthplace of numerous diverse styles.

Modern Chinese martial arts can trace their origins to a number of sources, including ancient military skills, the Buddhist martial arts that evolved out of the Shaolin temple, the Daoist martial arts that originate from the Wudang temple in Hubei province, and a number of other techniques used by bandits, militia, secret societies, invaders, and marauding pirates throughout China’s turbulent history.

According to legend, the Indian monk Bodhidharma (known as “Da Mo” in China) traveled from southern India to China in the 6th century CE carrying sutras (collections of dialogs and discourses). He then settled in the Shaolin temple in Song Shan, and introduced martial exercises and Zen Buddhism to China. However, there is evidence to suggest that the practice of martial arts in the country dates back to well before that time.

A longer history

Although Bodhidharma may well have been one of the first to record martial-art techniques-he also introduced techniques such as meditation to existing fighting systems-experts believe that Chinese martial arts gradually developed from ancient hunting skills and from one tribe’s need to defend itself from another. These fighting forms developed slowly over the years: punches and kicks were incorporated and, in time, so was the use of weapons.

The first evidence of martial-art practice in China comes in 2698 BCE during the reign of the Yellow Emperor, Huangdi, who developed the practice of jiao di (”horn-butting”) among his soldiers. In the 5th century BCE – some 1,000 years before Bodhidharma’s arrival in Song Shan – Confucius mentions martial arts in his texts; Daoist literature from the 4th century BCE contains principles applicable to martial arts; and there is evidence to suggest that physical exercises similar to taijiquan have been practiced in the region since at least 500 BCE. In contrast, the earliest textual evidence of Shaolin martial arts comes in 728 CE.

Putting soldiers to the test

The development of martial arts in China is indelibly linked to the military. The first military martial-arts tests were established in 702 CE. These challenged a soldier’s physical strength, horsemanship, and skills with a lance, spear, and bow and arrow. Such a premium was placed on them that regular soldiers were categorized according to their ability and courage in hand-to-hand combat and weapons skills, particularly their swordsmanship.

Various military generals have added their expertise to China’s martial-arts mix. Even Genghis Khan, the Mongol warrior whose armies had conquered much of South Asia- including all of China-by the 13th century, believed that bkyukl bokh was the best way to keep his troops ready for battle. Two styles of the art are still practiced today, one in Mongolia, the other in Inner Mongolia.

Boom in popularity

It was not until the Republican Period (1912-1949), a time when China was recovering from the fall of the Qing dynasty, the invasion by Japan, and the Chinese Civil War, that martial arts became more accessible to the general public. In a wave of national pride, the Chinese government classified all martial arts under the banner “guosho,” meaning “national art.” Martial artists were encouraged to teach, numerous training manuals were published, examinations in martial arts were created, and demonstration teams started to travel the world- the first martial-art demonstration in front of an international audience took place at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.



Louise

Ted Hanulak asked:


People often argue over which martial art is the most effective martial art. Generally that goes along with whatever is most popular in pop culture at that time. There was a time that people thought Kung-Fu as the best martial art because of Bruce Lee or Karate because of Chuck Norris or now Jujutsu because of the UFC. The secret is not which martial art is best, the secret lies in how the student trains in that martial art, which ever martial art.

 

You must train realistically in order for the martial art to have any street self defense value. This means forget about stopping a strike an inch before its target. It is about striking through the target. Many martial arts training have attacks that are unrealistic. The striking distances are off, the attacks are lame at best. When you are first learning a technique you of course will practice the technique in slow motion in order to get the mechanics down. Once this occurs, the attacks must be taken to the next level. The attack must be full force. Yes, this means that if the defender makes a mistake, he will get hit hard and possibly hurt. This is the best way to practice. You get a legitimate feel for being attacked for real. If you are worried about getting hurt in training then you shouldn’t be studying a martial art for self defense.

 

Now insert which ever martial art you like. There are advantages to ground fighting, kicking, throwing, etc. This is where the uniqueness of each martial art comes in. But the attacks will be the same. The attacks should be like street attacks. We should not tailor the attacks to compliment each martial art style. That is a mistake. Remember, it is not the martial art itself that is best but how the martial artist trains in that system.



Joe

Paul A. Walker asked:


A lot of people nowadays are getting into the martial arts and choosing a school without even knowing which style of martial arts the school teaches. Some schools are not totally clear on what their style is as many are practicing and teaching a hybrid mix of multiple arts. Is this a problem? Should you know which style you practice? Are clearly lineated styles even important? The easy answer to all of these questions is yes and no. Unfortunately there are hidden costs involved in choosing the wrong style of martial arts.

Here’s why:

· Choosing a style based on popularity rather than something that fits your personal strengths

Just because a style is the most popular thing going doesn’t mean that it is right for you. Taekwondo has held the interest of many a young person due to its dynamic and spectacular kicks. If you are athletic and flexible then this might be the art for you but if you have bad knees and worse hamstrings, then think twice.

Not too long ago, Tae Bo was the big thing. At first glance some people thought this was a martial art, especially as the founder Billy Blanks was a former karate champion. However, some of them were disappointed to find out that Tae Bo was a new style aerobic workout using martial arts techniques that has little to no self-defense value.

More recently Mixed Martial Arts has become hugely popular and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is attracting record numbers on its Pay-Per-View events. Consequently, many young people are hoping to ride the next wave of popular martial arts. However if you want to keep your good looks, straight nose and nicely-shaped ears you might want to reconsider.

The bottom line is that you should try to find a martial art that matches your strengths and not your weaknesses.

· Picking a martial art that has conflicting values with your core beliefs

The majority of martial arts have a certain amount of traditional “baggage” that comes with them. This “baggage” can sometimes include some rather esoteric practices and mystical thinking that you may or may not be comfortable with. Most people are able to accept these practices at face value and in many cases the various martial arts schools water down some of the stranger customs and forms of etiquette in the interest of blending in with our popular culture.

Some people however feel that their own personal religious preferences and ideals are being compromised and therefore can feel more than a little uncomfortable. If this description fits you then you might want to check out your chosen style’s practices and customs before you make your final decision. This factor is usually not an issue but it doesn’t hurt to check out this aspect of your martial art before making a commitment.

· Enrolling in a martial arts school based on price rather than quality

This factor can work for you and against you. There is no regulation in the martial arts industry that defines what standards a good school should uphold. Also there are a wide range of martial artists who are full-time commercial school owners and some who are part-time hobbyists.

Most people’s perception is that the more expensive the school the better the martial art. Sometimes this is true but sometimes the local community center has a great martial artist offering a great service. Expensive schools usually offer excellent training facilities and great customer service together with well-structured programs.

Cheaper schools or classes generally offer lesser facilities and sometimes inferior instruction, but very often there are some hidden gems to be discovered. Don’t overlook these people just because of price. Conversely don’t overlook the big schools because they are “too expensive”. Make your decision based on quality and not price.

· Opening the Yellow Pages and choosing a karate school just because the ad looked good

Looks can be deceiving and just because an ad in the Yellow Pages looks good doesn’t mean that the karate school is the right one for you. It just means that they are better at marketing and design than some of the other schools listed in the same pages. Check into a few of the schools by calling them and visiting them and then make your decision. It might end up that you still go to the school with the cool ad and that’s fine, but at least you looked around a little first.

So what is the moral of the story? Do your research first, before you begin your martial arts practice! A little extra time spent up front will more than likely pay dividends later. The martial arts often turns into a lifetime endeavor. You probably won’t be too happy if you spend some significant time practicing a certain style of martial arts only to find out that there is nowhere else to go unless you change your style.

I speak from personal experience here so please listen to what I’m saying. I spent the first ten years of my martial arts practice studying a style of karate that had been invented by my instructor. I was lucky because this particular instructor was actually very good at the martial arts and had developed his style based on what he felt was the best from some of the mainstream karate styles.

Consequently, when he decided to end his study of the martial arts due to family commitments, the transition into my current style of Shotokan Karate was not too difficult due to the similarities with my first style of karate. Fortunately I have few regrets based on the life lessons I received from my first instructor. Some of you may be less fortunate and will have to change altogether.

For a comprehensive guide on how to choose the right style and the right school for you just download my FREE Report, “Karate for Newcomers: How to Find Out Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Karate Practice”. You will find it at http://www.freekarateinformation.com.

Good luck and best wishes on your journey in karate.



Debra

Clock Cleaner asked:


I’m interested in learning a martial art, and if I learn one, I’ll rather make good use of it. Which one do you find suitable for begining adults and is really applicable for self defense situations?

Susan

Justin asked:


I live in a rough city and im interested in starting some style of martial art to defend my self from gangs, p addicts and muggers etc. What would be the best fighting style (karate, muay thai, jujitsu,judo etc) to ensure i would be able to over power or knock out an attacker or a small group of attackers without myself being injured?

Cecil

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Martial arts are an ancient form of exercise that helps people to learn self-discipline and control. This form of exercise is becoming popular with all walks of people. You will find however that each person has their own particular favorite martial arts. In general you will find that while there are lots of different martial arts forms there are some which are more popular. These top ten martial arts varieties will help you to see which ones you have a chance of trying.

Now while you are looking into the different top ten martial arts you will also need to see what the sub divisions are like. This will not prove to be too much of a difficulty as there are some rather well known ones. You can look into these different forms of martial arts if you think that this will be of help.

There is one detail that you will need to think about when you are looking into the list of top ten martial arts. This is that as there is no official list you will find that each person who complies this list has their own idea of what the top ten martial arts are. Generally you will find that karate, tae kown do, ninjitsu are among the more popular martial arts.

These top martial arts have inspired a number of movies and TV programs. From these there are various martial arts movies which can be thought of as being in the top ten martial arts movies. When you see the superb fighting sequences in these programs you will understand why so many people enjoy watching and learning about martial arts.

Each of these top ten martial arts programs has sometimes been changed by other people in order to work them in certain exercise routines. In general these martial arts that you are looking into learning will have many great health benefits. You will have to try out a few to find what can be considered as the top ten martial arts varieties.

Now when you have looked at all of these different top ten martial arts you will see the difference in them. You will also see why martial arts is so popular still with many different people around the world. The next time that someone asks you what you consider to be the top ten martial arts forms to be you can inform them that you are still exploring which ones is known to be better. And that you will let them know once you have found this answer.



Frank