Martial Arts Australia Blog

Best Martial Arts for Kids in Australia: A Parent’s Practical Guide

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:20:31 GMT

Choosing a martial art for your child is not simply about picking a style — it is about choosing an environment that supports their physical development, confidence, discipline, and safety.

Australia has a diverse martial arts landscape. From traditional systems to modern combat sports, parents have many options.

The challenge is understanding which program suits your child’s personality, goals, and maturity level.

This guide provides a practical comparison framework so you can make an informed decision.

What Parents Should Prioritise First

Before comparing styles, focus on three foundational factors:

Instructor professionalism
Safety structure
Class culture

The style matters — but governance and supervision matter more.

Ask:

Is the instructor experienced and credentialed?
Are Working With Children requirements met?
Is First Aid certification current?
Are classes structured and age-segmented?
Is behaviour managed respectfully but firmly?

A well-run school in any discipline is usually better than a poorly structured program in a popular style.

Karate – Structured Discipline and Foundations

Karate is widely available across Australia and often attracts younger beginners.

Typical characteristics:

Structured classes
Emphasis on respect and etiquette
Gradual skill progression
Balance of striking and forms practice

Karate programs often work well for children who benefit from routine, repetition, and clear boundaries. Many schools place strong emphasis on character development and focus.

Best suited for:
Children who need structure, confidence-building, and clear expectations.

Taekwondo – Athletic and High-Energy

Taekwondo is known for dynamic kicking and strong physical conditioning.

Common features:

High activity levels
Flexibility training
Competitive pathways (for those interested)
Clear belt ranking system

Children who enjoy movement, speed, and visible progress often respond well to Taekwondo programs.

Best suited for:
Energetic children who enjoy athletic challenges and goal-oriented progression.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) – Technique and Problem-Solving

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu focuses on grappling and ground control rather than striking.

Common features:

Partner-based learning
Emphasis on leverage and technique
Controlled sparring (rolling)
Strategic thinking

BJJ can be particularly beneficial for children who prefer close-contact sports or who may not feel comfortable with striking.

Best suited for:
Children who enjoy problem-solving, teamwork, and structured physical challenges.

Judo – Balance, Throws and Control

Judo emphasises throws, balance, and controlled grappling.

Common features:

Strong technical foundations
Focus on respect and discipline
Emphasis on safe falling techniques
Olympic sport pathway

Judo teaches coordination, body awareness, and resilience.

Best suited for:
Children who enjoy structured learning and physical coordination challenges.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) – Combined Skill Sets

Some schools offer junior MMA programs that combine elements of striking and grappling.

Parents should ensure:

Age-appropriate curriculum
Strict safety protocols
Controlled contact levels
Qualified instructors

When properly structured, MMA programs can provide well-rounded exposure to multiple disciplines.

Matching the Style to Your Child

Consider your child’s temperament:

Shy or hesitant → Structured, confidence-building programs
Highly energetic → Athletic, movement-focused systems
Analytical → Technique-heavy disciplines
Competitive → Programs with tournament pathways

The best style is the one your child enjoys consistently.

Enjoyment supports long-term development.

Final Advice for Parents

The most important decision is not the style — it is the school.

Look for:

Professional structure
Clear safety procedures
Qualified instructors
Transparent communication
Positive class culture

When these foundations are in place, almost any martial art can benefit your child.

Confidence, discipline, resilience, and respect develop best in environments that prioritise both skill and safety.

Choose structure first. Style second.

Why Parents Should Consider an MAA-Aligned School

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:15:47 GMT

Running a martial arts school in Australia is rewarding — but it is also demanding.

When selecting a martial arts program for your child, alignment with a recognised industry body such as Martial Arts Australia provides an additional layer of reassurance.

A peak industry body supports standards, governance, and structured development across the Australian martial arts sector.

For parents, this means looking beyond the style — and focusing on whether the school operates within a professional framework.

What an MAA-Aligned School Demonstrates

An aligned school typically demonstrates:

Structured governance
Recognised instructor validation
Industry-standard insurance alignment
Clear operational policies
Professional conduct expectations

This does not mean independent schools cannot operate professionally — but alignment signals participation in an organised industry framework.

For parents, structure reduces uncertainty.

Safety Standards and Risk Management

When children participate in martial arts, risk management is critical.

Aligned schools are encouraged to implement:

Documented safety protocols
Incident reporting systems
Age-appropriate curriculum segmentation
Supervision ratio awareness
Concussion management awareness (where relevant)

Parents should feel confident that safety is embedded in the school’s operations — not improvised.

Structured systems demonstrate preparedness.

Instructor Accountability

In any youth activity, instructor credibility matters.

Aligned instructors operate within a broader professional framework, which supports:

Recognition of qualifications
Ongoing development
Industry engagement
Clear conduct expectations

Accountability strengthens professionalism.

When instructors operate within structured systems, standards are clearer and expectations are defined.

Insurance Alignment and Operational Stability

While parents are not typically involved in insurance decisions, it remains an important background consideration.

Alignment supports access to industry-specific insurance pathways structured for martial arts operations — including programs teaching children.

This reduces the risk of inappropriate or generic coverage.

Parents may not ask about policy wording — but professional structuring behind the scenes contributes to operational stability.

Stability protects students.

Governance Matters More Than Style

Parents often compare:

Karate vs Taekwondo
Judo vs Jiu-Jitsu
Traditional vs Modern systems

While style influences training format, governance influences safety and sustainability.

An aligned school signals participation in an organised industry framework — which supports:

Ethical conduct
Structured business practices
Clear operational standards

That matters long term.

Questions Parents Should Ask Any School

Regardless of style, consider asking:

Are you aligned with a recognised martial arts body?
Do instructors hold current Working With Children clearance?
What safety procedures are in place?
How are injuries documented and managed?
Is there structured progression for children?

Transparent answers demonstrate professionalism.

Prepared schools welcome these questions.

Long-Term Development Perspective

Martial arts training for children is not only about self-defence or fitness.

It can develop:

Discipline
Focus
Emotional regulation
Respect
Confidence
Resilience

When delivered within a professional framework, these benefits are amplified.

Aligned schools operate within networks that value structured development and industry advancement.

Final Consideration for Parents

Choosing the best martial art for your child is less about which style looks impressive — and more about which school operates responsibly.

Alignment with Martial Arts Australia provides an additional signal that the school participates in a recognised industry structure.

For parents, this can offer reassurance that:

The school is professionally positioned
Governance is considered
Industry standards are acknowledged
Compliance expectations are understood

Style determines technique.
Structure determines sustainability.

Prioritise professionalism first — then choose the style that fits your child’s personality and interests.

How Martial Arts Australia Supports School Owners at Every Stage of Growth

Running a martial arts school in Australia is rewarding — but it is also demanding.

Beyond teaching classes, school owners manage compliance, insurance, child safety requirements, memberships, risk management, marketing pressures, staffing, and long-term sustainability.

Many instructors begin with technical expertise and passion. Few begin with structured business support.

This is where a structured industry framework plays a practical role — not as a controlling authority, but as a support system designed to assist instructors at every stage of their journey.

Stage 1: The New Instructor Starting Out

When an instructor decides to open their first school, the immediate challenges are often overwhelming:

Choosing a business structure
Securing insurance
Understanding Working With Children obligations
Drafting membership agreements
Leasing a venue
Setting class pricing

For someone who has trained for years but never operated a business, the shift can be significant.

Structured guidance at this stage helps new school owners understand:

What is required to operate properly
What common mistakes to avoid
How to structure governance early
Where insurance fits within operations

Starting properly builds stability.

Stage 2: Early Growth and Stability

Once a school begins enrolling students, new pressures emerge:

Increasing class sizes
Assistant instructor management
Junior program expansion
Risk management documentation
Insurance reviews

Growth introduces exposure.

Ongoing industry guidance at this stage provides:

Clarification on compliance changes
Support around operational structure
Access to a broader professional network

Instead of navigating growth in isolation, school owners operate within a structured environment.

Support becomes more valuable as complexity increases.

Stage 3: Expanding Operations

As schools grow further, owners may consider:

Multiple locations
Hosting tournaments
Expanding into school-based programs
Increasing staff numbers
Formalising governance systems

At this stage, operational decisions carry greater financial and legal impact.

Structured support helps instructors understand:

Risk implications of expansion
Insurance considerations
Governance adjustments required
Child safety obligations across broader operations

Expansion with structure protects sustainability.

Supporting Compliance in a Changing Environment

Australian compliance standards continue to evolve — particularly in areas such as:

Child safety
Workplace health and safety
Data privacy
Insurance structuring

For independent instructors, staying updated can be difficult.

Ongoing industry awareness helps school owners:

Understand their obligations
Avoid compliance gaps
Maintain professional standards

Proactive awareness reduces reactive correction.

Supporting Child Safety Best Practice

Teaching children carries increased duty of care.

Structured industry support reinforces:

Working With Children compliance
Appropriate supervision standards
Risk management awareness
Governance considerations

Parents are increasingly informed.

Schools must operate accordingly.

Professional child safety practices strengthen both protection and credibility.

Insurance Awareness and Alignment

Insurance is often misunderstood by instructors.

Structured guidance supports awareness of:

Why Public Liability matters
When Professional Indemnity is necessary
How Personal Accident coverage protects instructors
What should be declared to insurers

Access to industry-specific insurance pathways reduces the risk of inappropriate or incomplete cover.

Insurance alignment supports business continuity.

Providing a Professional Network

Running a martial arts school can feel isolating.

A professional network allows instructors to:

Share operational insights
Discuss governance challenges
Learn from experienced school owners
Feel supported within a broader community

Connection strengthens resilience.

Supporting Long-Term Sustainability

Short-term success in martial arts can come from strong instruction alone.

Long-term sustainability requires:

Governance discipline
Risk management
Financial awareness
Professional credibility

Structured industry support helps instructors maintain operational clarity as their schools evolve.

Guidance supports independence — it does not replace it.

Why Support Matters

Many instructors are highly skilled martial artists.

Few are formally trained in business risk management.

Support systems reduce blind spots.

When instructors feel supported, they make more informed decisions.
When decisions are informed, schools are more stable.

Stability protects reputation and longevity.

A Practical Perspective

A structured industry body exists to assist — not dominate.

Its function is practical:

Support instructors
Encourage structured governance
Promote responsible operation
Help schools navigate complexity

The Australian martial arts environment is evolving. Expectations are rising.

Having structured support at every stage of growth can make the difference between reactive operation and proactive leadership.

For school owners focused on long-term sustainability, support is not a weakness.

It is a strategic advantage.

Starting a Martial Arts School? Here’s How We Help You Get It Right

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:11:03 GMT

Opening a martial arts school is exciting. It represents years of training, commitment, and personal growth coming full circle

But turning skill into a structured, compliant, and sustainable business is a very different challenge.

New instructors often underestimate how quickly operational complexity appears. Lease agreements, insurance requirements, child protection laws, membership contracts, and risk management systems all come into play — sometimes before the first student even walks through the door.

We exist to help instructors start correctly — not by taking control, but by providing structure, guidance, and support during the most critical stage of development.

The Reality of Starting From Scratch

Most instructors begin with:

Strong technical ability
Years of training experience
A passion for teaching

What many do not begin with is:

Business structuring knowledge
Insurance literacy
Compliance awareness
Governance systems
Risk management discipline

This gap is not a failure. It is common.

The transition from martial artist to school owner requires a shift in mindset — from practitioner to operator.

We help bridge that gap by reinforcing operational awareness early, before costly mistakes occur.

Getting the Foundations Right

When starting a martial arts school in Australia, early decisions have long-term consequences.

Questions typically include:

Should I operate as a sole trader or company?
What insurance do I actually need?
How do I structure membership agreements properly?
What are my child safety obligations?
How do I avoid underinsuring my activities?
What documentation should I implement from day one?

We provide practical guidance around these foundational areas, helping instructors understand the structure required to operate professionally.

Starting correctly reduces expensive restructuring later.

Strong foundations support long-term stability.

Avoiding Common Early Mistakes

Many new schools encounter preventable issues such as:

Signing leases without confirming insurance requirements
Using overseas contract templates not aligned with Australian law
Failing to declare sparring activities in insurance applications
Underestimating Working With Children obligations
Not implementing incident reporting systems
Overlooking supervision ratio considerations

These mistakes are rarely intentional. They arise from inexperience in business governance.

Our supportive framework helps instructors recognise and avoid these blind spots early — before they escalate into financial or legal complications.

Prevention is far easier than correction.

Understanding Insurance From the Beginning

Insurance confusion is one of the most common early challenges.

New instructors often ask:

Is Public Liability enough?
Do I really need Professional Indemnity?
Does my policy cover children’s classes?
What about tournaments?
Are assistant instructors included?

Without industry-specific guidance, instructors may select policies that do not reflect their actual activities.

We help clarify what types of cover are relevant, why disclosure matters, and how operational decisions interact with policy terms.

This reduces exposure before it becomes a problem.

Insurance literacy is not optional for school owners — it is part of responsible operation.

Child Safety Compliance

If teaching minors, instructors must understand:

Working With Children clearance
Supervision responsibilities
Duty of care expectations
Behaviour management standards
Documentation requirements

Child safety is not an administrative formality. It is foundational to professional operation.

We reinforce the importance of compliance and structured governance in youth programs.

Parents are increasingly aware. Schools must be equally prepared.

Preparedness builds trust.

Building Structure, Not Just Classes

When starting out, it is tempting to focus only on curriculum and enrolments.

But sustainable schools are built on structure.

That includes:

Clear membership agreements
Written safety procedures
Incident documentation processes
Defined behavioural standards
Transparent communication protocols
Accurate record keeping

We encourage early adoption of structured systems so that growth does not outpace governance.

When systems are in place from the beginning, scaling becomes smoother and less stressful.

Confidence Through Support

Starting a martial arts school can feel isolating.

Questions arise constantly:

Am I doing this correctly?
Have I overlooked something?
What happens if something goes wrong?
Am I compliant with current expectations?

Access to structured industry support provides reassurance that you are not navigating these challenges alone.

Support builds confidence.
Confidence improves decision-making.
Clear decisions strengthen stability.

Transitioning From Instructor to Operator

One of the biggest mindset shifts is understanding that:

Teaching skill alone is not enough.

Operating a school requires:

Risk awareness
Financial discipline
Legal compliance
Documentation standards
Strategic planning

We help instructors recognise that professionalism in business strengthens professionalism in teaching.

When governance is stable, instructors can focus more fully on student development.

Both sides of the role matter equally.

Starting With Long-Term Vision

Many schools begin small — a community hall, limited classes, a modest enrolment base.

Growth may come quickly.

When governance systems are implemented early, scaling becomes smoother.

When structure is ignored, expansion increases vulnerability.

Our supportive approach encourages instructors to think long-term from day one — even if the school is currently small.

Small beginnings deserve strong foundations.

A Supportive, Not Controlling Role

Our function is not to impose authority.

It is to:

Provide guidance
Encourage structured operation
Support best practice
Assist instructors navigating complexity
Reinforce professional benchmarks

The goal is sustainability — not control.

Autonomy remains with the instructor.

Support strengthens capability.

Final Perspective

Starting a martial arts school is a significant professional step.

It deserves more than enthusiasm alone.

With proper structure, compliance awareness, and industry-aligned support, instructors can focus on what they do best — teaching — while operating within a stable, protected framework.

Getting it right from the beginning is easier than correcting mistakes later.

Support exists so you do not have to figure everything out alone.

Strong schools are built intentionally — not accidentally.

Practical Support for Instructors: What Membership Really Provides

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:07:27 GMT

When instructors consider joining an industry body, one of the most common questions is simple

“What do I actually get?”

It is a fair question.

Martial arts instructors are independent by nature. Many have built their skills over years — sometimes decades — through dedication and personal discipline. Membership in an organisation should add genuine value, not just a name on paper.

We exist to provide practical, operational support to instructors and school owners. Our purpose is not symbolic. It is functional.

This article outlines what that support looks like in real terms.

Clarity in a Complex Environment

Running a martial arts school today involves more than teaching.

Instructors must navigate:

Insurance structures
Child protection requirements
Risk management expectations
Lease obligations
Member documentation
Compliance changes
Employment considerations

Many instructors are experts in technique — but not necessarily in regulatory interpretation.

We help bring clarity to what can otherwise feel overwhelming.

When instructors understand what is required, they operate with greater confidence and make decisions more deliberately.

Clarity reduces hesitation.

Understanding strengthens leadership.

Guidance Around Governance

Governance sounds formal, but in practice it means:

Having written procedures
Maintaining proper documentation
Understanding operational responsibilities
Setting clear behavioural expectations
Establishing supervision standards

We support instructors by reinforcing the importance of structure.

This is not about bureaucracy.

It is about reducing exposure, strengthening defensibility, and improving professionalism.

Schools with governance systems in place are more stable — especially during growth, disputes, or unexpected challenges.

Structure prevents small issues from escalating.

Insurance Awareness and Alignment

Insurance confusion is common across the martial arts industry.

Instructors often ask:

What does Public Liability really cover?
When is Professional Indemnity necessary?
Does my policy include tournaments?
Are assistant instructors covered?
What must be disclosed to my insurer?

We do not replace insurance providers. Instead, we help instructors understand the role insurance plays in protecting their operations.

By increasing awareness, instructors are less likely to rely on incomplete or inappropriate coverage.

Better understanding leads to better protection.

Insurance literacy is part of professional maturity.

Support for Schools Teaching Children

Youth programs are central to many schools.

With that comes increased responsibility.

We support awareness around:

Working With Children compliance
Supervision standards
Safety expectations
Documentation processes
Communication with parents

Parents expect structured management — not informal systems.

Support in this area helps schools meet that expectation with confidence and consistency.

Child safety is not administrative.
It is foundational.

A Professional Network

One of the less visible but highly valuable aspects of membership is connection.

Running a martial arts school can feel isolated, particularly for independent operators or regional instructors.

Access to a broader professional community allows instructors to:

Share experiences
Discuss operational challenges
Learn from other school owners
Gain perspective during growth phases
Avoid repeating common mistakes

Support does not mean dependency.

It means access to shared experience and collective insight.

Isolation increases uncertainty.
Connection restores perspective.

Helping Instructors Grow Sustainably

Growth introduces complexity.

As schools expand, new questions arise:

How do I manage additional instructors?
What changes when I open a second location?
What additional insurance considerations apply?
How do I formalise internal processes?
When do employment obligations shift?

We support instructors during these transitions by encouraging structured planning rather than reactive decision-making.

Sustainable growth requires foresight.

Growth without structure increases vulnerability.
Growth with structure builds resilience.

Reinforcing Professional Standards

Professional standards are not about control.

They are about consistency.

When schools operate within recognised industry expectations, it strengthens:

Credibility with parents
Confidence with landlords
Stability with insurers
Trust within the community
Long-term reputation

We support instructors by reinforcing the importance of maintaining professional benchmarks across both teaching and operations.

Consistency builds trust.
Trust supports longevity.

Confidence Through Structure

Many instructors underestimate how much confidence comes from knowing:

“My systems are in place.”

When documentation, compliance, and insurance awareness are structured, instructors can focus on teaching without second-guessing operational vulnerabilities.

Without structure, uncertainty lingers.

Membership supports the development of operational confidence — not just technical confidence.

Prepared instructors teach differently.
They lead with clarity.

Supporting Regional and Independent Schools

Not every school operates in a major city.

Regional and community-based clubs may face additional challenges such as:

Limited local guidance
Isolation from peer networks
Reduced exposure to industry discussion
Fewer specialist advisors

Our broader network helps bridge that gap.

Support is not limited by geography.

Professional standards should not depend on postcode.

A Long-Term Perspective

Short-term success in martial arts can come from skill alone.

Long-term sustainability requires:

Governance awareness
Risk management discipline
Operational structure
Industry alignment
Adaptability to regulatory change

Membership is designed to support instructors throughout that journey — from startup phase to established school operator.

Longevity requires more than talent.

It requires structured leadership.

What Membership Is Not

Membership is not about:

Restricting independence
Imposing rigid control
Removing personal teaching style
Centralising curriculum decisions

It is about:

Providing guidance
Encouraging structured practice
Supporting responsible operation
Strengthening sustainability
Reinforcing professional credibility

Support enhances independence rather than replacing it.

Structure protects autonomy.

Final Perspective

Instructors dedicate years to mastering their craft.

Operating a school responsibly requires mastering structure as well.

Membership provides practical support that helps instructors navigate the business, compliance, and governance side of martial arts — so they can focus confidently on teaching.

Real value is measured not by titles, but by practical assistance.

And in a changing regulatory environment, structured support matters more than ever.

Helping Martial Arts Schools Stay Compliant in a Changing Environment

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 05:03:55 GMT

Running a martial arts school in Australia today is different from operating one twenty years ago.

Compliance expectations have increased. Child safety regulations are more structured. Insurance underwriting is more detailed. Documentation standards are higher. Parents are more informed.

For many instructors, the challenge is not willingness to comply — it is simply keeping up.

We play a supportive role in helping schools understand and adapt to this changing environment. Not through enforcement, but through awareness, guidance, and structured industry support.

The Reality: Compliance Is Ongoing

Compliance is not a one-time checklist completed when a school opens.

It evolves.

Examples include:

Updates to child safety legislation
Changes in Working With Children requirements
Adjustments to insurance policy expectations
Increasing documentation standards
Privacy and data protection considerations
Workplace health and safety refinements

Many school owners are focused on teaching, enrolments, and day-to-day operations. Monitoring regulatory shifts can easily become secondary.

Support exists to reduce that burden and provide clarity when expectations change.

Compliance is continuous — not static.

Child Safety Standards Are Increasing

Across Australia, child protection frameworks have strengthened significantly in recent years.

For martial arts schools teaching minors, this means:

Maintaining valid Working With Children clearance
Implementing clear supervision procedures
Establishing behavioural management guidelines
Recording incidents consistently
Communicating transparently with parents
Reviewing policies periodically

The expectations placed on instructors are higher than they once were.

We reinforce awareness of these responsibilities and encourage schools to adopt structured child safety practices that are embedded into daily operations — not added as an afterthought.

Child safety is foundational.
Structure strengthens protection.

Insurance Expectations Are More Detailed

Insurance providers are becoming more specific in underwriting martial arts operations.

Policies increasingly require accurate disclosure of:

Sparring frequency
Contact intensity
Tournament hosting
Assistant instructor involvement
Online instruction
Cross-training activities

Non-disclosure — even if unintentional — can lead to coverage disputes.

We support awareness around how insurance intersects with operational activities, helping instructors avoid accidental exposure.

Understanding policy relevance is part of compliance.

Insurance is not merely a certificate on the wall.
It is a contractual agreement that must reflect real activities.

Documentation Is No Longer Optional

Verbal agreements and informal systems may have worked decades ago.

Today, schools should maintain:

Written membership agreements
Risk acknowledgment forms
Medical disclosure records
Incident reporting logs
Supervision protocols
Clear behavioural policies

Documentation protects both students and instructors.

In the event of a dispute, written records carry weight. They demonstrate that reasonable steps were taken to manage risk responsibly.

We encourage structured documentation practices that strengthen defensibility and professionalism.

Prepared schools document consistently — not only when problems arise.

Workplace and Employment Responsibilities

As schools grow and hire assistant instructors or administrative staff, additional responsibilities arise.

These may include:

Workers Compensation obligations
Payroll compliance
Employment agreements
Workplace health and safety considerations
Defined supervision responsibilities

Expansion increases exposure.

We encourage school owners to recognise when operational scale requires governance upgrades.

Growth without adjustment creates gaps.
Growth with structure strengthens sustainability.

The Risk of Falling Behind

Most compliance issues do not arise from intentional misconduct.

They arise from:

Lack of awareness
Delayed updates
Assumptions based on outdated practices
Informal systems that were never formalised

The regulatory environment evolves quietly.

Without structured industry awareness, instructors may not realise when expectations have shifted.

Staying informed reduces reactive correction later.

Awareness is preventative.
Ignorance increases vulnerability.

Supporting Proactive Rather Than Reactive Operation

Reactive operation occurs when schools respond only after:

A complaint
An injury
An insurance issue
A regulatory inquiry

Proactive operation occurs when schools implement structure before problems emerge.

We support the shift from reactive to proactive management by reinforcing best practice, encouraging governance reviews, and promoting awareness of evolving expectations.

This mindset change strengthens sustainability.

Prepared schools respond calmly.
Unprepared schools scramble.

Balancing Independence and Structure

Compliance does not eliminate independence.

It provides guardrails.

Instructors retain control over:

Teaching style
Curriculum design
Class culture
Business direction

Compliance simply ensures that these activities occur within responsible operational boundaries.

Support in this area helps instructors maintain autonomy while reducing risk.

Structure protects freedom rather than restricting it.

Confidence Through Preparedness

There is a significant difference between:

Hoping everything is compliant
Knowing systems are compliant

Preparedness builds confidence.

When school owners understand their obligations and implement structured systems, they operate with greater clarity and assurance.

That clarity benefits students, parents, staff, and instructors alike.

Confidence grounded in preparation is more stable than confidence based on assumption.

A Practical, Not Punitive Approach

Our role is not to police instructors.

It is to assist them.

Compliance guidance is offered to:

Strengthen schools
Reduce exposure
Support child safety
Encourage professional standards
Promote long-term sustainability

The goal is resilience — not control.

Support is collaborative, not adversarial.

Final Perspective

The martial arts industry in Australia is evolving.

Expectations are higher. Documentation matters more. Child safety is prioritised. Insurance scrutiny has increased.

Schools that adapt thrive.
Schools that ignore change face unnecessary exposure.

Staying compliant does not require perfection.

It requires awareness, structured effort, and willingness to evolve.

Support exists so instructors do not have to navigate that changing landscape alone.

When compliance is embedded into daily practice, schools become stronger, more credible, and more sustainable for the long term.

Support, Structure and Guidance: How We Assist Instructors

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 04:59:48 GMT

Being a martial arts instructor in Australia today requires more than technical expertise

Instructors are teachers, mentors, business operators, compliance managers, and risk decision-makers. They balance curriculum development with lease negotiations, student welfare with insurance considerations, and growth ambitions with governance responsibilities.

The role is multifaceted.

We exist to provide support, structure, and guidance that help instructors manage these responsibilities with greater clarity and confidence.

This support is practical — not theoretical. It is grounded in the operational realities instructors face every day.

Support: You’re Not Operating Alone

One of the most overlooked challenges in running a martial arts school is isolation.

Many instructors:

Train within their style community
Focus on internal school development
Handle business matters independently

But when operational questions arise — particularly around compliance, insurance, or governance — there may be limited immediate guidance.

We provide a broader support framework where instructors can:

Gain perspective
Understand common industry challenges
Recognise shared operational patterns
Feel less isolated in decision-making

Support does not remove independence. It strengthens it.

Isolation increases uncertainty.
Connection restores clarity.

Structure: Building Stability Into Operations

Structure is what allows a school to grow without increasing chaos.

Without structure, growth amplifies vulnerability.

We encourage instructors to implement structured systems such as:

Written policies
Clear membership agreements
Defined behavioural standards
Documented incident reporting
Transparent communication protocols

These systems reduce ambiguity.

Ambiguity is often where disputes arise — whether with parents, staff, landlords, or insurers.

When expectations are documented and processes are consistent, operational stress decreases and professional credibility increases.

Structure is not bureaucracy.
It is operational discipline

Guidance: Understanding What Matters

Not every operational issue carries the same weight.

Some issues are minor. Others have serious legal or financial implications.

We help instructors understand:

Where risk exposure truly exists
Why certain compliance areas matter more than others
How insurance interacts with operational decisions
What changes when a school expands
When external professional advice may be necessary

Guidance reduces guesswork.

Better understanding leads to better prioritisation.

When instructors know what genuinely matters, they make decisions with confidence instead of hesitation.

Supporting Instructors Teaching Children

Youth programs are central to many Australian martial arts schools.

With that comes increased responsibility and heightened public expectation.

We reinforce awareness around:

Working With Children compliance
Supervision ratios
Age-appropriate instruction
Documentation expectations
Communication with parents

Child safety is not optional. It is foundational.

Support in this area protects:

Students
Parents
Instructors
The broader industry

When safeguarding systems are embedded into daily practice, instructors teach with greater confidence and parents engage with greater trust.

Helping Instructors Navigate Growth

As schools grow, complexity increases.

Common transitions include:

Hiring assistant instructors
Opening additional locations
Hosting competitions
Increasing student volume
Introducing advanced sparring

Each transition introduces new layers of exposure.

Growth affects supervision ratios, insurance disclosures, employment obligations, financial forecasting, and documentation requirements.

We assist instructors by encouraging reassessment of governance and risk management as scale changes.

Growth should be accompanied by structural upgrades.

Expansion without structure increases vulnerability.
Expansion with structure builds resilience.

Insurance Awareness as Part of Professionalism

Insurance is frequently misunderstood.

Instructors may hold policies without fully understanding:

Coverage limitations
Disclosure requirements
Activity exclusions
Excess amounts
Policy triggers

We promote insurance awareness so instructors can ask informed questions and ensure their policies reflect actual activities.

Understanding insurance is not about fear.

It is about preparedness.

Prepared instructors operate more confidently — and respond more effectively if incidents occur.

Encouraging Professional Benchmarks

Professionalism in martial arts is not defined solely by rank.

It includes:

Operational discipline
Compliance awareness
Transparent communication
Ethical conduct
Responsible supervision
Financial accountability

We encourage instructors to view professionalism as holistic — encompassing both teaching and governance.

This broader definition strengthens credibility with:

Parents
Landlords
Insurers
Local councils
The wider community

Professional standards build long-term trust.
Trust supports sustainability.

Supporting Regional and Independent Schools

Not all schools operate in metropolitan hubs.

Regional instructors may face:

Limited access to peer discussion
Reduced exposure to compliance updates
Fewer specialist advisors
Greater operational isolation

Our supportive framework extends beyond geography.

Connection to a national network helps regional schools maintain awareness, structure, and professional alignment — regardless of location.

Professional standards should not be limited by postcode.

Reinforcing Long-Term Thinking

Short-term operational decisions are often reactive:

Filling class slots
Managing immediate costs
Addressing urgent issues
Responding to enrolment fluctuations

Long-term thinking asks:

Are my systems sustainable?
Are my compliance obligations current?
Is my documentation defensible?
Am I prepared for growth or unexpected disruption?

We support this long-term mindset.

Sustainable schools are built intentionally — not accidentally.

Independence With Support

Some instructors hesitate to engage with industry bodies out of concern that it may reduce autonomy.

Our role is not to dictate teaching style or curriculum.

We exist to:

Provide guidance
Reinforce structured practice
Support informed decision-making
Strengthen operational stability

Autonomy remains intact.

Support enhances capability.

Strong governance protects independence rather than limiting it.

Strengthening Industry Integrity

When individual schools operate responsibly, the entire martial arts community benefits.

Conversely, when schools neglect compliance, insurance alignment, or governance, reputational impact can extend beyond a single organisation.

By encouraging structured practice and informed decision-making, we contribute to raising overall industry standards.

Strong schools contribute to a strong industry.

Collective responsibility strengthens public confidence in martial arts training across Australia.

Final Perspective

The modern martial arts instructor carries significant responsibility.

Teaching skill is only part of the equation.

Operating responsibly requires structure, awareness, adaptability, and informed leadership.

We provide practical support that helps instructors:

Navigate complexity
Reduce uncertainty
Strengthen governance
Build sustainable schools
Protect their professional reputation

Support, structure, and guidance are not limitations.

They are foundations for longevity.

When instructors combine technical excellence with operational clarity, they create schools that are not only respected — but resilient.

From Instructor to School Owner: How We Help You Transition Confidently

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 04:56:09 GMT

There is a significant difference between being a skilled martial artist and operating a martial arts school.

Many instructors spend years — sometimes decades — refining their technique, teaching under senior mentors, and building credibility within their style. But when the decision is made to open a school, the responsibilities change immediately.

You are no longer only an instructor.

You become a business operator.

That transition can be challenging.

We support instructors during this shift by helping them understand the operational, compliance, and governance realities that come with school ownership.

The Shift in Responsibility

As an instructor working within someone else’s school, your primary focus is:

Teaching classes
Supporting students
Delivering curriculum
Maintaining technical standards

As a school owner, your responsibilities expand to include:

Lease negotiations
Insurance decisions
Child protection compliance
Financial management
Staff oversight
Risk management

The technical side remains important — but operational responsibility increases significantly.

Understanding this shift early makes the transition smoother.

Common Challenges New School Owners Face

When instructors open their own schools, they often encounter:

Uncertainty around insurance coverage
Confusion about legal obligations
Incomplete membership documentation
Limited understanding of risk exposure
Pressure to grow quickly

None of these issues relate to martial arts technique.

They relate to governance.

We provide structured guidance to help instructors recognise these challenges before they become problems.

Building Confidence Through Structure

Confidence as a school owner does not come from rank alone.

It comes from knowing:

Your systems are in place
Your compliance obligations are understood
Your insurance aligns with your activities
Your documentation is defensible

We encourage instructors to build operational structure early, so confidence is grounded in preparation — not assumption.

Preparedness reduces anxiety.

Avoiding the “Trial and Error” Trap

Many new school owners attempt to learn everything through experience.

While experience is valuable, trial and error in areas such as:

Insurance disclosure
Child safety compliance
Employment obligations
Incident documentation

can be costly.

We support awareness so instructors can make informed decisions rather than reactive corrections.

Learning from shared industry experience reduces unnecessary exposure.

Understanding Risk Without Fear

Risk awareness is not about being overly cautious.

It is about recognising that:

Physical activity carries inherent risk
Teaching minors increases duty of care
Growth increases exposure
Documentation matters

We help instructors understand risk realistically, without exaggeration.

Balanced awareness leads to responsible operation.

Supporting Sustainable Growth

New school owners often focus heavily on enrolment growth.

Growth is important — but growth without structure increases vulnerability.

As schools expand, additional considerations arise:

Assistant instructor management
Workers Compensation obligations
Supervision standards
Insurance updates
Financial forecasting

We encourage instructors to view growth and governance as interconnected.

Strong systems support expansion.

Encouraging Long-Term Thinking

When transitioning to school ownership, it is easy to think in short-term cycles:

Next month’s enrolments
Immediate rent payments
Upcoming grading events

Long-term thinking asks:

Is my structure sustainable?
Am I compliant across all areas?
Are my policies documented?
Am I prepared for unexpected events?

We support instructors in developing this broader perspective.

Longevity requires planning beyond immediate success.

Maintaining Teaching Identity

One concern instructors may have is losing connection to their teaching identity while managing operational responsibilities.

Our support model recognises that:

Technical excellence remains central
Culture within the school matters
Teaching philosophy should remain authentic

Operational structure does not replace martial arts identity.

It protects it.

When governance is stable, instructors can focus more fully on teaching.

Strengthening Professional Credibility

As school owners, instructors engage not only with students, but also with:

Parents
Landlords
Insurers
Local councils
Staff members

Professional credibility extends beyond technical skill.

We reinforce operational professionalism so instructors present confidently in all professional interactions.

Credibility builds trust.
Trust supports growth.

Independence With Guidance

Transitioning to school ownership does not mean surrendering independence.

We do not dictate teaching methods or curriculum design.

Our role is to provide:

Awareness
Structure
Guidance
Support

Instructors remain in control of their schools.

Support strengthens capability — it does not restrict it.

Final Perspective

Moving from instructor to school owner is one of the most significant professional steps in a martial artist’s career.

It requires a shift in mindset from technique delivery to operational leadership.

We support that transition by:

Encouraging structured governance
Promoting compliance awareness
Reinforcing risk management
Providing a supportive professional network

Confidence in school ownership does not come from guesswork.

It comes from preparation, awareness, and structure.

When instructors approach ownership with both technical excellence and operational clarity, they build schools that are not only successful — but sustainable.

Supporting Regional and Community Martial Arts Clubs Across Australia

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 04:49:18 GMT

Not every martial arts school operates in a major metropolitan area.

Across Australia, many clubs run in regional towns, suburban community halls, school facilities, and local recreation centres. These schools are often deeply embedded in their communities. They may be smaller in size, but their impact is significant.

Regional and community-based instructors face unique challenges — limited access to peer networks, fewer local resources, and sometimes greater operational isolation.

We recognise these realities and provide support that extends beyond major cities. Support should not depend on postcode.

The Unique Challenges of Regional Schools

Regional and community clubs often operate with:

Smaller enrolment bases
Limited access to specialist advisors
Reduced exposure to industry updates
Fewer networking opportunities

Instructors may carry multiple roles simultaneously — teaching, administration, marketing, compliance, and financial management — often without support staff.

This makes structured guidance especially valuable.

We help reduce the sense of operating in isolation by connecting instructors to a broader national framework.

Access to Industry Awareness

In metropolitan areas, instructors may interact regularly with:

Other school owners
Insurance brokers familiar with martial arts
Legal advisors
Industry events

In regional areas, those touchpoints may be limited.

We provide broader industry awareness to help ensure regional instructors are not left behind in areas such as:

Compliance updates
Insurance expectations
Child safety standards
Governance best practice

Access to shared information strengthens confidence.

Supporting Sustainable Community Clubs

Community-based clubs often prioritise:

Local engagement
Affordable training
Youth development
Volunteer involvement

These clubs may not operate at large commercial scale, but they still carry legal and operational responsibilities.

We support these schools by reinforcing that:

Governance matters regardless of size
Insurance alignment is still necessary
Child safety obligations remain the same
Documentation standards apply universally

Small scale does not mean small responsibility.

Structured support helps community clubs operate responsibly while maintaining their local character.

Volunteer and Assistant Instructor Management

Regional schools frequently rely on:

Volunteer assistants
Senior students helping with classes
Part-time instructors

This introduces additional considerations, including:

Working With Children compliance
Insurance disclosure
Defined supervision responsibilities
Clear behavioural expectations

We encourage schools to formalise roles even in informal community environments.

Clarity prevents misunderstanding.

Helping Clubs Navigate Growth

Some regional clubs remain stable in size for years. Others grow rapidly when demand increases.

Growth in a regional setting can be particularly challenging because:

Facility options may be limited
Instructor recruitment pools may be smaller
Operational scale changes quickly

We support instructors in recognising when governance systems must evolve to match growth.

Expansion without structure increases exposure.

Strengthening Credibility Within the Community

Community trust is powerful in regional Australia.

Parents often rely heavily on local reputation when choosing programs for their children.

Alignment with a recognised national body can support credibility by demonstrating that:

The school participates in structured industry standards
Governance expectations are acknowledged
Professional practices are maintained

This reinforces local trust rather than replacing it.

Encouraging Professional Confidence

Regional instructors may sometimes question whether their smaller-scale operation is “industry aligned.”

Our supportive approach recognises that professionalism is not measured by school size.

It is measured by:

Responsible operation
Clear documentation
Compliance awareness
Ethical conduct

Regional and community clubs are just as capable of meeting professional benchmarks as large metropolitan schools.

Support helps reinforce that confidence.

Reducing Isolation Through Connection

Even experienced instructors benefit from perspective.

Connection to a broader professional community allows regional school owners to:

Share operational challenges
Learn from others’ experiences
Gain reassurance during complex decisions
Feel supported in long-term planning

Isolation increases uncertainty.

Connection reduces it.

A National Framework With Local Impact

Our support model is national in scope but local in impact.

The intention is not to centralise control.

It is to provide:

Shared standards
Structured awareness
Industry connection
Practical guidance

Regional and community clubs deserve access to the same level of support as larger schools.

Professionalism should not be limited by geography.

Final Perspective

Regional and community martial arts clubs are essential parts of Australia’s martial arts landscape.

They foster resilience, discipline, and connection within local communities.

But they face unique operational challenges.

We support these schools by reinforcing governance, compliance awareness, and professional structure — while respecting their independence and community focus.

Support ensures that location does not determine access to guidance.

Professional standards can thrive anywhere.

Why Having Industry Support Matters for Martial Arts Instructors

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 04:45:34 GMT

Martial arts has always valued independence.

Instructors build their reputation through discipline, skill, consistency, and personal integrity. Many schools are founded by individuals who have dedicated decades to refining their craft.

Because of this independence, some instructors question whether industry support is truly necessary. If you can teach well and manage your school competently, why involve an external framework?

The answer lies not in control — but in sustainability.

Industry support matters because the environment in which martial arts schools operate has changed.

The Industry Has Evolved

Twenty years ago, expectations around compliance, insurance, and governance were less complex.

Today, instructors must navigate:

Working With Children requirements
Insurance disclosure obligations
Increasing documentation standards
Workplace health and safety expectations
Data privacy considerations
Greater parental scrutiny

Even experienced instructors can find it difficult to monitor these shifts independently.

Industry support provides awareness of changes that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Awareness prevents avoidable exposure.

Independence Does Not Mean Isolation

Being independent does not require operating alone.

Instructors can maintain full control over:

Teaching style
Curriculum
Culture
Business decisions

While still benefiting from:

Shared industry knowledge
Governance reinforcement
Compliance awareness
Professional networking

Support strengthens independence rather than undermining it.

It reduces blind spots.

Reducing Operational Blind Spots

Every school owner has areas of strength and areas of limited experience.

Some are strong in marketing but less confident in insurance literacy. Others excel in curriculum development but struggle with documentation systems.

Industry support helps instructors recognise potential blind spots before they become problems.

It is easier to correct a minor oversight early than respond to a major issue later.

Confidence in Decision-Making

Many operational decisions carry long-term implications:

Increasing sparring intensity
Hiring assistant instructors
Hosting tournaments
Expanding to additional locations
Modifying membership agreements

Without guidance, these decisions may rely on assumption.

With industry awareness, decisions are more informed.

Confidence grows when instructors understand both the opportunity and the associated responsibility.

Supporting Professional Credibility

Parents, landlords, insurers, and local councils increasingly expect professionalism.

They may ask questions such as:

Are instructors properly cleared to work with children?
What safety procedures are in place?
Is appropriate insurance maintained?
How are incidents documented?

Being able to demonstrate structured governance strengthens credibility.

Industry support reinforces that structure.

Credibility supports growth.

Shared Experience Reduces Mistakes

No school owner avoids challenges entirely.

But learning from shared industry experience can prevent repeating common mistakes.

Issues such as:

Incomplete insurance disclosure
Informal membership agreements
Unclear supervision standards
Lapsed compliance documentation

are more common than many realise.

Industry support helps instructors recognise patterns across the sector.

Learning collectively is more efficient than learning through crisis.

Encouraging Long-Term Sustainability

Short-term success in martial arts can be driven by strong teaching and enthusiastic enrolments.

Long-term sustainability requires:

Governance discipline
Risk management awareness
Financial structure
Operational consistency

Industry support reinforces these broader considerations.

Schools built on structure are more resilient during unexpected challenges.

Supporting Growth Without Instability

Growth introduces new complexity:

Additional instructors
Larger class sizes
Increased documentation
Greater exposure

Without support, growth can outpace structure.

Industry guidance encourages schools to scale responsibly — adjusting systems as size and risk increase.

Responsible growth protects both reputation and longevity.

Protecting the Broader Martial Arts Community

When one school experiences significant compliance or safety failures, the broader industry can feel the impact.

Negative publicity affects perception across all styles and organisations.

Industry support helps reinforce responsible practice across the sector, strengthening overall public confidence in martial arts training.

Strong schools contribute to a strong industry.

A Balanced Perspective

Industry support is not about hierarchy.

It is about collaboration.

It does not remove independence.

It enhances awareness.

It does not impose teaching philosophy.

It encourages responsible operation.

Instructors remain leaders within their own schools.

Support simply strengthens the foundation beneath that leadership.

Final Reflection

Martial arts instructors dedicate years to mastering discipline, resilience, and technical precision.

Operating a school responsibly requires those same qualities — applied to governance, compliance, and risk awareness.

Having industry support matters because the operational landscape is complex and evolving.

Structured guidance reduces uncertainty.
Awareness reduces exposure.
Connection reduces isolation.

And sustainability becomes far more achievable when instructors do not have to navigate everything alone.

Support is not weakness.

It is a strategic choice for long-term strength.

Top 5 Tips for your Martial Arts School / Gym

support@martialartsaustralia.com.au (Graham Slater) — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 05:57:44 GMT

Here are the TOP 5 Tips to Improve your Martial Arts School / Gym

# Getting Found More Easily – Start By Using All The Free Tools

# Presenting The Right Message – Telling Your Story Using The Right Mediums

# Presenting Your Products Clearly – Create Long Descriptions Of Your Programs

# Offer A Special Deal ‘Call To Action’ – Giving Visitors The Reason To Join Now

# Managing The Enquiry To Client – Locking Enquiries Into Automated Communication

# Getting Found More Easily – Start By Using All The Free Tools

There are a number of free club directories to list your schools and they act like a mini website, with the ability to link back to your main site and manage the enquiries. These directories and other business / local community ones are all mainly free, with the option to upgrade and get further / functionality.

If you are not in them, you are missing out because the good ones, will have you ranking alongside your own website and push out the competition.

Will it take you time to set them up? Of course it will, but if you prepare all your assets first with appropriately named images, video links and text at the ready, it will be faster.

BIG MISTAKE – Don’t be lazy, write different content for each directory which will include multiple ‘special offers’ because this will last year for 6 months or so. Go into them every few months and update / add more content on descriptions / events etc.

What are the two best ones and why?
https://clubs.martialartsaustralia.com.au/

https://www.imacoachingcouncil.com/join

They are free, the consumers use them, they rank higher than others, you can add a lot of content, it has a Google Map to guide people to your club and it has automated email responses to each enquiry.

# Presenting The Right Message – Telling Your Story Using The Right Mediums

Always keep checking your public messaging, whether its fixed on your website or its constantly being posted in social media. Take the time to analysis what you have previously said before posting out something new. Check what the response was to the last ‘call out / special offer’, if it was good, repeat it. Think about the timing of your last post, was it the message or just the timing that made it work or fail.

Mixing professional images with text helps present a powerful message and of course video is the ultimate medium, to make the greatest impact. Spend the time to storyboard your campaigns and do your research to find what consumer ‘special offers’ work and how can you add to them. There are lots of free / cheap resources you can use to create powerful graphics and videos available online and through MAA membership.

# Presenting Your Products Clearly – Create Long Descriptions Of Your Programs

Ask other people to read your website information around you’re the about section, class descriptions, coach qualifications, goal setting (what you get) etc, to see what message they get. Does it instil confidence to the reader that you run a professional facility and that the needs of your members will be fulfilled.

Classes / Styles / Programs – Describe what members will actually do in each activity, what they will achieve, how they will feel and that they will be safe because of your professional equipment and the highest qualified instructors coaching them.

By building comprehensive instructor profiles with all their qualifications and experience you instil more confidence in the consumer and they are more likely to chose your club to enrol. Adding an industry 5 Star Coach / Instructor Rating raises the overall profile of the club and therefore attracts more members.

# Offer A Special Deal ‘Call To Action’ – Giving Visitors The Reason To Join Now

We all know consumers need a reason to do it now, this can be based upon their own motivation or by you prompting them. People take action because of a number of factors and price / fear of loss are the strongest. So present an appealing offer and put a time limited to it

# Managing The Enquiry To Client – Locking Enquiries Into Automated Communication

MARTIAL MINDFULNESS FOR TODAY

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 01:14:35 GMT

MARTIAL MINDFULNESS FOR TODAY

If stress, mental health, and well-being were not already major health issues in the world prior to the pandemic they certainly are now. The uncertainty that has developed in all our lives has created a huge spike in anxiety and anguish all around the world. Not knowing what will happen tomorrow, next week, next month and even next year has had a major impact personally, socially, and financially.

The constant question that I have been asked in teaching, coaching, and consulting over the last 30 years is how to do it. Most people know what they are supposed to do and struggle in achieving results they are after. This is where martial arts provides the experiential learning on how to develop and use what I call Martial Mindfulness for today.

We all suffer from having the constant noise in our minds, that stops us from being able to stay on track, focus and be calm. This for many people causes sleeping issues, hypertension, cognitive challenges, and disease.

An important element in mindfulness and meditation is developing the skill of having

‘no thoughts or no mind’. Taking away the mind chatter and replacing it with peaceful

silence, switches the Central Nervous System response from Sympathetic (fight, flight, or freeze) to a Parasympathetic (rest, relax, recharge) nervous response.

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVE

No Mind has been well known and practiced in Eastern Philosophy for hundreds of years

through the teaching of Yin and Yang. The Yin- Yang symbol has become well known in the West over recent times with the increased exposure and use of Traditional Chinese Medicine, i.e. Acupuncture, Taichi and even Qigong exercises. It is commonly known as a symbol of balance between two (2) opposites, e.g. negative and positive. What is not understood is that in the philosophical teachings there is also a point called Wu Ji or still point. A calm point of No Mind that provides a state of clarity and focus

To read this rest of this article continue in our magazine: Page 24 - MARTIAL MINDFULNESS FOR TODAY with Paul Mracek

Subscribe for free access here: Subscribe Today!

KEEPING FIT THROUGH COVID

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:59:12 GMT

KEEPING FIT THROUGH COVID

o avoid becoming a couch potato, putting on unnecessary weight and becoming mentally unstable during the stay-at-home lock-downs it’s important to do some exercise. This will not only tone your muscles but has a positive effect on your mental attitude.

It’s not uncommon to spend too much time in front of the TV or your computer screen when you find yourself having to stay at home for hours on end. The trick is to schedule time out to either take a walk, making sure you take into consideration the local restrictions in place, or do some light exercise in your own home. Some might say there’s just not enough room in our home and I don’t have any training equipment. You don’t need any expensive weight machines or treadmills. You can use what you have in your home whether it be a chair in your

dining area or the lounge in front of the TV. For an easy exercise that only requires 5 to 10 minutes a day I would recommend isometric exercises and progress from there to dynamic

exercises.

What are isometric exercises?

Isometric exercises, also known as static strength training, are contractions of a particular muscle for an extended period of time. An isometric exercise is one that involves muscle engagement without movement. You pick one position and hold it. e.g., in a plank, the muscles are working, but not actively changing lengths.

What are isometric exercises good for?

Isometric exercises place tension on particular muscles without moving the surrounding joints. By applying constant tension to the muscles, isometric exercises can be useful for improving physical endurance and posture by strengthening and stabilising the muscles.

To read this rest of this article continue in our magazine: Page 18 - Keeping fit through covid with Doug Turnbull

Subscribe for free access here: Subscribe Today!

A CHAMPION’S MINDSET

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:51:57 GMT

A Champion's Mindset

I don’t really believe I could teach someone how to create a Champion’s mindset. I believe a person’s personality and character traits create the foundation of a Champion’s mindset. The basic ingredients are born to every individual, but life’s experiences, early childhood environment and

influences do contribute in developing the quality of character and personality traits commonly found in athletes who express a champion’s mindset.

There is an energy, a frequency of vibration, an essence of character and personality found in people, an inherent quality in the way a person

thinks, acts, experiences and feels about who he is and what he does in demonstrating a champion’s mindset.

Like potential, the possibilities are there for anyone to exhibit the traits of a champion. I wasn’t born with a champion’s mindset, but my early life,

situations, circumstances and experiences came together at various times to create the foundation for me to gravitate toward that mindset.

Mother’s death and friend’s rejection were contributing factors in creating a champion’s mindset.

There were two major experiences when I was 8 years old which contributed to the formation of a champion’s mindset. The first experience was the death of my mother. My mother’s death was a very traumatic experience, but not in the usual emotions of a traumatic loss of love. Of course I was sad, but that emotion soon turned into anger. I became a loner, withdrawn, quiet, serious, angry and aggressive.

Instead of developing the proverbial “chip” on my shoulders, I created full grown trees. Anger and aggression were attitude sought after in sports

like boxing and football so, I gravitated to these sports early in life. I was blessed in having coaches who taught me through expressing kindness,

understanding and patience. If you are blessed with great teachers and coaches early in life they can and will create a strong foundation of trust, faith and belief in your abilities, skills and talents. Continuous, consistent, conscious awareness through focused attention will create miraculous results in whatever you desire to achieve.

To read this rest of this article continue in our magazine: Page 14 - A Champions Mindset with Mike Stone

Subscribe for free access here: Subscribe Today!

Big End of Town

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 01:58:55 GMT

by Glenn Coxon—Reinvention Headquarters

We’ve all heard of the big end of town from those on the TV, in the news and quite often its politicians talking about the big end of town. Having spent a decade working in the big end of town for Australia’s largest company as a business coach I learned a few tricks which are transferable to the Martial Arts business. Many of those tricks I wish I’d learned for my own Martial Art school years before. So what do the corporates have to share of value for a Martial Arts school ?

I want to share with you 3 big tips from the big end of town. They revolve around key challenges which arise in businesses of all sizes and I want to share with you some of the techniques which I believe are transferable from the corporate world to the Dojo floor and related business.

Let’s talk first about one of the lessons I learned which I would NEVER bring from the big end of town into a Martial Arts school. A small business by government definition is anything between $10-$50 million turnover per year.

That’s okay, because we don’t necessarily need to follow a lot of the corporate world’s management style. I’ve found the corporate environment is actually riddled with people who have limited experience in what we as school owners would refer to as the ‘real world’. All too often many of them share theory which would not work for us on the Dojo floor, and there are way too many meetings about whether there should another meeting about another meeting to a point where it takes far too long to get anything done.

In a small Martial Arts business environment, we make decisions and we more forward with the execution of the decision; no time for endless meetings. On the dojo floor we are looking to simply build a strong business which will help us enjoy

the lifestyle that’s appropriate for someone who put so many years into their art, so much dedication, blood, sweat and years into something they love. Whilst I’m in no way advocating decision making without planning; I’m pointing out that we as “small business owners” are much more flexible in our thinking and regardless of how big your organisation becomes, you should never lose sight of the value of nimble business decisive- ness.

So what does the corporate environment have to offer Martial Arts schools about business planning?

The first tip I’d like to share with you from the corporate environment is that of structure and planning. If you don’t have structure set up into any business you’re destined to fail. As the old saying goes, ‘fail to plan you plan to fail’.

So don’t fail to plan, PLAN TO NAIL IT!

Consider, what structures have you put in place for your business now, what structures are you missing, and what structures could you lose for benefit?

PLANNING

One small step in your planning could be to conduct a SWOT Analysis.

SWOT Stands for Strengths (What are the strengths in you and your business), Weaknesses (What are the weaknesses in you and your business),

Opportunities (What are the opportunities there for you and your business) and Threats (What threats may be there to your business).

I know some of you may be saying, I know all about this and have done it before; but when was the LAST time you did a SWOT? If you have never done a SWOT, then you’re missing one of the most fundamental of all business building tools; one which can save your business whether it’s new or established!

It’s not hard either! It can simply be a cross section of 2 lines on a piece of paper.

When I’m coaching or mentoring clients I often share tools I’ve found so the client can grasp the concept fast and act quickly. One of my favourite resources is the “MindTools” website. Conducting a SWOT every 12 months, perhaps at the beginning of each year is a great way to identify many of the elements within a business which need to change to keep your business relevant, vibrant.

Whether you’re a relatively new school owner looking to build a school from scratch, or if you’re a seasoned Martial Arts school owner looking to grow your school and take it to the next level. planning is critical to your success.

One lesson I learned from the corporate world and particularly from the mistakes I saw in that world, was to not waste any time experimenting with areas you know nothing about; instead, follow a proven formula. That is to say, if someone has a formula which works, a formula which delivers results and success for them, then if you can get hold of that formula use it, buy it, take it and make it your own and you will save yourself a lot of money and a lot of time.

One of the rules of successful entrepreneurs in any industry, is to surround yourself with five very successful people. So, taking a leaf from that book, identify the top five Martial Arts schools in your area or for that matter anywhere and reach out to them to see if any have developed a program which is transferable and scalable.

In doing so, you will lift your game to extraordinary heights because you are the sum of the five people you spend most of your time with.

To that end if you spend most of your time with people who are unsuccessful it will be difficult for you to become successful. If on the other hand, you spend most of your time with people who are very successful, you won’t be able to help but learn from them and you too will become more successful. It’s a simple equation of success through association.

All of the most successful people I know have their own coach or business mentor to guide them and help them with their key decisions. Someone who has taken the steps and knows what you are experiencing, knows your challenges and will help you take your business to the next level without judgement.

FINDING BETTER QUALIFICATIONS TO MEET THE INDUSTRY’S NEEDS!

support@martialartsaustralia.com.au (Graham Slater) — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 02:38:14 GMT

Today’s Martial Arts Instructors, need more than a standard curriculum apprenticeship to run a school as a business. The old school ways of ‘build it and they will come,’ will only work if people know how to find it and have all the right elements to keep them there.

In some ways with new technology, it’s easier to get found and get more students, but we are in a much bigger ocean of businesses, so you need to stand out. Many of you know exactly what I’m talking about because you are already doing it well, but did you count how many skills sets you use to make it all happen. This article is not about marketing your school it’s about identifying what skills are required to run it.

Martial arts instructors come from all walks of life, some very intelligent, others not and many in between. Sometimes its just where your focus is, on the training or on the business or a bit of both. The thing is, it can be very hard to keep in control of everything. We tend to stick with things we know and don’t allocate enough time to further our knowledge in this constantly evolving industry.

What I’m alluding to is senior instructors should be upskilling to keep up with the new innovations. However, more importantly we should be providing our assistant instructors with the right business training as well.

Let’s form a quick list of some of the skills / knowledge an instructor needs to run a successful school or schools.

#Martial Arts: teaching techniques, basics, kata, kumite, self defence, impact bag drills etc.

#Sports Science: coaching, anatomy, physiology, stretching, acupressure points, first aid etc

#Business: law, company structures, OH&S, insurances, risk management, accounting, payroll, HR etc

#Marketing: bulk E-blasts, print mail outs, social media Ads, web Ads, Directory listings, SEO etc

#Media: graphic design, video production, newsletter/ magazine printing (PDF), card, flyers etc

#Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin - video channels (Youtube / Vimeo) etc

#IT: website design/updating, management software, automating processes, web based forms

#Sales: over the counter, online, at schools, in the street, in malls, at community functions, after demonstrations etc

We can certainly expand these categories, but the point is to make it clear that running a martial arts business requires some knowledge from multiple industries and sectors. In many cases just basic knowledge will be sufficient to operate and help them identify specialist people for more detailed functions.

In most industries / sectors a person can study a certificate course, diploma, degree etc which is design to make a person job ready by just adding a bit of practical experience. Unfortunately, we don’t have a martial arts qualification in Australia nor I’m I aware of one in any other country that covers all the elements required.

We do have some great entrepreneurs / educators, that teach instructors many things that are helpful to grow their businesses and we will be asking them to contribute more to our members. Keep following to find more ways to improve your business and help the new generation of instructors become better teachers and club operators.

Graham Slater

Failed! To Succeed!

support@martialartsaustralia.com.au (Graham Slater) — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 03:40:29 GMT

Did we fail by not succeeding or did we fail in order to succeed?

Many of us don’t allow failure to become an option in our lives, whilst others accept it as a possible outcome , in the pursuit of learning something new or improving on what they know.

By the very nature of training seriously in martial arts, we are used to experiencing many of life’s emotions, physical pain / exhaustion, whilst taking on every mental challenge put in front of us, with grit and determination. These are truly rewarding and privileged attributes to experience.

From this development of character, we set the bar very high for ourselves and the same goes for the students we influence . It keeps us striving to be our best, but sometimes comes at a price that may disrupt growth, in other areas. We are aware of this in our martial arts training because sometimes it’s not appropriate to meet force with force, perhaps deflecting or absorbing is better.

Many Instructors may feel that having to close their club was a failure . This is not necessarily the case as there have been powers beyond anyone’s control which have dramatically affected and in some cases, crushed businesses .

Some of you have simply come to the realisation that you actually want a change. Some might close the club for now, then focus on you’re own training and perhaps return to teaching on different terms down the track. I say enjoy the reset , break the routine and experience the new , just for you!

For those instructors still running schools and there are many doing it very well, I see a lot of them re-evaluating their business processes, improving their brand / profile / messaging and some even diversifying into other markets . For those looking for assistance, I’m always here to support with a number of free resources and to serve our industry, even if It’s just helping by listening to your stories.

At Martial Arts Australia, we continue striving to improve and it’s also been a time for reflection on direction . We now have new goals, new focus areas and new ways to serve our members / clients / friends. Many of you will know we recently moved to a NEW INSURANCE BROKERAGE last year creating a new company (MAAIS) and it wasn’t an easy transition. In fact, I know we FAILED IN SOME AREAS , but we also SUCCEED IN OBTAINING a better product, with broader cover, more security in the event of claim and now have the backing of global partners which has been a definitive win for our members.

My team and I underwent a massive learning curve with new procedures, products and a complex brokering system. This caused delays with some clients not getting their quotes / invoices out straight away, but we had to go through this process. It’s only now that I feel we have succeeded in bringing something better to the martial arts industry . I say this knowing it has proven to be a success as we are now able to provide better protection for schools and greater stability on insurance pricing for the future.

I'm asking you to consider Martial Arts Australia Insurance Services (MAAIS) when you are looking for another insurance quote. We are certainly in a very strong position to arrange ‘fit for purpose’ policies , at the right price with the appropriate back up service in the event of a claim.

For more information or to get a quote head to: maainsuranceservices.com.au

Graham Slater

Are you a SMALL fish in a LARGE pond?

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 06:16:30 GMT

Are you a SMALL fish in a LARGE pond? The interesting thing about being a small fish in a large pond, that is to say you’re really just another Martial Arts school amongst a myriad of other MA schools, is the challenge of being noticed. How can you get noticed without spending a fortune on advertising, marketing, wasting many hours battling to get your name out there?

This next tip relates to that concept of the small fish in a large pond. If you want to stand out and become a bigger fish in the pond you need to be seen as an expert in some area. Okay, by that I mean you need to be seen as more than just another Martial Arts expert, because quite honestly there’s many of us out there and to the consumer, we’re all the same.

The real questions to ask yourself is, what’s going to make you look different, what is going to make you stand out in that big pond, and why will someone come to you rather than someone else?

If you can identify yourself to your prospective customers as the expert in a niche market and stand out as the leader in that market rather than looking like a small fish in a big pond you will be the BIG fish in a SMALL pond which is far more valuable and has greater potential for sustainability

Many successful Martial Arts school owners have accomplish this by developing personalise programs to niche market areas such as law-enforcement, women’s self defence or children’s programs so this is nothing new to the point where you may consider this is all too commonplace. That’s exactly why you need to think outside the square, think outside your pond. You could either rebrand or re-purpose an existing program to make it your own and apply it to your niche market or you could infiltrate and develop a new market.

In the early 90’s I carved out a very nice niche market with Executive Defence Studio, focusing on the executive type looking to rebrand themselves as a corporate warrior.

It worked extremely well and I was able to offer something rather unique, although I copped a bagging from the industry for a little while until a couple of years later, there were around 10 schools around the country trying to copy my formula. Big Fish—Small pond; it worked well for me!

Here’s my biggest tip for today as identified in the corporate world. Many of you will be aware of our ageing population growth. People in general are living longer due to healthier lifestyle, better medical and now living well into their 80s, 90s and beyond. As such, one market, one niche market has been quite amazingly untapped up to now is the 60’s, 70’s and even the 80’s plus market.

According to Govt figures, in 1977, only 9% of Australians were aged over 65 years. By 2057 that figure will be 22%. By 2047 there will be over

3.4 million people aged 65-74, plus another 2.6 million aged 75-84 and

1.5 million aged over 85. That is potentially over 7 1/2 million customers! So whilst many of us may be focused on karate kids, kung fu kids, Little ninjas, or whatever you want to call them, (kids classes) we may have neglected what is realistically the fastest growing market on the horizon.

In recognising this trend, the largest corporations in Australia are increasingly gearing their business development to cater for the burgeoning growth in the over 65 years sector.

You wouldn’t believe how many millions the big corporates, and government for that matter (albeit a little slower off the mark than the corporate world) are spending in this growing sector; why? Because they can see the avalanche of aged coming (like a scene from the walking dead you may think). But seriously this will be a huge opportunity.

If you want to capture a huge piece of this demographic by developing a ‘Mature Martial Arts’ or Baby Boomer KaraBox’ class or similar, now is the time. Get in early and carve out your slice of a pie which could definitely be a boom opportunity!

My final tip relates to technology.

In short, EMBRACE IT or get left behind in the dust. If you ever have a doubt about how much technology can influence the world of the marital arts instructor, just Google “CeBit”.

CeBit is a technology conference which roles around every year in the major capitals globally and is focused on all things technology related to business.

Not a geek show at all, this is a trade show where you can speak with all the thought leaders and developers in the world of cyber and electronics, education, and all things technology related.

Trust me when I say, if you took half a day and visited the next CeBit Expo (and tickets are usually free), you will come away with an abundance of ideas.

So my tip is to ensure first of all, start saving time and energy from doing your admin in a spreadsheet or worse still in a book and go online.

There are plenty of software solutions for helping you to build your students, incorporate retention tools, analyse your marketing strategies and even take care of your billing and accounting.

One thing though, check before you buy, because all software is not created equal! Do your research as some will cost a fortune without delivering what you need.

Like all software industries, talk to an expert to find out what will be appropriate for your business and it could save you thousands in money and time.

Glenn Coxon.

Setting up a Marketing Plan

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 03:49:43 GMT

Set up your Marketing Plan!

What should you do when you want to get more clients?
Plan a realistic campaign based upon the facts and your research.

What sort of research should you do before starting a marketing campaign?
Look at what your competition is doing and check out the technology that can help you reach your target market.

How do you decide on what technology to use to market your business?
Read reviews, get help and try out free trials yourself, to see how they all work.

How can you gauge if you are getting the appropriate results using your chosen technology?
There are many factors to consider with technology, as you may not be using it correctly or you may need to be combining multiple ones to reach your goals.

How do you set realistic goals when it comes to advertising?
It comes back to knowing your product, the market and if you are using the right advertising mix to reach and influence your audience.

How do you start to set up and effective marketing / advertising campaign?
Your research should have identified the elements that go into a campaign, then it’s a matter of either implementing the ideas or get someone who knows this space, to help you. Remember you don’t need to know a lot about marketing, you just need to know enough to recognise when someone is trying to take advantage of you.

If you remember this rule, before you hand over the future of your business to someone else, make sure you know some or all of the process, the budget and the developer know your expectations and are accountable for them.

What should you start with to market your business?
We believe you need a great website that showcases your services and interacts with your visitors influencing them to contact you.

Looking for a new website but don’t know what else you need?
If you are considering updating your website or getting one for the first time, you are no doubt looking to be able to reach and influence more people to buy your products. You may also want to look at where a website sits, within the whole online space.

Although a website by itself is good, you reach more people when you combine additional elements to create a full online presence. This means setting up social media accounts (facebook, twitter, Instagram, linkedin), listing your business in numerous directories and community groups. There are also a number of other connections / channels and marketing tools that can be integrated and therefore automated, making them all so much easier to manage.

Technology has come so far and there are now many tools that are either free or cost very little to access. These tools can be used as much or as little as you need to connect, track and manage all your lead / client interactions.

One of the most important things is having a method to take money from clients and you want to be able to do it in a number of ways. Getting the wrong payment gateway can cost you and your customers more than is needed. You don’t want to upset customers with high transaction / default fees or have them eat into your profits.

The hardest thing to come to terms with is not knowing what you don’t know and this making you vulnerable to people / organisations who will exploit it. At some point you have to put your trust in someone to help who is an expert in the space of online marketing. There is no problem in taking your time, so you fully understand the process and all parties are accountable for the agreed outcome.

What should you do in presenting your goals to a developer?
Write down what you want to achieve in your timeline and the budget you feel will get you there. Then the developer should be able to work out what it will take to reach your goals (what technology to use) and if it can be done within your budget. If there is a big disparity between the goals and the desired budget, they should break down everything to show what is realistic given the circumstances. This way you can go back and make adjustments to give all parties a better understanding of what is achievable with the budget you have or change it.

How do you start creating a comprehensive online marketing solution?
Pick a provider and book a time to chat about your goals. Everything you want should be scalable to meet an expectation and a budget. Some providers may run off and start spending your budget, but the right one will do what they are supposed to. They should know what you need, before implementing anything so start planning.

Graham Slater

One Thing In Common: A Love for Martial Arts By Dave Kovar - COLUMNIST

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 01:42:37 GMT

Every Martial Arts instructor has one thing in common: a love for the Martial Arts.

The passion your students see in your instruction is possibly the greatest reason they continue to attend your classes. Time and time again, we hear about the Martial Arts school that’s losing all their students to a competitor, and the reason why?

The instructors didn’t relay the love they had for the curriculum to their students. On the other hand, we have schools filled with students excited to come to class to see their favourite instructor. Whether it’s in the big hugs or the countless stick figure drawings of your team, you’ll definitely know the impact you’re making on a student.

For our instructors to become positive role models, we owe it to our students and to ourselves to develop an instructor training program. Having assistant instructors alongside your team of certified instructors will improve your program in more ways than one.

The student to instructor ratio automatically decreases. When there are more eyes on the mat, the instructors are less stressed, and happy instructors lead happy students. Not to mention, the parents on the sidelines can see an immediate difference in ease of instruction.

If you’re thinking of starting a new instructor training program, as you should, consider the list of recommendations below.

10 Recommendations for an Instructor Training Program:

1. Be sure to create a name of your instructor training program.

2. Have a Curriculum - list all of the skills - required for your instructors.

For example:

How to start class

How to do your warm up

How to end class (pre-frame the next class)

How to demonstrate the curriculum

How to break down a move (Isolate and Exaggerate) How to disguise repetition How to make corrections Three touch rule

3. Make levels of required skills for instructors to advance and improve.

From example above.

Level 1 being basic instructor skills, the must-have’s.

Level 2 goals are developing enough skill that the assistant instructor can take a small group of students during a break-out in curriculum.

Level 3 goals are to developing enough skill that an instructor, no longer an assistant, can run an entire class.

4. Establish the frequency for your instructor training class. Twice a month is ideal, but you will need to provide feedback to your training students between classes.

5. Decide who will teach the training class. I recommend a senior instructor teaching the class at the start of program.

6. Set additional requirements to be in the instructor training program.

7. Your current instructors will also need to restructure their classes to be able to take advantage of your instructors in training. If the trainees don’t feel their time is being used efficiently they will stop showing up.

8. Determine if you will charge anything for this program. It works well for us that we don’t charge.

DAVE KOVAR

Kovar Systems is dedicated to providing proven products and systems to help owners and operators run their schools

at peak efficiency. Since 1994, Dave Kovar and his team have been providing innovative products and services to the martial arts industry.

The Story of Bringing Martial Artists Together

support@martialartsaustralia.com.au (Graham Slater) — Wed, 26 May 2021 06:00:55 GMT

Bringing Martial Artists Together (originally published in Australasian Martial Arts Nov 2000)

It's not a new thing Martial Artists putting their differences aside to train and learn from each other but, it just does not happen very often. However there is a large group established for over 7 years that has developed especially to bring martial artists together, it is called the International Martial Arts Alliance. The group boasts that it has members in over 15 countries with Regional Directors facilitating training circles in most states of Australia and those countries. Regular meetings are made available in a safe, non-political and friendly learning environment whereby instructors of all styles come together and share their experiences and techniques in a literal melting pot of martial arts knowledge. Participants are free to accept or reject any of the material presented at the meetings. If there is something you would like to take home and share with your students you are encouraged to do so

Although the group was created for mainly karate instructors (hence the name) they only make up around 60% of membership as instructors from most styles are now involved. The IMA was founded in Australia by Graham Slater. It started off initially as a group called the "Circle of Knowledge" , which was developed in the late 1980's. From the "circle" the IMA was officially launched in 1993 with Australia, England and Japan being the founding countries. The organisation continues to grow rapidly with members from new countries joining all the time.

Graham is a 5th Dan in Karate and a veteran of nearly 30 years training in several Karate systems and other martial arts such as Shintaido, Kickboxing, Aikido, Jujitsu and recently the Chinese arts. During his career he has been fortunate enough to have researched and taught in most states of Australia, England, Japan, Thailand, India, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands. Along the way he has trained with many teachers of all ranks and these people have become the basis for the IMA. Having so many highly qualified and experienced teachers involved in the group it was a natural progression to draw upon them to create grading panels. This gives members the opportunity to be officially and credibly evaluated to a higher rank in their own system. Of course there are strict criteria and guidelines to be met in order to keep the value and credibility of the testing system.

The IMA also utilises the talents of its local and overseas instructors to run seminars in specialised subjects capturing most on video as a reference library for all members to access. Videos help the group keep in contact where as long distances prevent some members from attending. Regular Newsletters and the newly set up web site are the main source of communication for members.

The biggest item for us in Australia this year is the Master Camp 2000 which is a 10 day event. We start off with a multi styled weekend camp in Angelsea, Victoria 6th – 8th October then, specialised seminars in several martial arts combined with the World All Styles Organisation (WASO) coaching accreditation workshops. There is also a martial arts Expo being run over this period all in a big lead up to the 2 day WASO Tournament.

The IMA has arranged training tours overseas for many years especially to Japan and Indonesia. It's biggest achievement in this area is the forthcoming China Tour in November, to trace the origins of Karate. The principal tour guide will be Master Tang Laiwei a Wushu exponent of some 30 years who will be making sure everything runs smoothly and all the rights doors open for everyone. The trip starts in Bejing incorporating the Wushu institute, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer palace, Temple of Heaven and the Great Wall to mention a few. Continuing onto the Shaolin Temple and then to Fujian where most of the training will be concentrated. Finally the group will spend 3 days in Shanghai before returning home. The Tour is open to everyone, not just members or martial artists.

Australiasian Fighting Arts magazine Vol 9 No 6

support@martialartsaustralia.com.au (Graham Slater) — Wed, 26 May 2021 05:59:56 GMT

Australasian Fighting Arts magazine Vol 9 No 6 Continuing Traditions of Shotokai Karate From Karate-Do Shotokai Association Australia.

FOLLOWING MASTER Gichin Funakoshi in the style of Shotokan Karate (later to be formed Shotokai Soyu Juku) was senior Shigeru Egami. After the loss of these two masters came another, who is still active in training today Master Yasuo Ikeda, (passed away in 1994).

Master Yasuo Ikeda, who trained under Master Egami, is respected as the highest ranked practitioner of the Shotokai system today. After many years of teaching at universities and his other dojo's, Master Ikeda formed the Soyu Juku Karate circle.

Shotokai Karate is relatively unknown in Australia (Soyu Juku being just the club name ... ) It was introduced to Victoria (Swan Hill) about nine years (1976) ago by a local chemist, David Stynes who, while importing various products, visited Japan quite often. He then helped introduce the style into many country areas.

The Melbourne proponent of the style is Graham Slater, 2nd Dan, who studied many styles but eventually settled on Shotokai as the most suitable and effective for his personal taste and needs. He and his contemporaries practiced in the old, unevolved Shotokai style. However now, with the link with Swan Hill, a strong bond has been created with Japan and a 'new stronger style has resulted.

As instructor of the Melbourne group, Graham Slater has visited Japan twice now (1983 & 85), most recently with a group of Student for training and grade testing. The group of Victorian Karateka experienced three weeks of hard training but emerged from Japan feeling they had learned some important lessons. The Melbourne club has earned Ikeda Sensei's respect and interest, and he is now dispatching his organisation's Chief instructor, Kazunobu Maekawa, 5th Dan, for a month long series of training seminars and demonstrations.

Much of the Karate philosophy and practice of Shotokai Karate is expressed in Master Egami's books, 'The Heart Of Karate' (also known as 'The Way of Karate: Beyond Technique'). The emphasis is on suppleness and flexibility, and generating power with full hip/body movement, and not the half hip recoil action anymore ...

It is also interesting to note that Ikeda Sensei's rank the highest in the Shotokai system is Godan, or 5th Dan. This is because the Shotokai has retained the traditional system, in which Godan was the highest level of the grading hierarchy.

THE END

Australiasian Fighting Arts magazine Vol 11 No 1 Re-introducing our popular – and most requested – former regular feature covering the Martial Arts Stylescene By Graham Slater

IN DESCRIBING the technique of practitioners of the Shotokai style of Karate, one could superficially compare it to the Shotokan style. However, the mind expression is very different when it comes to the technique of Shotokai – which uses principals not unlike those of Aikido, with varied strikes, punching and kicking and so on.

Shotokai seeks to develop the spiritual side of Karate, with emphasis on flexibility, and the true thoughts that the body and mind are one – resulting in a more flexible mind.

The Kihon (basics and line work) is varied of course, but the type most often practiced is “by the count”. The instructor gives the go rei (call) and students proceed up and down the hall executing set techniques. Sometimes go rei is called softly and sometimes loudly. When the go rei is soft the technique is slow and more precise; when loud they are performed as quickly and with as much commitment as possible. The idea is for the student to anticipate the go rei of the instructor, and to move with or slightly before it. Their imagination is that the go rei represents an opponent attacking.

Kate practice involves around twenty different Kates (forms) and they are practiced many ways. The technical side, again, is similar to the Shotokan. Both systems perform Kata in methods such as 'One movement at a time', then 'by sequence'; straight through slow or fast'; or even ‘with eyes closed'. But unlike the Shotokan there is no Kiai (shout) on certain techniques nor is there any pause between movements. Each one flows into the next. This Idea came about when it was decided that kiai would cause tenseness in ft body, and while one paused between techniques, it gave a split second for another opponent to attack.

To, further develop the Karateka physically, mentally and spiritually, Kata can be practiced very quickly actually sacrificing technique for speed to completely exhaust the student This practice is often done with a basic Kata such as Talkyoko Shodan (only consisting of moving In an H pattern with lower block and middle punches). This Kata may be practiced from five to fifteen minutes continuously, sending students Into a daze, even 'non-compus' and dropping to the floor, for the state which the student is trying to reach is a state of 'nothingness' where he can feel and act upon an opponent's attack before the opponent physically moves. This state enables him to feel the intent of an attack. This is Irimi.

Kumite (sparring): as in most Martial Arts there are many ways to practice this. The Shotokai practice little of sanbon or gohon kumite (three or five step prearranged sparring). Jiyu kumite (free sparring) is not practiced. However ippon kumite (one step sparring) is practiced diligently, it is mainly performed in a prearranged fashion with the attacking techniques having bow decided beforehand. The timing is the essence of their defense. The defender almost always moves into the attack as or slightly before the attacker moves. He now steps back; he may sometimes step to the side. This requires accurate timing: for to move forward into an oncoming blow with the wrong timing would surely mean 'suicide'.

The same practice is taken further by the defender having his eyes closed. Another advancement on that is for the attacker to be able to attack at any angle, and eventually the number of attackers can be increased to three, five; beside sight, perhaps hearing, or feeling the attack through vibration. Ultimately he will be relying upon Irimi being developed sufficiently to cope with the random attacks.

Naga waza (continuous technique) is the heart of the Shotokai kumite. Naga waza is split into three sections: naga zuki, naga shuto uchi, and naga geri The naga zuki and nags shuto can be practiced for great lengths of time by senior students sometimes for as long as one hour These movements are advanced practice . and are usually performed from brown belt up, where the student can boon to understand that the true spirit is being developed.

In naga zuki two students bow, then one attacks immediately with a punch. Once executed, the attacker never stops moving. If he has found himself past the defender he will turn and continue with another punch without stopping. This is all at maximum speed. As the two move the defender will block, evade, strike and throw his opponent. Both the attacker and defender create a mind of 'nothingness' and simply act upon each of their intentions.

In this practice there is no winner or loser. The attacker and defender move as one; they are in harmony with each other. After a short time the attacker becomes very weary but still attacks at his maximum speed. His vision might become blurry, his breath may come in gasps and he may lose control of his faculties. At this stage the defender is in full control: guiding the attacker with hand gestures. Although the attacker's energy is diminished he will be summoned with a shout by the defender to attack again and again until there is no physical movement left.

This can also be practiced with, any amount of opponents, from one opponent to the whole of the class.

THE END

GRAHAM SLATER - Interview by Morgan Buchanan (2001)

support@martialartsaustralia.com.au (Graham Slater) — Wed, 26 May 2021 05:57:55 GMT

GRAHAM SLATER - Interviewed by Tai Chi Instructor Morgan Buchanan (2001)

Is there such a place where martial art instructors can further their knowledge without any concerns over style,. grade or title? Well Graham Slater believes there is and he has created many places around the world for it to happen. It all proceeds under the banner of the International Karate Alliance.

This interview is with the Founder/Chairman of the association Sensei Graham Slater, a veteran of the martial arts industry for over 35 years.

MB : What motivated you to start such an organisation?

The main incentive for me was to advance my own skills and knowledge. My instructor packed up unexpectedly leaving me to run a couple of schools on my own. I felt inadequate and started building relations and training with other local karate schools.

MB : Were there many instructors receptive to training together?

In the early 80's there weren't many but at least it was better than the mid-to late 70's when it was really a closed shop. I started by just joining in on their classes. Then if I through it would work I would suggest both our classes combine and train as a one off. With some schools we were able to have regular training session, sometimes tournaments and even weekend camps together.

MB : Was it hard to make these approaches to other instructors?

Yes, it was a bit scary at times going to a school and introducing myself in front of a sea of black belts wanting to try me out. I was not there for the fighting but most people thought I was, so even though the chief instructor may have had the right attitude most times, the students wanted to prove themselves. I understood this and knew most of them would get over it if I kept coming back each week and gave them as good as they gave me.

MB : Did it piss you off that a lot of these black belts wanted to knock your block off?

Well I put myself in that position because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and face a different reality. I just figured that's who they are and where they are at this time and that eventually they would move through it, I was there to learn. I guess it all depends on where you come from. Let me just give you a brief history of my background. In comparison to what I had to deal with as a teenager growing up in the rough streets of Liverpool in the late 60's and early 70's, life in Australia seems pretty tame. There were roaming gangs like packs of lions with average numbers of 30 or so, sometimes ranging up to well over 100. I was just a mere bambi without even a single antler to poke one of them in the eye. Regular beatings in the street and at home made me quite a hardened individual not only physically but emotionally. I relied on stealth and cunning to survive in that jungle but I still got caught about once a month for several years. For a number of years I used to go to the local church dance with my friends and try our luck with the chicks, but before that we would engage in some cage style fighting bouts. A dozen or so of us would go into the back room and fight each other with various styles and rules like : no eye poking, no ball kicking and only one hit after you were knocked to the floor.

There could be anything up to 20 fights per night with each person choosing whether to fight with steel toe cap boots, Dr Martin boots or without any shoes at all. While each fight was in play the rest would watch and try to pick up some good techniques. Some of the guys studied judo or karate but most were just street fighters. Sometimes we would just go in there and show each other different techniques without belting each other up. At any stage during the fight if you had enough you could just call out and stop, then the fight was over and you would shake hands and thank each other. You would always get patted on the back and praised by the others after your fight and this sometimes took some of the pain away. Regularly we would have new people eager to find out what goes on in the noisy back room. If someone did not abide by the rules or was particularly vicious we would all jump in and hammer them, then kick them out. I often came home with red marks all over my body and clothes from a mixture of red tuxan boot polish and blood. I could tell you more tales about growing up on the streets of Liverpool but I'll save that for another day.

I emigrated to Australia with my parents in 1975 and almost immediately took up karate, Kyokushin style. I think this was the right style for me at the time because of the heavy body contact and fighting discipline. Whilst training twice a week in Kyokushin I started kick boxing and Ken Shin Kan karate on other nights, you could say that I was right into it.

In 1979 one by one the schools closed and I found myself without a club to train at. Then I bumped into a Shotokai Karate school run by a mad Scotsman. I will always remember my first class as he matched me against all of his purple and brown belts. "Ah so you've done Kyokushin have you, I bet you like sparring." he said. One by one they lined up, around 15 of them all ready to try and clobber me. For all you Kyokushin practitioners reading this, I didn't let you down, you trained me well and I didn't hold back. Fortunately none of the Shotokai guys had practiced full contact sparring before and thought I was going to back off when they landed a blow. I was pretty pissed off at the instructor for putting me on the spot like that and consequently displaying my annoyance by systematically introducing his students to what thigh kicks were and my personal favorite, elbows and knees to the head and body. As I was going through them I was aware that some of them did not want to be there but had to keep face, so I eased off on them. At the endof the bouts I didn't know whether to walk out and tell them all to get f*#*#* but I ended up staying for three years and eventually took over the school when the teacher retired.

From that day on I was always prepared to spar such students when I entered a new school. These days I am rarely challenged "touch wood" but sometimes when I run a special seminar people try to take liberties in sneaky ways even to the point of someone almost breaking my back. Now I am very cautious and sometimes stand offish to people who who seem too reckless, it's just not worth it, I don't have anything to prove, I will just walk away. Egos pop up everywhere when you least expect it, that is the only thing that disappoints me about the martial arts industry. I know the ego is just a part of human nature and we all need it because it is what gives us motivation. However we would be better served if we all keep it on a short leash.

MB : Why do you think people try to take cheap shots at you?

I believe that it is not just me. It is all those people who put themselves on the line, such as those who lend their body to someone at a seminar. I think some people believe that they should be doing my job. Perhaps they think that I got here by fighting and showing people that I can take a punch. For those people who think that this job is up for the taking and all you need to do is get in a hit on me, forget it, just ask me and it's yours. I play the role of chairman, I am the founder and I have the last say in the direction of the IMA. However I am influenced by members suggestions and I try to make the right decisions based upon their input and my own research.

Basically I work for the members as a facilitator, I coordinate things and get it all happening, I often finance projects out of my own pocket, but not so often now as in the past. We have more member support and I have to listen to the sensible voice of my dear wife. Now I tend to run activities that are financially viable. They are more likely to be successful and therefore of more benefit to the members and participants.

MB : Now tell me how you developed the IMA from a group of six melbourne Martial arts instructors to hundreds of martial arts schools internationally?

Well you see I waved my magic wand and it all just happened! In fact the reality is that I kept sending invitations to instructors from all styles to participate in various training events other than tournaments. Some responded, some didn't, other times I worked three jobs to get enough money to travel around australia and to various countries to train with anyone who would teach me. I was definitely guided to these places and people by some overseeing energy or spirit because I have trained with some amazing people and we didn't meet by coincidence.

For instance I have just flown into Tokyo and a friend said, "why don't you go and train with this person." To which I've responded "But he teaches in 80 odd countries, he would be too busy."

My friend said "Yes but his Mexican seminar has been cancelled so we can have lunch with him and train after that."

I have been so lucky at being in the right spot at the right time with may teachers I refers to as the gods of the martial arts world. I've been able to train with extraordinary martial artists and consequently been privileged to make some life long friends along the way. I spend a lot of my time corresponding with all these people, sending gifts and visiting them when I can and this has helped me maintain good relations and develop the IMA.

MB : What's new for you right now?

I have taken many teams to Japan over the years and hope to go again soon with the biggest team ever.

MB : What sort of team are you taking?

I'm inviting instructors and their students from all style of martial arts to allow me to show them some of the Japan that I know. We will train in a variety of different martial arts, do demonstrations, see the sights and experience the culture "big time" in places like Tokyo, Nikko, Kyoto and Osaka. There are limited placed because I will have special guest accompanying us along the way and I want everyone to fit on the one coach. Those who want to find out more can check out the upcoming events on the web site. We run international tours every year.

MB : Where are you with your own training these days?

I've gone all internal so to speak, I've been studying Tai Chi and Chi Kung with a few friends and really enjoying it. I have been putting together a new training system over the past five years called Reikijitsukai. It combined my knowledge of Karate, Aikido, Jujitsu, Shintaido, Chi Kung, Tai Chi and Reiki Healing. My body has changed and become more relaxed and fluid, it feels so good to train this way. Since I have incorporated the esoteric healing energies of reiki into my training it has become more powerful and gives me the results I'm looking for. Now lets save the Reikijitsukai for a whole new article because there is a lot more I would like to share on that subject.

MB : Okay well I guess we can leave it there, thank you very much for your time Sensei Slater.

It was a pleasure, thank you for yours Morgan.

The Glenn Coxon Story

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 11:51:10 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

Glenn Coxon has been practising martial arts for 52 years. During his long career, he’s been State and Australian champion many times over and has trained in China, Japan and the US with some of the top names in martial arts. As a practitioner at the top of his game he has trained actors in Hollywood for roles with martial arts action including Kylie Minogue, Raul Julia, Brian Dennehy, John Cusack and Micky Rourke. Most exciting for Glenn was when he got the chance to be Chuck Norris’s training partner. Glenn recounts the first time they met: “I’m standing opposite him and I’ve got this grin from ear-to-ear and he asks me what I’m grinning about.” Glenn’s response was: “I know it sounds really corny but I’ve followed your career all my life and I can’t believe I’m standing opposite you to train. I’m just blown away.”

Glenn is 59 and married with three grown-up children and one grandchild. He’s not the only member of the family bitten by the martial arts bug. His daughter Summerly holds the women’s record for the most amount of boards broken in one minute. It was at that event that a seed was sown. The adjudicator showed Glenn an advance copy of the 2016 Guinness World Record book. He was reading the smashing and breaking section and came across the world record for fastest to break 1,000 boards. The time was 20 minutes and 33 seconds. His response was: “Are you kidding? My record is 359 in one minute. Did he stop for lunch?” That’s when he decided it was time to attempt a new world record.

In 2014 Glenn was preparing for another world record attempt when he went to the doctor with a sore throat. His doctor noticed a cyst on his neck. Glenn was sent for a scan, the result being that he found himself in a room with six professors, associate professors and doctors, all with their arms crossed. “They didn’t need to say anything. I found out it was stage 4 cancer of the neck.” The cancer was very advanced and the doctors told Glenn that they needed to hit it with absolutely everything they had. His only hope was a very aggressive approach. He underwent two rounds of surgery. His tonsils, some teeth, part of the tongue and part of the throat were removed in a bid to find the origin of the cancer. It turned out to be a neck cancer of unknown origin. Meanwhile, it was metastasising. It was heading out of the neck and down to the shoulder towards the aorta, and up into the neck towards the brain.

After the second intensive surgery Glenn had to learn how to eat again, his tongue wouldn’t work, he couldn’t swallow and his voice sounded strange. He had five weeks to recover before embarking on chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the same. His wife Jo-Anne became an expert on diet and nutrition. She devised meal plans both to boost Glenn’s immune system and also to create an environment that was hostile to cancer growth. To get through it, Glenn drew upon his martial arts training. He was sitting on the ward with some other very sick patients when he had a moment of clarity. He said to himself: “What are you doing feeling sorry for yourself? You’ve got every potential; you’ve got everything to live for.” He decided it was time to fight. That’s when he started to view his cancer journey as a series of battles. “I was in a war that I didn’t want to be in. I’m an old samurai warrior and I live by the samurai code. The type of karate I do is called Bushido-Kai. It has a moral which is the way of the warrior. The warrior code is that you never give up.”

All those years of training just switched on for Glenn. The retired warrior was being dragged back into one more war. It was time to put a battle plan together. In accepting that he was at war he understood that if he planned, he had a better chance of winning the battle. Surgery was the first battle. Once he’d conquered that one, he had another realisation. “I thought, you know what? I’m going to make a comeback from this so well that I’m going to make an attack on my own world record.” His surgeon at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse was Associate Professor Sydney Ch’ng. Glenn says: “Sydney removed the tumour from the nerve attached to my shoulder meticulously. The tumour was wrapped around the nerve. I could have lost the use of my shoulder and arm.” Sydney knew about the Glenn’s plans for a comeback. She did everything she could to ensure he’d retain the use of his shoulder and arm.

Glenn has been preparing for the world record attempts for about a year and a half. He’s confident that this is his time. On 6 August he’s taking a team up to the Gold Coast to the Go-Kan-Ryu Karate International World Cup where he’ll attempt two Guinness World Records: the fastest to break 1,000 pine boards; and the most people to break a pine board simultaneously in one location. “We’ll have 500 people going ready, set, crack. That will sound like a bomb going off!”.

The OLDER we get, the more we must TRAIN

support@martialartsaustralia.com.au (Graham Slater) — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 13:42:32 GMT

It would be fair to say, that there wouldn’t be many senior martial artists over 50 who haven’t had their fair share of injuries and other challenges interrupting their training. We no doubt question how long can we can continue training and this is normal. I believe we can continue until to the day we die, within the right parameters. For me, longevity in training is about a number of things: modifying what you do, listening to your body, watching and talking to other senior people doing it well, varying what you do to reactivate muscles you don’t normally use, pushing yourself to greater limits but for shorter periods (pant get out of breath) but have a longer recovery time, having more sleep, hydrating more often (as you need more water at this age to minimises headaches and cramps), fuelling your body with the right foods, fasting regularly and take supplements (more on what I take later) this all helps the body maintain optimum balance. Science proofs the main aspect is the mind in respect to your attitude in training. I will give you some examples in my next post.

The main thing is never forget you are still a student and keep learning this way you are always striving for a new goal. Many of us feel we don’t have the time to train as regularly as we would like to, I say crap, you can always find time. It just has to be YOUR PRIORITY, make work and family commitments come second / third on the list. Think about how good you feel when you have that training session (unhurried, no outside thoughts / distractions). More importantly you can give back more in all the other areas once your needs are fulfilled. You are then better prepared to tackle your daily commitments (with a good helping of endorphins). I feel it’s especially important to also seek a mentor because it’s a lot easier to get pushed by someone you trust, than push yourself.

Coaches are watching, guiding and picking up things you can’t see yourself. It’s such a luxury and privilege to have one, especially when they use their intuition to guide you rather than a fixed program. A senior coach may not demonstrate some moves in the most dynamic manner but they come with loads of experience and they can read your body more intuitively.

I’m fortunate to have people around me with very diverse skills / knowledge (martial arts / business) some that don’t even know they are coaching me. For me it can be just watching their actions, training with them, or the way they conduct themselves (with respect, integrity, honour, courtesy, humility) that helps me strive to be better in what I do for myself and share with others. In closing today, move it or lose it, seek support and make every interaction with people an exchange of energy so all parties receive something of value and don’t feel reluctant, if this includes money.

Circle of Knowledge Training is back on the agenda at a more acceptable time for many.

Graham Slater - Blitz Article Vol 23 No 6

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 11:51:09 GMT

An interview with Graham Slater that appeared in Blitz Magazine (this is not the exact published interview so please purchase a back issue of Blitz to read it Vol 23 No 6

1. The IMA's stated primary aim is to bring martial artists together to cross-train and share knowledge. What value would you place on this aspect of what the IMA does — what has it done for you personally as a martial artist and instructor?

After cutting my teeth on hard karate styles ‘Goju, Kyokushin & Shotokan' my view on martial arts was it had to be hard, fast and brutally powerful. There was no room in my mind for soft and circular – Aikido, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, etc. I was ignorant and dismissed other styles if they didn't look a certain way on the surface.

As my experience in martial arts grew and my mind began to open to other possibilities, I formed the IMA Circle of Knowledge so that instructors from all schools could come together and share their knowledge and unique skills with each other.

This process opened my mind, not only to new techniques but also to new philosophies and cultures and has been one of the most important elements in my growth as a martial artist. Many of our members report similar experiences to me.

2. How is this sharing facilitated? (Describe how the IMA works in this capacity)

We hold our well-known “Circle of Knowledge” open training sessions where various instructors will teach their favourite topic for say twenty minutes at a time over a 2-3 hour session. Everyone who attends is free to accept or reject anything that is presented, no egos, just friendly training.

Imagine performing a technique you thought was very effective and when you tried it on a person from another style it didn't work? This is a fear many instructors face when they move outside of their comfort zone but, for martial arts, we need to get out of that space if we want to learn and grow.

At our training sessions everyone comes in on an equal footing and the structure ensures that no one looses face. The atmosphere is open and members tell me that the have fun, learn new things and feel encouraged to introduce those new skills to their own students.

As IMA membership grew we set up these types of training sessions in each state, headed by a regional director. Before we knew it we had numerous schools around the world asking if they could do the same. We have since had instructors travel from one country to another, training at various IMA flagged schools and being warmly welcomed.

Sharing knowledge is the founding concept of the IMA and as our membership has expanded we have developed the model to provide a complete range of services for our members and their schools. As a large association we have been able to search out and negotiate better deals on everything from insurance to martial arts equipment to industry specific training courses and so our initial idea of sharing knowledge has expanded to help instructors with their business as well as their training.

3. Give us an example of a great experience you've had as a result of this…

I've been running the IMA and the Circle of Knowledge for over 15 years now and every time we meet and share our skills I come away with something new that makes me re-evaluate and improve my art. That's a great experience to my way of thinking. Recently though, being involved with the IMA has opened the way to some interesting experiences.

I've trained in the Shotokan katas for 30+ years but haven't had a direct teacher since 1988. Anyway, for some years I had heard about a very interesting teacher in South Africa. I then read some articles about him, watched his videos and thought that I would love to learn from him. He used to run a huge karate group over there (20,000+ students) and then he immigrated to Australia. I'm talking about Sensei Stan Schmidt. Being part of the IMA led me to being invited to another association's function where I met Sensei Schmidt.

I'm always bringing instructors together and arranging for people to train so it's nice when it happens to me. Now I have private lessons with Sensei Schmidt and have found a new appreciation for Shotokan karate and how to apply my technique with more impact. I'm always looking for new ways to improve.

Here's another recent anecdote. I'm always inviting members of other associations to come to our training sessions and functions. Because we are always offering the hand of friendship and cooperation we often find that spirit reciprocated in kind. A few years back the Bob Jones Corporation invited me to one of their national weekend camps. I was the only outsider to train on that camp and it was a fantastic experience.

4. Tell us a little bit about your development as a martial artist — what is the system you teach personally, and how have you drawn from all your various training in putting together your syllabus?

I started studying martial arts some 35 years ago with Goju karate in England. When I came to Australia I started training in two karate styles Kyokushin and Shotokan and kickboxing. No one told me I had to focus on only one art; I just wanted to gain as many skills as I could in the fastest time frame.

Those clubs closed and I found myself doing another style of karate called Shotokai but I also had friends that did Aikido and Ju Jitsu so I would train with them too.

When I started travelling through Asia I was introduced to several new methods, including an esoteric art called Shintaido. Recently, I've been working with Shaolin Monks, since we are involved in sponsoring them to come to Australia to teach.

In 1997 I combined all that I believed to be important in a martial arts and created Reikijitsu Kai which combines Shotokai karate, Aikido, JuJutsu, Tai Chi, Shintaido and the energy healing elements from Qigong and Reiki.

My students want to know if I'm going to add elements of Shaolin Kung Fu to the list of arts in Reikijitsu? At this point I'm just having fun learning their dynamic forms and trying not to pull too many muscles in the process.

5. I notice the IMA is promoted as a ‘peak body' in the martial arts industry. There has been some confusion in recent years, with some martial arts industry groups claiming to be ‘the' peak body, when in fact there are many recognised peak bodies. Can you briefly explain what a peak body is and how the IMA fits this tag?

There are some individuals and groups that feel that this tag should be exclusive to them because they don't want competition. Some feel that an association must be a National Sport Body (NSO) recognisted by the Australian Sports Commission to be a peak body, but you don't.

The main benefit of being an NSO is the access you have to government funding and we have never needed it because of the way we manage and invest funds. We do qualify to be a NSO and it is something we are considering purely to enable us to sponsor athletes from any style or school. I've seen superb athletes competing in the NAS and other mixed styled tournaments and I think that they should have every right to access government sponsorship along with swimmers and cyclists.

With an industry as diverse as martial arts we can't say that any one individual or association is ‘the' peak body. From the IMA's point of view, we didn't just decide to start calling ourselves a “peak body”. It has been a term that government, corporations and other groups have used to describe us, for a long time, because of the things we do.

We examined a university study that defines a “peak body” (the document can be viewed on our website) and decided that the term was an acceptable label for the functions we perform :

•Serve industry needs through active consultation;
•Provide extensive services and products to industry;
•Contribute to education and provide support and direction;
•Provide a strong and united voice for the industry on state and national levels;
•Generate and maintain a position of trust, confidence and respect in the industry;
•Facilitate the availability of nationally recognised training;
•Lobby and work with local and national levels of government;
•Liaise with corporations – insurance companies
•Work to promote/expand and project the industry's profile;
•Become a reference point through industry expertise and knowledge;
•Represent a substantial portion of the industry (large membership base);
•May be a private company, government dept or a non profit association;
•Governance should be transparent, with regular open industry-wide meetings.

6. What are the biggest issues facing martial arts instructors and school owners, in your opinion, and what services does the IMA have in place to assist with these?

I make it a point to try and answer the phone and read my emails personally so I can keep my finger on the pulse. By communicating with around 1500 instructors each month I feel confident I can answer your question accurately. These are the top four issues facing instructors and school owners:

• Lack of information on changing legislation relating to martial arts.

Many instructors are looking over their shoulder for fear of the government preventing them from teaching. It's not an unwarranted fear either. There are a lot of people who are not being approved for the Working with Children check. We feel it is our job to inform as many instructors as possible about changes in government policies and help them work within the law.

(2&3) Appropriate qualifications & insurance

More instructors are being asked by consumers and venue hirers if they are appropriately qualified and possess insurance. The fact is many instructors, from a legal standpoint, don't have suitable qualifications to teach martial arts and as a result find it hard to obtain insurance at affordable rates.

The IMA helps instructors “up-skill” their qualifications and notifies them whenever there are changes to legislation that they need to address.

(4) Finding a working model for a successful school or association.

Instructors want to know the best method of recruiting and retaining more students. The truth is there is no single method and what works for one school may not necessarily work for another.

We recruit consultants and successful school owners to share their business models on our seminars. If an instructor can't attend the seminar we will still send them out materials so that they can continue to learn and be exposed to new ideas. I meet a lot of instructors that have years of martial arts experience and high level skills but are still unsure as to how to run their school as a business. This is where we can help. The IMA is about sharing the knowledge martial artists need to succeed in all aspects of their art.

7. This month, the government's ‘Working With Children' check system will come into force. How will that affect instructors and what involvement, if any, will the IMA have in helping roll out this legislation?

The legislation is quite clear. Any instructors paid or unpaid, coaching anyone deemed to be a child (under 18 years of age) without a WWC would be breaking the law.

The IMA has been approached by the Justice Department to help inform as many instructors as possible. Our role has been to arrange industry meetings, circulate material to the members and associates on our database and post the forms and information on our website.

The next big issue will be weapons licensing and how it restricts instructors from teaching their curriculum. It is an issue that is a major concern for over 50% of all martial arts schools in Australia and I want to make sure that the martial arts community understands the legislation and how they can work within it or work to change it.

Shi Xing Jun Blitz interview

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 10:51:10 GMT

Shi Xing Jun Blitz interview - Interview with Shaolin Warrior Monk Shi Xing Jun Questions compiled by Graham Slater & Ben Stone (this is not the exact published version)

Shi Xing Jun 30th generation Shaolin Monk one of the head coaches at the Temple teaching over 10,000 students in both China and Taiwan . Find out more about BLITZ

Interesting note: Whilst Shi Jun was staying at his host's home in Box Hill he decided do some early morning exploring and jogged to Port Melbourne and back again without any assistance (over 40 kils round trip)

1. Shi Jun you have been involved in martial arts since you could basically walk, how did that come about?
My father is quite a well known master and he took the time to start teaching me as soon as I could move I think. I really loved the training so much I kept wanting to do more and more even at that early age. When I saw the Shaolin Temple on TV and ask my father about it I immediately wanted to go. My father kept putting me off for what felt like years thinking I was going through a phase. I know there were a few reasons why they were trying to discourage me especially as I was the youngest of seven in the family. I think my father may have also thought I might not be able to stick at it and want to come home. This would have been very bad for my father as he would have lost face not just as a father but also as a martial arts master. If anyone quits and wants to leave they basically have to walk through everyone's legs like a dog and it is very shameful for everyone.

2. What was it like when you first arrived at the Temple aged eight, knowing that your family was more than a thousand kilometres away?
I knew I was on my own and remember being both nervous and excited at the same time. I had pleaded with my parents for a long time to come here and now I had my wish. I knew I had to do my best because I wanted to prove to my father that this was the right choice. It was easy to take my mind off missing my family because I was totally focused on the ground the sky, Buddha and martial arts training. What I mean is the environment of the temple in the mountains and the masters allowed me to focus without distraction on all the things I wanted to learn.

3. How did your day start when got there?
All Mon ks at the Temple start training the same way in conditioning the body. I chose a particular master who took his disciples to the top of the mountain high above the Temple for my conditioning training. I spent the next four years there my mother visited me after two years and a year later I had a short holiday to see the rest of my family.

4. What was a typical day like at the Temple when you were growing up?

I would get up like everyone else at 4am then meditate and pray for an hour. Straight after that it was a run to the top of the mountain and other conditioning exercises before breakfast. We would then do some study like a normal school and then do my kung fu, then lunch and the same again and again. After dinner until we have lights at 9.00pm we have our own time to reflect of do more training. As you get more senior you get to do other things like go on tour with the performance team.

5. Has you father's teachings influenced you much over the years?

Yes my father has been a great inspiration having taught me some techniques not performed in the temple. I see him as often as I can but being a very senior coach now my teaching schedule takes me all over the world. I have just come back from 8 months teaching in Taiwan and will return there again before returning to the Temple in July.

6. There is so much history and mystery surrounding the Shaolin Temple , with the ability to perform super human feats what is it that makes the Warrior Monks so powerful?

It is our training and commitment to the tasks we are given. We are totally committed to focusing on our training without distraction. We live in an environment that gives us inspiration and we have the very best teachers to guide us.

7. Do Monks still do the hand conditioning like driving their hands in caldrons of sand and pebbles etc?

I have practised the strikes into sand to develop strong hands for the chin na training because you need to have a strong grip. The gravel and pebbles training is specifically to obtain the iron palm technique. This is for those who want to specialise in this, not me.

8. What are the options for Chinese students in the Temple do they all do the same training for a set time and then get to specialise?

Yes they all do the same training, the same conditioning, the same forms, the same combat etc. After they have completed what could be called an inturn program they can then specialise in certain aspects of Shaolin Kung Fu. For example some Monks may want to work more in Chin Na or San Da to polish their combative skills while other may develop select forms.

9. I understand the Temple is becoming more progressive and open to allowing westerners to train. What opportunities are there for foreigners wanting to study martial arts?

Of course it is not as open as it is for a Chinese to live in' student but there are great opportunities for foreigners to spend long periods of time studying Kung Fu and related arts. Foreigners can just train there for a very short time if they want but they wouldn't learn much.

10. Can foreigners chose their own master or is one allocated to them and can a person request what he / she wants to learn? If a person has researched a master and wants to learn from them they can put in that request and depending on a number of factors, learn from them. Choosing specifically what they want to learn might be difficult because a student is assessed to see if they can handle the training and generally techniques will be taught befitting their abilities.

11. I believe there are over 300 forms practised at the Temple does anyone know them all?

There are only a few people and I am one of them that has learnt all of the 300 set forms. There are around 300 speciality masters or keepers of the forms in the Temple that have totally mastered their chosen forms.

12. What do you have to do to maintain that extensive list of forms?

I go through all of the forms each week basically covering over forty per day along with other training routines.

13. How many people train in the Temple grounds each day?

There are a number of Kung Fu schools in the grounds with around 30,000 students and in the township of Deng Feng there are probably three times that many.

14. What are your teaching duties in the Temple ?

When I am in the Temple I work with the demonstration teams and work to maintain the forms and teach at all levels. I was appointed the head of Taiwan last year and have been teaching there for the last eight months.

15. What are your studying at the moment?

I am studying the inner teaching of Budhha which involves lots of sutras, rituals and chanting and this has helped improve my Kung Fu.

16. What are your favourite weapons?

As you know we practise eighteen weapons and my favourites would be the whip, long pole and straight sword.

17. Has the warrior or soldier monk's role change over the years and what are the main functions today?

No we still do what we have always done sleep, train, eat and study Buddha. What has changed is we have better beds instead of sleeping on hollowed out trees to real beds with mattresses. We no longer have to fetch water from the wells because we have piped water, thanks to support from the government and private donations.

18. One of things I noticed with all of the elite warrior monks is their incredibly strong legs. I've seen monks run ups trees and walls and jump so high in the air, what do you have to do to develop that power?

We train hard and that ability and other feats are a product of our hard training. To understand what it takes to do these feats can only be discovered by training in Shaolin Kung Fu.

19. Can you take me through an average day at the Temple ? what would you do in a day? Get up at 4.00am and meditate / pray for one hour, then train until 7.00am and have breakfast. 8.00am more training and Buddha study until 12.30 lunch. 1.30pm more of the same unless we are developing a performance team of teaching until 5.30pm. At 6.30pm we have another two hours of training until we retire at 9.00pm.