What's the goal for those who take free trials
- Thread starter JowGaWolf
- Start date
Get a feel of the school, the other people there, and the instructor. Also lets me be more realistic about if it's something that fits into my schedule/a drive that I'm willing to make. Eg: I can see a school that's 30 minutes away, and has a class at 5, and think that's perfect since I finish work at 4. But then I start doing it and realize that's barely enough time to get home, change, get there, and I need the decompress time at home more than I thought I did.
To see if you like it. Doesn't matter if it's a school or a new soup, it's just a chance to see if it's any good for you.
Razznik
Blue Belt
More or less the same, but also to meet the people in the school and be able to know if you can learn from them, which is partly repeating what @Dirty Dog said earlier.
Ivan
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Just to see whether the price is worth the instruction. I mainly judge this by looking at the higher-ranked students and how they act. For example, I wanted to sign up for a Karate club, and I went to check it out for a free trial session. It was a little on the pricey side compared to the Taekwondo club I was part of (I don't recall the price but I do remember feeling that way) but I decided it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot.
I show up and there is a huge room filled with over 30 students (easily) with only two-three coaches. This already gave me a bad impression - compared to my Taekwondo club, where each class is a maximum of 20-25 students, with 2-3 coaches along with assistant instructors and very competent higher ranked belts who always help out.
After this, we start doing some kata, which I did my best at but having 1 coach taking care of ten different students all with differing ranks just made me feel left out.
Next came what hit the nail in the coffin for me. So you know how when you do your Kiai in Karate techniques, you're not meant to shout "Kiai" and you're meant to do it from the diaphragm instead of your throat? So we're practicing our side kick on kick shields, and this black belt (who seems a couple of years older than me) just straight up kicks the shield and rips his vocal cords (not literally, but it sounded like it) by shouting "Kiai" at the top of his lungs.
I physically cringed up and it just made me not want to go again. I'd done Karate before, and though I don't have much experience with it, proper Kiai was one of the first things that were taught to me, so it made me feel like the club was inadequate for me. The instructors weren't incompetent, but when you add up all the factors above it just didn't give me the satisfying experience I received from my time at the Taekwondo club.
When I first walked into the TKD club, I was met with an instructor who was eager and asked me how much experience I had etc. After she demonstrated the technique we were practicing she would specifically ask me if I understood, needed any help etc. Also, the pricing was considerably better (£6 for 2 hours) with no contract or anything. I think it's the personal touch that drives it home for people on the fence on whether to join a martial arts club or not.
Razznik
Blue Belt
Yes, I agree. My old Taekwondo Club was in the gym of a random high school. Hello? I bet they couldn't afford a real one. I saw a PRIMARY SCHOOL red belt. HELLO?!?!?!?!???!?!??!?!? It all depends on which school you go to.
Ivan
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I'm going to have to disagree with you there. In the UK, most of the martial arts clubs take place in rented community centres or gyms. I personally do prefer it if there is a dedicated dojo, like MMA gyms or Boxing gyms, but I reckon this is mostly because the instructors don't do it full time. My Taekwondo cub only had two sessions weekly - it was too little for me, but most people who train don't do so to compete or to do it professionally.
As for the younger, higher-ranked belts, I've always found it weird. I don't feel as if it's possible to have people younger than 14-16 (13 would be an extreme) with high ranking belts because most people below that age don't understand the necessity of perfecting your techniques, or the idea of discipline. Note that I say most. I feel that in order to be worthy of a black belt, you should have all the techniques you have learnt to that point nailed with absolute technical perfection, which is what leads me to hold myself to a high standard. However, every young high belt I have come across simply "knows" the technique - they're not "familiar" with it and they don't "understand" it. They know when and how to do it, but they don't understand why it's useful in said situation, and in general, their technique is lacklustre.
jobo
Grandmaster
i think it depends on who to a large extent.
someone completly new, will be judging it on if they think they can do it, if they are out of their seriously depth physicaly they are as like on not, not going to return, they arnt doing it to feel bad about themselves
if its someone who been in ma before they will be comparing it with their own exsperiance of other schools and what they think is important, if they are fit and capable and surounded by over weight novices, they will go some where else
we get both types, " what it takes fitness and dedicated application " " no wont bother"
and other that clearly think they are to good for us
To see if I like it ...although I usually don´t take free trials of things I don´t think I´ll like. Unless I´m really hungry and you're talkin' the free food samples at Cosco.
skribs
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Quality check and fit check. Also, some places require a trial period (for the same reason).
We have a 2-week trial at my school. It's not free, but it's 4 classes and a uniform for roughly 25% the cost. It's both for the student (and possibly their parent) to see if they like the school, but also for us to check if the student is ready to learn. We've had a few kids that we've had to turn away because they're completely incapable of listening and following directions. (We're talking in the 4-6-year-old range).
I also know that in a lot of places, if you want to take BJJ, you have to take a free trial class, because that's the only option for new students.
We have a 2-week trial at my school. It's not free, but it's 4 classes and a uniform for roughly 25% the cost. It's both for the student (and possibly their parent) to see if they like the school, but also for us to check if the student is ready to learn. We've had a few kids that we've had to turn away because they're completely incapable of listening and following directions. (We're talking in the 4-6-year-old range).
I also know that in a lot of places, if you want to take BJJ, you have to take a free trial class, because that's the only option for new students.
isshinryuronin
Senior Master
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I'm going to go in a completely different direction with my response. You may not like it, but it's the other side of the coin so to speak, and just as valid as the views expressed so far.
Adults who walk in for a free lesson or trial may fall into one of the two following categories: First is the guy who is not serious about training and just wants to get some free technique to take home. This is to be expected as who hasn't taken a free sample of food at the market (as mentioned previously) with no intention of buying the product. Not every inquiry is a potential customer. That's the biz.
Then, there is the person who is interested and wants to start training, but, as any trained sales person knows, people often have a reluctance to commit to buying, and need (and want) a little help with the buying decision. The free trial provides a "baby step" for them and allows them to (consciously or unconsciously) prepare themselves to be sold. The actual content of the trial experience is sometimes not as important as them simply feeling comfortably receptive.
The free lesson, or other trial offer, is the lure to get them sitting across from you. Instructors should be honest enough to admit this, and maximize the opportunity it provides. Yes, this all is a somewhat mercenary way of looking at it, but it can be handled in a way that conforms to whatever the owner's priorities and standards are.
There is a spectrum of tactics in getting a prospect to become a student, from very proactive to a more passive approach. I've used them all in my long career, from my aggressive early days using the Tracy's model, to my current tactic of conveying what I teach to the prospect and saying, "If this is something you are serious about, you're welcome to come back. If not, maybe another style will be better for you. Thanks for stopping by." But, honesty always. TMA deserves it.
Adults who walk in for a free lesson or trial may fall into one of the two following categories: First is the guy who is not serious about training and just wants to get some free technique to take home. This is to be expected as who hasn't taken a free sample of food at the market (as mentioned previously) with no intention of buying the product. Not every inquiry is a potential customer. That's the biz.
Then, there is the person who is interested and wants to start training, but, as any trained sales person knows, people often have a reluctance to commit to buying, and need (and want) a little help with the buying decision. The free trial provides a "baby step" for them and allows them to (consciously or unconsciously) prepare themselves to be sold. The actual content of the trial experience is sometimes not as important as them simply feeling comfortably receptive.
The free lesson, or other trial offer, is the lure to get them sitting across from you. Instructors should be honest enough to admit this, and maximize the opportunity it provides. Yes, this all is a somewhat mercenary way of looking at it, but it can be handled in a way that conforms to whatever the owner's priorities and standards are.
There is a spectrum of tactics in getting a prospect to become a student, from very proactive to a more passive approach. I've used them all in my long career, from my aggressive early days using the Tracy's model, to my current tactic of conveying what I teach to the prospect and saying, "If this is something you are serious about, you're welcome to come back. If not, maybe another style will be better for you. Thanks for stopping by." But, honesty always. TMA deserves it.
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