Full classes are a solid base for a healthy Martial Arts club. School owners and instructors thriving businesses rely on efficient time and resources management, so keeping an optimal class size is important.
There are, however, more reasons why retention of Martial Arts students is important. And not just to instructors and school owners, but to the students themselves.
Why is retention an issue?
The average timespan of Martial Arts students as active participants is hard to figure, and I doubt if that number will be meaningful anyway. The number of adults, however, who had some experience with Martial Arts is stunning, a 1000 participant study that was conducted in the US suggests that 21% of American adults (head of household) have taken Martial Art at some point. Only 2.8% of them are active Martial Art practitioners to this day. This suggests the high turnover rates of new students.
From a school or club owner’s point of view, the efforts invested in each active student is huge. It involves intensive marketing and sales, tedious onboarding, and a naturally high rate of early dropouts.
Balancing a healthy stream of new students to compensate for those who leave is crucial. So students’ dropout rate translates directly into budget and effort, and students’ retention is a major factor of having a sustainable business.
From the instructor’s perspective, senior students guarantee viability and continuity of the learning environment. It is good to have an experienced student by your side, to tutor the beginners and young students, and having your students evolve into homegrown instructors is a rewarding and fulfilling experience.
The Martial Art student, too, suffers from the negative effects of the class participants’ turnover, both directly and indirectly.
As a practitioner, It is easier to maintain practicing habits and routines when you are a part of a group of likewise students. This doesn’t necessarily have to be an organic homogeneous group. Spending time with the same people a few times a week while sharing mutual experiences creates social bonding, and that translates into commitment. The student is obligated to his group mates and feels uncomfortable skipping classes. Some groups of participants serve as a formal commitment keeper, encouraging each other via a dedicated Whatsapp group, and making sure to report each absence.
Students learn by example, and having enough senior students in class gives them someone to follow and echo.
As a student, Imagining yourself as a high ranked practitioner is easier when you see examples of others who walked the same path.
Reducing class turnover and student retention are key factors of the student-instructor-school triangle. Surprisingly there are not too many studies and research in this area, so this post is based mostly upon the information I collected in online forums, Facebook groups, Qoura.com answers, and my own humble research of Martial Arts participation habits.
There seems to be a few repetitive few termination patterns among Martial Arts students.
Most sources I examined mentioned three distinct profiles of students prone to quitting: First is the early-stage dropout, which will leave after one single class or maximum of several months.
The second type is an experienced practitioner, who lost his passion for multiple reasons. He spent enough time practicing to gain some knowledge and progress, but something prevents him from turning Martial Art into a lifestyle and a lasting habit.
The last profile is the black belter, who fulfilled his lifelong dream to own a black belt. Once he earned one, paradoxically, it became his excuse for quitting. This is maybe the most frustrating case, from an instructor’s perspective.
In this post, I chose to cover adult student’s habits and retention. When it comes to teenagers and kids, the circumstances and dynamics are different and need to be examined when considering the parent-child relationship, and youth-related dynamics such as social circles impact, social media affect, “need for acceptance” and the part role models take in growing up.
Adult practitioners, hopefully, have more freedom to make educated decisions when it comes to their lifestyle. The decision to start participating in Martial Art classes is presumably genuine and is answering a need the adult believes he or she has.
As Martial Arts holds many proven benefits, it could be that the potential student is drawn by the practical combating aspects, interested in building mental strength and resilience, looking for a safe way to release stress, or simply wants to become or keep physically fit.
One of the common reasons for dropping off at early stages, therefore, is the lack of correlation between the student’s goals, and the nature of the Martial Art system he chose to participate in. (This topic was recently discussed in the post: “The art of choosing a Martial Art” in this blog)
The “first encounter” dropouts
Quotes:
“It wasn’t at all what I thought it would be“
“It’s sort of cool that people are putting themselves out there and trying out martial arts, finding that it isn’t for them”
The first-encounter dropouts range between leaving after the first class to a maximum of a couple of months. What they found at the dojo was probably very different from what they imagined it to be, and they stick around till they come to realize that.
This is, of course, not the best case from the instructor’s point of view, but for the student, it might be the best scenario. Some students, especially those with no MA background, need to experiment with a few different types of systems before making a long term commitment. The presumptions and myths around Martial Arts are often deceiving, so you cannot really blame them. A brief taste of the discipline, over a class or two, might be enough for them. Doing so, they not only get the taste of the discipline, but also sense the learning pace, the atmosphere in the class, the dynamics between the instructor and other students, and the age/gender mixture of their classmates.
Armed with this experience and knowledge, they might continue to experiment, and hopefully, will find what they are looking for.
What should you do as an instructor?
Nothing much really. This is part of the regular students’ onboarding routine and if you have a few years of experience in teaching you are probably used to this and can spot the “experimenting” type from a distance.
However, you can try minimizing this phenomenon by using your first encounter with prospective students who are taking interest in your class, providing them with clear and coherent information about what the class practices are. Make sure they have some basic knowledge and understand what is the nature of the system that you are teaching.
Don’t count on Youtube to give them this information, as they will likely get to watch “best knockout” compilations or questionable street fight scenes.
It might be a good idea to refer them to your Facebook/Instagram page or website for a recorded video of the training. You can also have them talk to one of your senior students, which comes from a similar background to theirs, and can share some first-hand insights.
Always remember that these bypassers, though spend very little time at your class, are also an important part of your network and can become avid ambassadors if treated right. Make them feel welcome, accept their choice, and respect their decision.
The (too) practical student
Setting personal development goals and meeting them is considered a good thing. But what if this means spending years practicing Martial Arts and then quitting, just because a goal, that was set years before, was finally met?
A person might practice Martial Art as a part of a bigger plan and set himself further goals. He might set himself a time-based goal (“I’ll do one year of Karate”). He can choose a skill, or rank-based goal (a common one in MA: a black belt), or he can choose an external goal like losing weight or getting fit. While engaged in Martial Arts practicing, the mission-driven person is dedicated and devoted. He may or may not share his goals with his mates and instructor, intentionally or not.
In any of the cases above, once reaching his goal, the student will naturally experience a (brief) sense of achievement, followed by a natural motivation decline.
Some practitioners will overcome this episode and realize that they have enough reasons to go on. The initial reason, whatever that was, that made them start practicing Martial Art is no longer relevant.
Some students, however, will move on with their journey to pursue their next destination.
As an instructor, once you realized that the student is off as part of a plan, and for a well-thought reason, there is not much you can or should do to keep him. The best thing to do is to offer him any help he might need, and make him feel welcome if he ever wants to come back.
As this is not a case of motivation loss, you can cautiously inquire about his next goals, and see if in any way they could align with anything in the Martial Art discipline. You might be able to come with fresh new ideas to help the student find new purpose and meaning within the discipline. For example, a senior student might find a new interest in becoming an instructor or taking upon himself setting up competitions or tournaments. This can bring him new thrills and keep him practicing.
The third type of quitting is the most common. Most adult students will quit Martial Art due to loss of motivation. Statistics are cruel, and it is inevitable that most martial art participants will quit at some point. Improving retention even by a few percent can mean a lot to the school, the instructor, and first of all to the practitioners.
The unmotivated student
Quote: “I want to carry on, but the magic is gone”
Some students stick around long enough to gain actual progress, they might even do well and you can sense their potential, but then they suddenly quit. Unlike the “first encounter” quitters, these people already invested time and effort into Martial art, they are aware of what it takes to gain improvement, they understand the required sacrifices, and were willing to play along for some time. These made the majority of students who are quitting Martial Arts.
There are many triggers for quitting. What’s common to all is that circumstances made the practitioner reprioritize his efforts, time or money, and Martial Art was just not appealing enough. When this happens, habits break and it is hard to keep up with the Martial Art routines.
You might argue that if this is the case, then those students never really put their hearts into it, and it was just a matter of time till they dropped out. This might be true, but there are many students who quit one school or cease to practice a specific discipline just to find themselves months or years later falling in love again with Martial Arts and go back to practice somewhere else.
Other students will never go back, but most of them will embrace this era of their lives, keep bragging, and mentioning their past rank, won trophies or achievements for many years later.
The point is that once a person found his way into Martial Arts once, and stayed long enough, it was no coincidence. The will and the potential exist, so it is just a matter of circumstances. Given the right conditions, this person can fulfill his desire for Martial Arts.
We can distinguish between external and internal triggers as a cause for enthusiasm drop off. The external triggers derive from life circumstances, family, physical and mental condition, while the internal triggers involve the Martial Art school, curriculum, and off-course, the instructor.
External triggers for quitting Martial Arts
The following quitting triggers might apply to other routines in the adult student life, but Martial Arts offer ways to overcome or ease the negative effect of some of them.
Family issues
A change in family status, like a new partner or a newborn baby, considered a common reason to reshuffle priorities. Adjusting to new challenges and the need to accommodate new tasks and routines often make us neglect existing habits, good or bad.
Adult students,(like any other adult), experience a variety of events in their lives. Martial Art can give a person the tools and resilience to better face life challenges, physical and mental. paradoxically, exactly when those practitioners need the support and backing that Martial Art practicing can offer, they turn their backs on it and quit.
What can you, as an instructor, do? Staying in close contact with your students will help you to anticipate some of the changes in their lives. For example, when someone expects her first child, you will probably adjust her training so it matches the changes she is going through. You can also discuss with her the ways of going back to shape after giving birth and plan an agenda together with her, so this happy event will not become her farewell party to her career as Martial Artist.
Other events, less fortunate, like divorce or breaking up with a partner, can also get spotted by the watchful instructor. A student going through emotional pain and inner struggle will only do good by focusing his attention on training.
Martial Art practicing helps in achieving a sense of control over life. Focusing a troubled mind on forms practicing, or exhausting the body in a dynamic sparring session can help calm a troubled mind.
Work issues
Work is where most adults spend a significant part of their time. Same as with family, and maybe even more, changes at work impacts life’s priorities and shakes the balanced tower of cards of modern lives.
Just like with family issues, Martial Art can offer a safe and stable area in the student’s life that will help him cross the hard times.
Here, too, an attentive instructor can help his students go through hard times. This can be by adjusting the curriculum or lessons schedule to any restrictions or limitations his students have, offering them alternatives and workarounds to their constraints, or facilitating a short vacation from practicing when needed.
The positive effects of Martial Arts practicing can help practitioners if they only maintain their practice routines.
Social circles affect
Being a social species, behavioral norms and social conventions plays a significant role in everybody’s lives, and Martial Arts practitioners are no exception.
We like to believe that an adult individual can freely choose what to do with his free time, and the real battle is with his own preconceptions and false beliefs. There is, however, a notable impact of friends, social, and cultural circles. In a closed and orthodox religious environment, for instance, it might be hard for a student to justify participating in a mixed-gender class.
Some might consider the rituals and philosophies underlying some martial arts, as an activity that is a threat to their religious practice, hence forbidden.
As an instructor, once you are aware of such a conflict that the student might have, it is important to find a thoughtful way to bring this up with him and speak about it. In most cases, giving the student clear information and answering his concerns is enough for equipping him with the right tools to stand up and defend his grounds.
In other cases, you might want to dive deeper and ask to meet people that influence the student. You can have those influencers over for a class, as spectators or even participants. Who knows, you might end up with a few new student :-).
Injuries
As basic as it sounds, keeping your students safe and sound is critical when it comes to adult Martial Arts students. Adult students are more likely to get injured or suffer multiple injuries (35% more than practitioners under 18 years old). Numbers vary based on discipline, and so does the nature of injuries, but you get the idea.
Recovery time increases with age, too. A 45-year-old Martial Artist will require extra time (15% to 18% more) to heal than his 30-year-old sparring partner.
Another risk factor is the practitioner’s weight. Studies have shown a correlation between a student’s weight and age to their likelihood to get injured.
Don’t count on your adult students to act sensible and mature when sparring. A middle-aged beginner student might be surprisingly impulsive and careless while sparring, hurting himself and his partner. Not exactly what you would expect from a respectable accountant and a father of 3. Introduce sparring gradually. Do not count on a self-proclaimed experience that the student might or might not have. Keep an open eye and do not allow free sparring sessions until you are comfortable with your students’ level of control.
The above should not dissuade you from taking adult students to your class, but you should consider those aspects when matching partners or building your class curriculum.
Special attention should be given in mixed classes when students differentiate not only in skill but in age. It is necessary to adjust the exercises and drills to the physical capabilities and fitness level of your students.
The bright side of teaching adult students is maybe having fewer events of aggression and discipline issues, which might lead to injuries.
Remember that the effects of the injury echo to the student’s family and work life. Grownups are less tolerant and might decide to choose a calmer hobby after getting a black eye before a board meeting.
Once one of your students got injured, followup on his recovery, make sure you keep in touch with him and encourage him to get back on the mattress as soon as possible, even if it is just as a spectator. As soon as he feels well enough, have him return to class and make sure he is not going too heavy on himself, trying to go back to normal too soon.
Internal triggers for quitting Martial Arts
As noted above, under “internal” triggers I chose the put triggers that directly relate to the discipline, instructor, school, or club.
Compromising school standards
Being a high ranked and appraised martial artist is a good starting point for having your own school or club, but it’s not enough.
Students, especially adult ones, are very sensitive to their learning environment. These practitioners have a base for comparison with past experiences and require a proper instructional environment. An adult student has a broader perspective, and his Martial Art practicing experience should complement and align with other activities in his life.
As a school owner, keep the consistency of instructors’ approach, methodology, and curriculum. Keep high standards and remember to provide end to end frictionless experience, both on the administration and commercial levels. (collecting fees, facilitating medical examinations and certificates that are needed)
Hire only good certified instructors, in a decent student to Instructor ratio (see how other schools are doing). Make sure your instructors are well paid, highly motivated, and energetic, and that they are able to teach the methodology and set personal examples for both proficiency and attitude.
Of course, make sure physical conditions are appropriate. Keep your place well ventilated, make sure you have enough equipment in proper condition.
Make it engaging. Add fun.
Being an adult Martial Arts student does not mean you lost the ability to enjoy games.
When an activity is enjoyable and engaging, the student is more likely to repeat it.
The term “fun” is not easily associated with combating activities, or accurate stance repetitions. But adding fun and game elements to Martial Arts teaching and practicing can be a game-changer for adults as it is for kids. The evolving field of Gamification provides many techniques and ideas that can be easily implemented in Martial Art classes. The tip system is one example, “Good job card” or badge system is another.
Award students who appear regularly, and those who show dedication. Create Leaderboard or some other format of public token of appreciation for persistence.
Taking real-life examples for incorporating new moves is also a common engagement promoter.
Personal growth platform
Quotes:
“I don’t lose students to other MA clubs” (instructor)
“I am 45 years old, finding something that is mine is gold” (student)
An adult student who chose Martial Art is probably looking for more than physical exercise and fitness. When the school and instructor agenda covers only combating and/or sporting aspects the practitioner can get board and search alternatives.
Make sure your curriculum is rich and consists of cultural and mental references. Allow further exploration and serve as a facilitator to the vast Martial Art body on knowledge.
Mental development is underlying in all forms and systems of Martial Art. Emphasizing fitness and combat aspects alone, and avoiding the fundamentals of resilience and wellness, impairs the discipline’s potential to become a significant part of the student’s life.
Students, especially the adult ones, will be happy to add cultural references and contexts, mental techniques for stress management, and the fundamentals of mind-body practices and philosophies.
Epilogue
Retaining adult Martial Arts practitioners is challenging. This is no captive audience, and the alternatives are numerous.
The value for the students needs to be assessed on a regular basis and adjusted based on findings.
To conclude, I’ve added 2 last points that hold special significance to adult audiences.
Maintain positive environment
Learn from mistakes. Treat this as an opportunity for growth and improvement. Make the students feel comfortable to discuss their hardships and difficulties with you without you being judgmental.
Talk to students who do not appear on a regular basis, and try to understand the reasons.
Make an effort to follow up on dropouts, not for convincing them to go back, but to learn what were the reasons that made them leave.
Set realistic expectations
You as an instructor have responsibility for all your students, and especially for those adult students who chose to put their well being in your hands when deciding to learn Martial Arts in their forties or later…
Transparent criteria and requirements that are adjusted to the student’s physical abilities will help to prevent disappointments and quitting.
Teaching adult students can be challenging. The class curriculum might need altering, special attention for injuries should be taken, and the atmosphere in the classes might need to be less strict and judgemental.
Mixed ages classes can be a source for growth and enrichment for both young and adults, but the instructor should be cautious and attentive for keeping a respectful, stress-free, and tolerant atmosphere.
This post was originally published at sijag.net
References
Zetaruk MN, Violán MA, Zurakowski D, et al Injuries in martial arts: a comparison of five styles British Journal of Sports Medicine 2005;39:29–33.
Age-Related Responses to Injury, Encyclopedia.com
Vitale JA, Bassani T, Galbusera F, Bianchi A, Martinelli N. Injury rates in martial arts athletes and predictive risk factors for lower limb injuries. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2018;58(9):1296‐1303. doi:10.23736/S0022–4707.17.07536–3
Why Students Quit, Gary Gabelhouse, Fightingarts.com
