13 Years Training  260+ Instructors Taught Me These 3 Things About Building a Team

I'm lucky enough to have watched my brother's martial arts organization grow to 60+ full-time martial arts instructors and 200+ part-timers.

And here's the 3 lessons i've learned over the last 13 years about building a team of reliable instructors for your martial arts school that doesn't depend on teenagers. 

Here's what most school owners get wrong about training their team... 

You can have all the students in the world walk through your door, but if your team can't teach, connect, and lead, those students won't stick around.

Most school owners train instructors the way they were trained in martial arts.

Show them a technique. Have them repeat it. Hope it sticks.

But teaching martial arts and teaching someone how to TEACH martial arts are two completely different things.

Here's what I learned being in an organization with hundreds of instructors, and how you can use these lessons to build a team that doesn't crumble the moment you're not on the mat.

Lesson 1: Never Put a Square Peg in a Round Hole

Just because someone is a great martial artist doesn't mean they're great with every type of student.

I've seen black belts who are absolute ninjas with advanced students but turn into deer in headlights when a 4-year-old starts crying.

I've also seen instructors who are amazing with kids but awkward as hell when talking to new adult prospects.

That's not a problem. That's just reality.

Your job as the school owner is to put people where they're most likely to succeed.

Sometimes that means training them to stretch outside their comfort zone.

But sometimes it means accepting they're just not built for certain roles.

If you need a program director and you have someone who's not really that personality type, don't force it just because you need to fill the position.

That's a good way to have someone leave.

Match their strengths to the role. Don't force a square peg into a round hole.

Lesson 2: Always Return to the Basics (Baselining)

No matter how many years someone has been teaching, they need to return to the basics.

It's called baselining.

Over time, instructors make tiny adjustments to scripts, techniques, and movements.

Those small changes compound.

And before you know it, they're teaching something completely different than what you originally trained them to do.

This happens with everything. Scripts. Katas. Teaching progressions. Warm-ups.

Even your best black belt instructors drift over time.

That's why you need regular check-ins where you go back to square one.

"Here's how we teach a front kick."

"Here's the exact script we use when a parent asks about pricing."

"Here's how we run warm-ups."

It might feel elementary. It might feel like a waste of time.

But if you don't baseline, you end up with 10 instructors teaching 10 different ways, and your students get confused.

Consistency is what makes great schools great.

And consistency requires constant returns to the basics.

Lesson 3: Never Count People Out

This one's huge.

Most school owners assume that someone with a "real job" would never want to teach martial arts.

"Oh, they're a doctor. Why would they want to teach?"

"They work in finance. They're not interested."

Stop doing that.

You're counting them out before they even have a chance to say no.

That's like never walking up to the girl at the bar because you assume she has a boyfriend. That's no way to get a date. 

I've seen attorneys, doctors, and corporate professionals leave six-figure jobs to teach martial arts full-time because it was more fulfilling.

I've also seen people keep their great career but teach 2-3 nights a week because they love it and it doesn't feel like work.

You never know what someone wants until you ask.

If you think someone would be a great instructor, invite them.

Don't assume the answer is no just because they have a "good job."

Let them say no. Don't say it for them.

The worst thing that happens? They decline and feel flattered that you asked. 

The best thing that happens? You find someone who's been waiting for you to ask.

The Bottom Line

Training your team isn't just about teaching them how to teach martial arts.

It's about putting them in the right positions, keeping them sharp with regular baselining, and never assuming someone won't want to join your team.

If you get these three things right, you'll build a team that sticks around, grows with you, and actually makes your life easier instead of harder.

Want a one-page guide on how to figure out which position is best for your instructors?

Comment "train my team" below and I'll send it over (must be a subscriber to the Black Belt Business Newsletter).

As promised, 3-minute read, no fluff, all strategy.

Your hype man,

Matthew