🥋 Train Your Team Like You Train Your Athletes

Most martial arts school owners pour hours into training their students—but when it comes to training their team? It’s usually an afterthought. The result? Inconsistent performance, culture leaks, and confusion over roles and standards.

If you want your team to perform like athletes, you need to train them like athletes—with structure, consistency, and a standard of excellence that’s non-negotiable.

Here are 5 core principles to start running team development like you run your best classes:

1️⃣ Consistency Creates Confidence

Just like athletes don’t level up without regular practice, your team won’t improve without intentional, weekly training. That means:

• 📅 Scheduled weekly team trainings (with a clear agenda)

• 🥋 Physical training sessions to sharpen on-mat skills

• 🎯 1-on-1 coaching to address individual needs

• 💬 Pre-shift huddles to align the day

• 📈 Regular performance reviews to track goals

If you don’t train consistently, don’t expect consistent performance. Your culture follows your calendar.

2️⃣ Practice the Plays

Scripts, drills, and class structure aren’t “set it and forget it.” They’re plays—and they need to be practiced. Regularly.

What should you be practicing?

• Sales scripts & objection handling

• Lead follow-up calls

• Class transitions & flow

• Parent conversations and mat chats

• Greeting protocols and hype energy

Every championship team has playbooks—and they rep them until it’s second nature. So should yours.

3️⃣ Film Never Lies

One of the fastest ways to sharpen team awareness is through video review.

Watch class footage together and ask:

• “What did we do well?”

• “What didn’t meet our standard?”

• “What’s the fix?”

Then… practice the fix. The mat doesn’t lie. Neither does the footage.

4️⃣ Celebrate Like a Team, Lose Like a Team

When things go wrong, it’s not their fault—it’s our responsibility. And when things go right, it’s their win to own.

As a leader:

• Model accountability from the top

• Teach ownership without blame

• Make losses lessons

• Celebrate wins as a unit

• Build belief through responsibility

Culture is contagious. Your response sets the tone for how your team handles pressure, failure, and progress.

5️⃣ Build a Bench of A-Players

Don’t wait until someone quits to start recruiting. The best teams are always building their bench.

Look for:

• Students who are upgraded and active

• CIT team members who complete the 90-Day Gauntlet

• People who show hunger, coachability, and consistency

Train them with:

• Instructor certification

• Class observation

• Event support

• Cross-training in sales, follow-up, and mat operations

A-Players don’t appear out of nowhere—they’re developed intentionally.

BONUS: Understand the Player Types on Your Team

🏀 A Players

• High skill, high ownership, high drive

• Want feedback, want responsibility, want to win

• Elevate your culture—if you give them space to lead

🏀 B Players

• Competent and consistent, but not hungry

• Need coaching to become A players—or they settle

• Often feel threatened by high-performers

🏀 C Players

• Low initiative, low skill, high drama

• Drain energy, lower standards, and kill culture

• Want A players gone because they expose their comfort zone

Want a stronger team? Coach the B’s, remove the C’s, and unleash the A’s.

💡 Final Word: Coach Your Culture, Don’t Just Hope for It

If you want A-player performance, you need A-player systems.
That means:
✅ Weekly training
✅ Clear standards
✅ Real-time feedback
✅ Role-specific reps
✅ Development paths

You can’t build a championship school with walk-ons and wishful thinking. Train your team like you train your athletes—and watch them rise to the standard.

This week’s roundup is all about trust, follow-through, learning, and leveraging smart tools to lead and grow more effectively. Whether it’s your team, your tech, or your mindset—there’s something here to sharpen every part of your business.

🔥 Simon Sinek – Working with a Trusting Team
Simon reminds us that when people trust each other, they work faster, think bigger, and solve more problems.
👉 Watch Here (Facebook Post)

🔥 Daniel Pink – Solve Problems Faster
Daniel shares a fresh perspective on how to speed up problem-solving by changing how we approach the question.
👉 Watch Here (Facebook Post)

🔥 Dave Kovar – Do What You Say You’re Going to Do
Kovar delivers a leadership fundamental: Your integrity is your influence. Follow-through builds culture.
👉 Read Here (Facebook Post)

🔥 Adam Grant – Stay Humble, Stay Learning
“Wisdom is knowing how much you still have to learn.” A powerful reminder from Grant that the best leaders are constant students.
👉 Read Here (Facebook Post)

🔥 Dan Martell – Top 5 AI Tools for Your Business
Dan drops five must-have AI tools that save time and create leverage in any business.
👉 Watch Here (Facebook Reel)

⚡ Take what hits, drop it in your team chat, and keep leveling up.

😂 Martial Memes

These memes hit home for all of us martial artists and gave us a good chuckle. Click on the image to view the original account that posted each meme. Enjoy!

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