Today’s martial arts instructor is not that different from the traditional instructor who originated from the Asian societies. They are still required to express an old school philosophy where tactics, self-control, history and physical conditioning are mastered with dignity and discipline. If you are interested in this type of career, you will no doubt find that when you start to discuss the benefits of having a career as a martial arts instructor, it’s hard to stop once you have started.

The art of war in those days concentrated on hand to hand combat and it was considered to be an honor to become a student of any form of martial arts. These arts were further refined using tools like swords, knives, chains, staffs, javelins and the bow and arrow. Today we do not usually need these type of tools any more, because the firearm has mainly taken over their role in advanced fighting. There are, however, still those individuals who are highly trained in warfare using the weapons mentioned above. They are usually employed in highly sophisticated military reconnaissance teams or as instructors in training centers.

Let us not mince words, a martial arts instructor has a tough job. A typical working day would entail you doing the following:

You will need to draw up lesson plans in advance and discuss these with the center’s management. Some days you will have to teach skills like warm-ups, conditioning, sparring, stretching, the history of martial arts and the philosophy underlying the discipline. You will also have to keep track of your students’ progress by implementing a monitoring system. You could, for instance, have one on one feedback sessions as well as group sessions to iron out problems they have with various moves and to instill pride and honor in your students.

For you to actually teach a class of students you will need to have a good anatomical knowledge, the ability to teach others and share your knowledge in a fun but authoritative manner and you should not be shy to speak in front of an audience. You would also need a large dose of patience because your students might just be starting off learning a new skill and they would need a lot of time invested in their training. It goes without saying that your level of fitness has to be high as your students will scrutinize your actions with a fine tooth comb and keep you on your toes every minute of the session.

There will also no doubt be some administrative duties which you have to perform. These are usually set by the club or center management. Ad hoc promotions, demonstrations and advertising projects will also form part of your duty from time to time, as it is always important to sustain the promotional aspect of any business. Depending on how big your training center is, you might have to travel to other centers to present special workshops or help set up a new outlet.

Your chances of finding a job in this industry would be quite good if you not only had excellent martial arts qualifications, but also good organizational skills and some marketing abilities. This would most probably put you on a short-list of candidates to hire.

This is no doubt an extremely rewarding but challenging career to embark on. You are going to become the focal point in many people’s lives. They all have different reasons for enrolling in a martial arts class. No matter what these reasons are, you will have to help with their emotional development depending on the age group of the class as well as their fitness and skills progress.

A high level of excellence and dedication is what sets the great instructor apart from the rest. He has to be prepared to walk a road with his students. Discuss the benefits of having a career as a martial arts instructor with someone in the industry. You will find that the pros far outweigh the few cons there are. It is a journey you will embark on which brings not only control and focus into your own life, but can also allow you to travel the world as you teach your gift.

Author Bio: This article was written by Dustin Fennell owner and operator of Martial Arts Equipment Direct. We provide martial artists with the highest quality gear at a great price. Check out or great selection of martial arts shoes and headgear from all your favorite brands in the styles you’ll love.

Category: Career
Keywords: martial arts instructor,martial arts qualifications, martial arts jobs