Is Your Schedule Hurting Your Retention?

Most martial arts school owners don’t realize this…

But your class schedule might be the reason students are quitting.

Not your teaching. Not your classes. Just the times you offer them.

Let’s be real,  juggling a schedule that separates students by age group and belt rank is tough.

And there’s only a couple prime-time hours that matter in most towns: between 5pm and 7pm.

So how do you offer a schedule that’s convenient for your students without burning out your staff?

We use something called The X Model.

What’s the X Model?

It’s simple.

You offer each level or age group at least:

• 2 Prime-Time Options (5–7pm)
  
  

• 2 Non-Prime Time Options (usually 3:30–5pm or 7:00+)
  
  

The class times “criss-cross” during the week,  like an X, so that every student can find at least one time that works for their schedule.

Yes, your prime-time classes will always be fuller. That’s okay!

Some students prefer smaller classes at off times.

(Just like how I sometimes hit the noon Jiu Jitsu class to get more attention… instead of squeezing into the sweaty 6pm class.)

Other students love the energy of a full prime-time class.

You need to offer both. Especially for beginners.

Because in the beginning, students are still deciding if this is a long-term commitment, and convenience is king.

As they grow in rank and love the training, they’ll be more flexible with class times.

So yes, your advanced classes can lean more into non-prime hours. But don’t make them all late or inconvenient. They’ve earned a schedule that still respects their time.

I don’t think OUR class schedule is perfect, but if you want to see an example of an X Model Schedule, you can check it out below..

BONUS SCHEDULE STRATEGY: Stack Your Classes

Try to schedule classes back-to-back for different age groups or programs, so families can:

• Have two kids take class in a row (without driving back and forth)
  
  

• Have their child train, then the parent trains right after
  
  

If a family always has to leave and come back, that adds friction.

And in 2025, kids aren’t just doing martial arts and baseball. They’re doing piano, soccer, archery, chess club, robotics, AND trying to make it to your classes.

Their schedule is busier than a Fortune 500 CEO.

So our job is to make martial arts as easy to stick with as possible.

Start by building a schedule that works for real families, not just for your staff or tradition.

Because if they can’t make class, they won’t stay enrolled.