Why I Will Always Refuse To Teach Martial Arts For Free And Why You Shouldn’t Either

Why I Will Always Refuse To Teach Martial Arts For Free And Why You Shouldn’t Either

        Every martial arts teacher should want to have high quality students who progress your art and give you a legacy. There is a lot of pride in your effectiveness at teaching. They should also want to be properly compensated for their knowledge and effort in instructing people.

I have come to the conclusion that anyone with instructor level skills in a martial art deserve compensation. I deserve to be paid. I no longer will do charity work for people and teach people for free anymore. Of course I may once in awhile do special events or seminars for community outreach or something, but generally no, I will expect to be paid what I am worth. If you are a high black belt rank or instructor qualified in the martial arts you should too! You deserve to make money or at least a fair trade off!

I used to feel like I should just teach people for free and give them pad drills or tips for fighting. I did this on occasion but every time I felt like the person did not give a shit that I was giving them something I trained my ass off for, something of high value. They took it for granted and basically just had a good work out and shrugged it off. People like that will never advance in the martial arts very well and are always bullshitters and will drop you like a hat when another opportunity comes along for training. Maybe a better or more popular instructor, or some guy who opens a gym. People for some reason automatically assume that a gym/building location automatically means high quality training. This is not true. Sometimes better training comes with lone instructors outside, or in a garage or at a community center. Problem is the general public is ignorant about martial arts and a sexy looking gym sells. This is fine because it is obviously my goal to own an official building location one day. It should be any instructor’s goal. But you work with what you have and you make the best of it and try your darndest to teach the most effective martial arts you can to students anywhere. Visiting houses, training in parks, driveways, garages, or sub leasing under another martial arts school for time on their mats.

Instructors trying to make their way as professional teachers of the fighting arts have to have a lot of perseverance and unwavering resolve. You have to get people to trust you in order for them to pay you for your services. You also have to find those kinds of dedicated students who do not bullshit you and show up and train and keep coming and keep paying each month. As a lone instructor trying to start his martial arts business you will run into all kinds of people. A lot of them are idiots, or flakes. An instructor should not be a whore for students. He should have a ton of self respect and not just teach anyone he runs into. He should study a person’s character first and talk to them and see if he would even want to teach a person. Then give a free trial for a week or so to test their character and attitude. You should only pick quality students who have the money or a fair trade off (maybe work on your house, car, or they teach you some important skill for compensation). Being a desperate instructor only turns you into a mcdojang loner and not a real fight coach and martial arts leader. Do not lower your standards EVER!

When people do not have to pay for something they do not respect it and they will not give a strong effort or be disciplined to get good and advance in skills. It is justs omething for fun to do because they are bored until something else comes along. Other people just take advantage of free training and will use you up as long as they can. Once you as for money they are gone.
What you need to do is demand payment for your teaching expertise because you are putting in work and effort and giving someone something so valuable that is worth far more than they will be paying you for it. Martial Arts in the long run are priceless. But we have to charge a standard amount for our economy and to make money. There is nothing wrong with making money off of martial arts! Instructors deserve it! They worked hard to get where they are at and are taking their time to pass down knowledge to new students.

NEVER TEACH FOR FREE! Make them pay you money, or work a fair trade off with that person. This will keep the martial arts you promote high quality with high standards.