Red Flags: How to Spot a Bad Martial Arts School

Most martial arts instructors genuinely care about kids. But a few schools focus more on sales than teaching, or cut corners on safety. Here are the red flags to watch for when you visit.

• High-pressure sign-up. You're pushed to sign a long contract on your first visit, or offered a special price that "ends today."
• Hidden prices. They won't tell you tuition until you sit through a sales meeting.
• Hard-to-cancel contracts with large fees, or automatic renewals.
• Expensive upgrade programs pushed on brand-new students.

• Belt mill behavior. Frequent tests with high fees, and everyone always passes.
• Guaranteed black belt by a specific date, no matter the effort.
• Promotions tied to payment rather than skill.

Learn what's normal in How Belt Ranks Work in Kids' Martial Arts.

• Young kids sparring hard or without protective gear
• Big kids paired with small kids for live practice
• No warm-up, or bare, worn-out mats
• Instructors who aren't watching, or who encourage kids to "go hard"
• Head contact allowed for young children

More in Is Martial Arts Safe for Kids?

• Yelling, shaming or humiliating kids as "discipline"
• No separate kids' classes; young children are thrown in with adults
• Teen helpers running classes with no adult instructor present
• Bragging about street fights or encouraging kids to fight outside class
• Unwilling to let parents watch
• Can't answer basic questions about background checks, first aid or experience with kids

• Clear, upfront pricing and a free or low-cost trial
• Patient, encouraging instructors who know kids' names
• Separate classes by age and level
• Close supervision and strong safety rules
• Kids who look happy and engaged
• Parents are welcome to watch

Bring our 12 questions to ask before signing up when you visit.

Ready to start looking? Browse kids' martial arts schools by city in Colorado, Nebraska and Texas, then book a trial class at two or three schools near you.