How the hell do MMA gyms stay in bussiness??

As most people said, I'm sure the majority of them just do it out of the love.

That or the mafia.
 
I've heard my instructers say that when opening a school if you can get the kids classes to cover the rent/expenses (which you should be able to) then you make your profit with the adults.

It's not really possible to pull more than 1 or 2 living wages out of most martial arts school. Many ppl do it as a side job.

Many time assistant instructers teach classes and aren't paid.


I've only seen 1 Martial Arts school in NY where 5 ppl were pulling great salaries out of but that gym is an acception and could not be reproduced.
 
own a gym to get your money flow. loop some cardio vids on a screen in front of the cardio machines. make your son or daughter the desk monkey. throw some mats on the ground and walls of a decent size room and get to rollin.

i just cant see how a nation can glue their eyes to a screen watching people they dont know play a game called baseball... a game where you can take a nap in the middle of playing and wake up when it's time to play defense.

but.. those same people arent entertained by MMA?
 
Eric O said:
I've heard my instructers say that when opening a school if you can get the kids classes to cover the rent/expenses (which you should be able to) then you make your profit with the adults.

It's not really possible to pull more than 1 or 2 living wages out of most martial arts school. Many ppl do it as a side job.

Many time assistant instructers teach classes and aren't paid.


I've only seen 1 Martial Arts school in NY where 5 ppl were pulling great salaries out of but that gym is an acception and could not be reproduced.
Click to expand...
What school is this that you speak of?
 
Fight_Song said:
own a gym to get your money flow. loop some cardio vids on a screen in front of the cardio machines. make your son or daughter the desk monkey. throw some mats on the ground and walls of a decent size room and get to rollin.

i just cant see how a nation can glue their eyes to a screen watching people they dont know play a game called baseball... a game where you can take a nap in the middle of playing and wake up when it's time to play defense.

but.. those same people arent entertained by MMA?
Click to expand...
you may not like baseball but honestly i love just as much as mma. baseball is really a chess match and when you have a great pitcher facing a great batter its incredible to watch if you really know the psychology behind the pitches. it takes a lof of thinking and concentration to get into baseball just like it does to enjoy pure grappling
 
TapDG said:
My gym stays in business by offering aerobic classes just to bring in business for people trying to lose weight and get in better shape
Click to expand...

My bjj school does the same thing.
 
Killa_Cs said:
you may not like baseball but honestly i love just as much as mma. baseball is really a chess match and when you have a great pitcher facing a great batter its incredible to watch if you really know the psychology behind the pitches. it takes a lof of thinking and concentration to get into baseball just like it does to enjoy pure grappling
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watch the sportscenter the next morning and you just saved hours of your life. :/
 
Timbaland said:
I don't think the instructors get paid much at all. From the ones I talked to, they make more money from private lessons than from their salary. (monthly) Most of them have other jobs or sponsors if they're pro fighters.
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good call. the privates are where it's at. a well run school cna make a decent salary for the instructor, but they can make some preety good supplemental $$$ with the privates.
 
Yea..some of my instructors(the black belts)..offer private one on one classes for like $50 an hour..I guess it works cause I always see them training private classes
 
Eric O said:
I've heard my instructers say that when opening a school if you can get the kids classes to cover the rent/expenses (which you should be able to) then you make your profit with the adults.
Click to expand...
Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.

Implementing kid's classes is a VERY smart thing to do.

Also, teaching multiple styles is a very smart thing to do. It takes one gym and gives it a potential membership equal to three or four.

Still, it's a tough business to make it in. I've been talking to gym owners for the past year or so because I was considering investing in an MMA gym, but to be frank...the profitable gyms are so rare I'm not sure I want to take the risk. I'll stick with my web design business, the margins are awesome and the risk is lower.
 
Kids classes are where a bunch of adult students come form. That and the fact that they are a blast to teach. I dont know if i agree with the comments about "socker moms will just pay for whatever", some parents have brought their kids in just at their wits end. All sorts of troubles, and talking about putting the kid on drugs. It is amazing to watch the change in some of these little people, and sometimes their parents just stand there with their jaw hanging open. Get a reputation for being able to do that with kids and your school will be fine and ultimately profitable. The adult classes are great fun too, but your base is in kids classes, especially if you want to make a living "living the dream".
 
Soid said:
What school is this that you speak of?
Click to expand...

Panza Mixed Martial Arts.

All the trainers there are or were professional fighters and hold or held titles at one point. Right now they have an former professional boxer who is really good teaching the boxing, two GQ and NAGA national champions teaching submission fighting, Dereck Panza who has 3 HW kickboxing belts and Tim Lane that had the fetherweight title before he retired.

The school is situated in one of the richest areas of Long Island. Jlo, Marc Anthony, LL Cool J, the Duponts, a whole bunch of the Jets and countless other more than rich ppl live around there.

They make a lot of money teaching private classes and they have a solid buisness model.

They've actually produced some descent kickboxers and have been working toward MMA for about a year now.
 
My BJJ club has about fifty/sixty members and they teach out of a public sports center.

The new MMA gym round the corner from my apartment has very few members (20 max). It's 80 dollars a month but I said I'd only be able to come once or twice a week and the owner was like, ok, just pay $5 every time you come (each lesson is over 2 hours). Unbelievable!

They have a kids class but I haven't seen it. The local judo classes are packed with kids so the competition will be intense. The adult classes are pretty hardcore so the numbers are never going to be very high.

I'm kinda worried it's going to go out of business!
 
I've also seen a few BJJ/MMA gyms do Judo classes too and there are always a ridiculous amount of people that show up for Judo. Eventually pro MMA fights more prevelant and gyms will be able to supplement thier income by taking management fees from thier pro fighters. I know that sounds like im hosing the fighters but thats how many boxing gyms stay in business.
 
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