Is there really money to be made in martial arts?

[Baby Hanma]

I mean...

Smart bodybuilders, powerlifters, strongman competitors, and Olympic lifters are able to monetize their accomplishments in their sport through YouTube, training others, publishing a how-to-lift-weights book, stuff like that. I've seen some martial arts studios in my area and my city's premier MMA gym is a booming business. Expensive as hell too. I know, I paid for it. That's why I train with them.

However, two of my Judo coaches have other jobs. One of them is a cop, the other owns a construction company. I don't know what the third one does, whether or not she coaches Judo full-time.

There's a guy on YouTube who claimed there's a lot of money to be made in teaching martial arts, but because of my two Judo instructors, I'm just not sure... My former Judo instructors back when I trained in a traditional dojo definitely had different full-time jobs.

What's the deal here? I wanna run a Dragon Ball Z McDojo that teaches people how to Rasengan their attackers to the depths of Oblivion. But now I'm having second thoughts. (Not serious on this last paragraph.)

 

[Fedorgasm]

You need to specialize in no-touch chi attacks.

Those attract the dumbest people and they are the ones that are easy to separate from their money.

 

[5crew]

You need to specialize in no-touch chi attacks.

Those attract the dumbest people and they are the ones that are easy to separate from their money.

When done right, no can defend.

 

[nostradumbass]

There are a lot more people making money in martial arts than there are in bodybuilding or powerlifting. Nearly all of them have other jobs too. Owning a gym is a full time job, there might be another full time coach or 2, and the rest of them are part time and having another primary source of income.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

1. Start a Karate forum
2. Troll
3. ???
4. Profit

 

[Osculater]

Tell them to open an Onlyfans account and stream the classes in the nude, so they can cash in the big bills $$$$$.

 

[Tuvatuva]

Tell them to open an Onlyfans account and stream the classes in the nude, so they can cash in the big bills $$$$$.

I'm sure there is a market for watching sweaty naked guys rolling around with each other.

 

[Chest Rockwell]

My kid's karate teacher makes a very good living . It's a total mcdojo belt factory, but that's the way it goes.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

Location, space and equipment. Rent out the space for yoga/tkd/karate people. Open up kids classes.

As for judo, it's non-profit. You'll be hardpressed to find a full time judo instructor. They all have jobs. They teach and train for the love of judo.

 

[Baby Hanma]

Location, space and equipment. Rent out the space for yoga/tkd/karate people. Open up kids classes.

As for judo, it's non-profit. You'll be hardpressed to find a full time judo instructor. They all have jobs. They teach and train for the love of judo.

What if I claim my own style of Judo after getting good at normal Judo?

lol. Basically, it’ll be Judo with a sexy self defense spin to it. And then I make up a backstory about how I fought in the Filipino knife fighting kumite with my bare hands. lmao. I’m Filipino myself so it might be convincing.

 

[SakurabasEar]

Follow the way of Rex Kwon Do

 

[Iroh]

My kid's karate teacher makes a very good living . It's a total mcdojo belt factory, but that's the way it goes.

Why you put your kid in a McDojo? Lol

Not worried he will learn useless and counterproductive stuff?

 

[KeepingItReal]

Yes Dana White has earned many many moneys in the MMGAY. He is hansomely rich and stuffs like that.

 

[Plutoburn]

It's like most entertainment business, the very few at the top making most of the money.

 

[GSP_37]

Martial arts is the launchpad to UFC then Onlyfans rich lifestyle if you show boobs and beaver. I never would have guessed I'd ever see four or more diff UFC fighters naked.

 

[Busgosu]

Honorable martial artists do not care about making a profit!

 

[Ezekiel 25:17]

Open a Cobra Kai dojo. End thread.

 

[GSP_37]

Combine the dojo concept with titty bar concept.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

What if I claim my own style of Judo after getting good at normal Judo?

lol. Basically, it’ll be Judo with a sexy self defense spin to it. And then I make up a backstory about how I fought in the Filipino knife fighting kumite with my bare hands. lmao. I’m Filipino myself so it might be convincing.

No one is stopping you. You still have to get IJF certification for your rank, promotions, and competition if you or your students want to compete in judo. If it's not a deal breaker, you can Frank Dux the shit out of judo.

 

[Squintz]

I know 5 Tkd masters around my area. They’re all super legit (gold medal winners 2 of them, trained armed forces, multi national champs etc). Every single one of them are very successful and well off. The studio I go to probably has anywhere from 80-100 active members year round between children and adults. There was well over 100 students before Covid. Majority are children and there’s never not going to be knew kids coming to learn even after the older ones go off to college, young adulthood and outgrow it or whatever.

Avg monthly membership is $150-200 month
There’s color belt testing 4 times a year that costs $100 each time. There’s like 20 different belts before black belt testing and that test is like $500.
There’s a few seminars and sparring tournaments throughout the year that costs about $75-100 each. There’s uniforms, sparring gear etc that costs money. Another big money maker is combining the martial arts with after school program for kids so it’s essentially a day care center in a sense as well. On the low end each adult member is prob worth about $2,500 per year and a child is prob closer to at least $3K.

You can do the math and it’s not like there’s a bunch of business expenses and or inventory that needs to be accounted for.